Brussels, 25/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European employment strategy still suffers from insufficient implementation on the part of Member States and a lack of ambitious structural reforms, the UEAPME (European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise) states in a stance on the Commission's communication on "five years of the European Employment Strategy" (see EUROPE of 18 July, p.16-17), published on 26 November. UEAPME hopes the new three-year annual cycle foreseen by the Commission (2003-2006) will allow Member States to make up for these deficiencies. It insists on simplification of guidelines, refocusing on strategic aims (mainly the reduction of tax charges on employment) and a strengthened pillar for entrepreneurship. Finally, UEAPME calls for more active involvement on the part of the social partners at national level, in the development and the implementation of national action plans for employment.