Brussels, 04/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - The meeting of employment ministers from the EU member states to be held in Brussels on Monday 7 March will mostly be dedicated to two long policy discussions - the first on the budget process of the European semester, and the second on the future agenda for skills, which will be presented by the European Commission in May.
The ministers will hold the first discussion in the morning, focusing on the employment and social policy sections of the European semester, and on the implementation of country-specific recommendations, from the angle of labour market segmentation and contractual arrangements.
The ministers are then expected to adopt a joint report on employment, conclusions on the annual assessment of growth, and employment policy guidelines - the Commission having proposed to maintain the 2015 guidelines for 2016.
At the end of the morning, three items are on the agenda for a brief exchange of views. The first item deals with the new European-level approach to the social dialogue; the second with the implementation of the youth guarantee and the path to follow after 2016; and the third deals with the employment mobility package, including the targeted revision of the directive on the posting of workers (see other article), which the Commission is due to adopt the following day.
After lunch, during which the discussions will cover older workers and employment seekers, the ministers will meet in a formal session to discuss the new skills agenda. The Commission is also expected to review the future European pillar of social rights.
The Council will then be asked to adopt conclusions on the follow up for the Commission's action plan to advance LGBTI equality, and for the Commission's strategic engagement in favour of gender equality. With regard to gender equality, there is a risk that the conclusions may not be adopted, due in particular to opposition from Poland and Hungary. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)