Brussels, 22/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 23 September the European Parliament is expected to adopt the own initiative report of Austrian Socialist Harald Ettl on "the state of progress on implementation of the joint assessment papers (JAP) on employment prospects in accession countries".
By adopting this report by unanimity, the employment committee is calling on candidate countries to elaborate employment strategies for crisis ridden areas in order to plan for any new emigration or pauperisation phenomena by setting up a network of regional and local employment agencies. MEPs also highlight the need to invest in education and training as the first step in creating a successful economic infrastructure. They are calling for the public funds to be created for financing investment in human resources and research and development and invite private EU investors to utilise some of their investment to train their employees to a level of perfection. MEPs are still calling for the application of practical measures for ensuring equal treatment for the disabled in the employment field, as well as for women and minorities discriminated against in the labour market. MEPs call on the Commission to propose measures for facilitating access of citizens from new Member States to loans for support programmes by getting rid of bureaucratic barriers.