Brussels, 03/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council is to meet on 6 March in Brussels under the presidency of Greek Employment and Social Security Minister Dimitros Reppas. The Commission will be represented by Anna Diamantopoulou. Work will focus on three topical issues: the preparation of the Spring Summit on 21 March in Brussels, the institutionalisation of the Tripartite Social Summit, and the directive on temporary work. No subjects relating to "health" or "consumers" is on the agenda. Work will unfold as follows:
1) Preparation of the Spring Summit: a) The Council will open its work with a public debate on the European Employment Strategy (EES). It will adopt the joint Commission/Council report 2002 on employment and its contribution to the Spring Summit 2003. The contribution deals with subjects such as full employment, quality and productivity, and social cohesion and contains key messages on the future of EES, on the basis of the opinion by the Employment Committee. The contribution will be forwarded to the Heads of State and Government for their meeting of 21 March. b) The Council will tackle social protection issues, with approval of the joint Commission/Council report on viable and adequate pensions (February 2003) and that on healthcare and care for the aged (January 2003). c) The Council will adopt conclusions launching key messages to the March summit regarding social protection.
2) Tripartite Social Summit for growth and employment: The Council is expected to adopt a decision to institutionalise the Summit. This decision specifies that the Council Presidency and the two following Presidencies, the Commission and European social partners will take part at the Summit, all being represented at the highest level. It will be held the eve of each Spring Summit.
3) Work programmes of the Employment Committee and the Social Protection Committee: The Council will note the work programmes for 2003, in accordance with the rules of procedure of the two Committees.
4) Action Plan for skills and mobility: The Commission will present its communications on the European Health Insurance Card (February 2003), on the European Employment Services Network (EURES) (December 2002) and on the free movement of workers (December 2002).
5) Temporary work: As requested at the Council on 3 December, ministers will publicly discuss this subject with a view to reaching a political agreement (see EUROPE of 5 December 2002, p.9). The English and the Irish are sticking to their position (they find the directive over restrictive) while Germany seems to be taking a more relaxed stance, thus lifting its reserve following the bilateral meeting between Ms Diamantopoulou and the German Economic Affairs and Employment Minister, Mr Clement, who proposes radical reform of the German labour market (see EUROPE of 19 November 2002), and with the German DGB trade union president, Mr Sommer, who fully supports the Commissioner's proposal in this connection (see EUROPE of 21 February 2003).
6) Gender mainstreaming: The Council will hold a policy debate on gender mainstreaming. The aim of the Presidency is to then develop conclusions.
7) European Year for the Disabled 2003: The Commission will present a progress report on this European Year, which was officially launched in Athens on 26 January.
Finally, the Presidency will inform the ministers of its activities concerning: 1) the informal meeting of Labour and Social Affairs Ministers (Naflio, 23-24 January 2003); 2) official launch of the European Year of People with disabilities (Athens, 26 January 2003); and 3) Conference "The Future of Work: Key Challenges for the European Employment Strategy" (Athens, 13-14 February 2003).