The Hartz concept, also known as Hartz reforms or the Hartz plan, is a set of recommendations submitted by a committee on reforms to the German labour market in 2002. Named after the head of the committee, Peter Hartz, these recommendations went on to become part of the German government's Agenda 2010 series of reforms, known as Hartz I – Hartz IV. The committee devised thirteen "innovation modules", which recommended changes to the German labour market system. These were then gradually put into practice: The measures of Hartz I – III were undertaken between 1 January 2003, and 2004, while Hartz IV was implemented on 1 January 2005. The "Hartz Committee" was founded on 22 February 2002, by the federal government of Germany led then by Gerhard Schröder. Its official name was Kommission für moderne Dienstleistungen am Arbeitsmarkt (Committee for Modern Services in the Labour Market). The 15-member committee was chaired by Peter Hartz, then Volkswagen's personnel director. Hartz I, II, and III Hartz I and II both came into effect on 1 January 2003, aiming at making new types of jobs easier to create, and covered, for example: Hartz I The foundation of "Staff Services agencies" (Personal-Service-Agenturen or PSAs). Support for vocational further education from the German Federal Labour Agency. Subsistence payments by the Federal Labour Agency. Hartz II New types of employment, Mini job and Midi job, with lower or gradually rising taxes and insurance payments. A grant for entrepreneurs, known as the "Ich-AG" (Me, Inc.). Introduction of Jobcenters, local government facilities for providing public employment services Hartz III Hartz III came into effect on 1 January 2004. This measure was aimed at restructuring and reforming the federal public employment services agency, whose name was changed from the Bundesanstalt für Arbeit or Arbeitsamt (Federal Labour Institution), to the Bundesagentur für Arbeit or Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Labour Agency). Hartz IV The fourth stage of the reform was voted in by the Bundestag on 16 December 2003, and by the Bundesrat on 9 July 2004, to take effect by 1 January 2005. This part of the reforms brought together the former unemployment benefits for long-term unemployed ('Arbeitslosenhilfe') and the welfare benefits ('Sozialhilfe'), leaving them both at approximately the lower level of the former Sozialhilfe (social assistance). The level for a single person was €374 per month (known as the Regelsatz). This has risen since, reaching €391 per month in