Brussels, 22/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - At the end of the Informal Meeting of Ministers (EPSCO) for Employment and Social Affairs in Berlin last Friday (EUROPE 9345 and 9348), the German Presidency, in cooperation with the two successive presidencies (Portugal and Slovenia) published its conclusions, the major thrust of which is as follows:
1) Europe needs “more joint efforts” to promote the quality of work, the main components of which are: employee rights and participation in the labour market, fair wages, protection of health and safety at work, as well as a family friendly work organisation. Good and fair working conditions as well as appropriate social protection are indispensable for the acceptance of the European Union by its citizens”; 2) “greater flexibility on the labour market should be accompanied by appropriate rights for workers”. Member States and social partners have an important role to play “for preventing more labour market flexibility leading to a reduction of social protection for employees”; 3) “Fair wages are an important characteristic of good work. The Member States and the social partners are called upon to ensure that wages are set in a fair and adequate manner, while safeguarding the national wage setting system's characteristic features”; 4) “Working conditions that promote lifelong learning and the chance for further occupational education, modern and staff-oriented leadership and work organisation, as well as promoting and maintaining health and occupational qualifications are the keys to corporate competitiveness and to the employability especially of older employees. Corporate prevention and rehabilitation programmes must become standard practice”; 5) “New forms of employment types can facilitate reintegration into the labour market. They must not, however, be abused for the purposes of depriving employees of their rights. They must not lead to discrimination and exclusion; 6) Family friendly work organisation is an opportunity to improve equal rights, competitiveness, health protection, income security and coping with demographic development”; 7) Wage replacement benefits and minimum security for job seekers are elements of a social Europe that has made the fight against poverty and social exclusion one of its central priorities. The persons concerned must receive help from a well balanced system of support programmes within the meaning of an activating labour market policy”. (gb)