Brussels, 17/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - The EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Policy Council will be meeting on 20 October in Luxembourg under the Presidency of the Italian Minister for work and Social Policies, Roberto Maroni and the Italian Minister for Opportunities, Stefania Prestigiacomo, with the participation of Commissioner Anna Diamantopolou. No decision is expected this time on the "Health and Consumer" issues. During this Council, Ministers will be called on to give their views on three important cases: simplifying regulation on social security system coordination for immigrant workers, the European health map and the protection of workers exposed to radio-magnetic fields. Immigration, integration and employment, the traffic in human beings, particularly women, the open method of co-ordination for secure and viable pensions, as well as the transformation of non declared work into regular employment, will also be up for discussion at the Ministerial. See details below:
1. Ministers are expected to have a common approach on three chapters of section 3 of Regulation 1408/71 (coordination of social security systems), pre-pensions, unemployment and family benefits. This will open the way to a definitive agreement on simplification and modernisation of this regulation before the end of the year, as required by the Laeken Summit in 2001. A Luxembourg declaration is expected on this point: this country is aware of the enormous unemployment difficulties, given the large number of workers crossing borders to work their.
2. Ministers will hold an orientation debate on the introduction of the European health map. The draft submitted to Ministers clarifies certain points of the draft regulation, such as the date of the entry into force planned for 1 June 2004 (except if publication of the regulation is postponed and guaranteed direct access for the user I for 1st July 2004.
3. A political agreement from Ministers is expected on: 1) the amended proposals on a directive on the minimum health and safety conditions for workers exposed to physical agents (electromagnetic fields). This directive, for which Commissioner Diamantopolou has underlined the importance, will constitute an important step in the awareness of the new generations to the risks experienced by workers in the workplace; 2) the Daphne 2 programme (2004-08) aims to prevent violence to children, teenagers and women, as well as protecting at risk groups and victims. At this stage in the work, the only delicate point which remains pending, involves decisions governing the budget for the Daphne 2 programme (2004-08). Most delegations declared that they could agree to the amount proposed by the Presidency (and supported by the Commission and EP) - EUR 50 million overt 5 years. France (which could, nevertheless, change its opinion during the session), Germany and the Netherlands which don't support it for the instant. A public debate is expected on these two points.
4. In a follow-up to the informal Varese Council last July, Ministers are expected to adopt conclusions on a coordinated strategy for viable and adequate pensions, as well as a resolution on the transformation of on declared work into regular employment, a theme to which the Italian Presidency is particularly attached.
Ministers will; listen to the opinion provided by the Committee for social protection on the Commission's communication, "Strengthening the Social Dimension in the Lisbon Strategy": rationalisation of the open coordination method in the field of social protection"; orientation debate on the Commission's communication of June 2003 on "immigration, integration and employment". This debate will act as a basis for Council conclusions later in the year, a resolution is expected on the initiatives to fight against the traffic in human beings, particularly women.
Seasonally adjusted industrial production decreased by 0.4% in the euro-zone in August 2003 compared to July 2003, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities in Luxembourg, estimates today. Production increased by 1.0% in July 2003 after remaining unchanged in June 2003. Output in the EU15 also decreased by 0.4% in August 2003, after gains of 0.7% in July and 0.3% in June.