Avis juridique important

|

52001DC0512

Recommendation for a Council Recommendation on the Implementation of Member States' Employment Policies  /* COM/2001/0512 final */

Recommendation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MEMBER STATES' EMPLOYMENT POLICIES(presented by the Commission)EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUMThis recommendation from the Commission to the Council, drawn up in accordance with Article 128 4 of the Treaty, is part of a package also including the draft Joint Employment Report for 2001 and the proposal for a Council decision on the Employment Guidelines for 2002. Once adopted by the Council as a recommendation on the implementation of Member States' employment policies, it will focus policy action on priority areas and provide Member States with support and guidance in implementing the Employment Guidelines.The response to the 2001 recommendationsRecommendations on Member States' employment policies were adopted for the first time on 14 February 2000 as part of the employment package of 1999. The last set of recommendations was adopted by the Council on 19 January 2001, together with the Employment Guidelines for 2001. Whereas the majority of the 2001 recommendations were updates of the 52 recommendations of the previous year, others put stronger emphasis on the need for Member States to develop lifelong learning strategies and to improve their policy mix under the four pillars of the Employment Guidelines, which led to an increase in the number of recommendations to 58.The National Action Plans, submitted by Member States in May 2001 and assessed in the draft Joint Employment Report for 2001, give a picture of how these recommendations, as well as the Employment Guidelines, have been put into practice. Although Member States' responses to the recommendations have generally been constructive, they reflect different stages of implementation and compliance with the Employment Guidelines. Overall, important weaknesses have still to be addressed and structural reforms of European labour markets need to be further pursued, especially in the light of the less favourable economic prospects.The recommendations for 2002The proposed recommendations, which Member States should implement after adoption by the Council and report upon in their National Action Plans for 2002, draw on the findings from the Commission's examination of the National Action Plans, as described in the draft Joint Employment Report for 2001. Altogether the examination of the National Action Plans led to 57 proposed recommendations, a number similar to last year's both in total number and by Member State [1] :[1]  Denmark would have one recommendation less (on gender mainstreaming), as well as Portugal (due to the merging of two recommendations of 2001) ; Ireland would receive an additional recommendation on regional disparity. - the majority of the recommendations (48) have been updated on the basis of progress made;- nine recommendations are entirely new [2];[2]  The ones in the field of regional disparities and on the effectiveness of active labour market policy -see below-; gender mainstreaming in Greece, and lifelong learning in Austria- in only four cases were there grounds for withdrawing the recommendations [3] made last year.[3]  This is the case for the recommendations on gender mainstreaming in Denmark; social partnership in Luxembourg; statistical monitoring in the Netherlands; and fiscal pressure in Finland (where tax reductions have been decided upon for 2002)The order of presentation of the new recommendations for each Member State does not reflect any order of priority. Since the majority of recommendations are updates of last year's, these are presented in the same order (which is also the order in which they were assessed in the draft Joint Employment Report) ; the new recommendations are normally to be found at the end of the list.As required by Article 126 of the Treaty, the Commission has taken care to ensure consistency with the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines in drawing up the proposed recommendations.Although comparisons from year to year are difficult because of the gradual change in substance of some recommendations, some thematic trends emerge clearly:- recommendations in the field of the policy mix have been made more specific to help address country-specific weaknesses, such as the low employment rates (compared to the Lisbon and Stockholm targets) [4];[4]  see Italy and Greece- recommendations focused on taxation and benefits, which previously aimed at increasing the participation of particular groups such as older workers, now generally address a broader set of target groups including older workers, women and immigrants in order to contribute to an overall increase in labour supply [5];[5]  e.g. Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden- the recommendations on lifelong learning have been reviewed by focusing on specific problems such as the skills gap and the absence of a comprehensive and coherent approach in several Member States;- gender-related recommendations have been made more specific by focusing on particular problems, notably the provision of care facilities [6][6]  e.g. Germany, Greece, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Portugal, - several new recommendations focus on the problem of regional disparities, often in the context of bottlenecks which were the subject of a new Guideline in 2001 [7];[7]  Belgium, Spain, Ireland, and Finland (see also Germany and Italy)- a number of recommendations put stronger emphasis on increasing the effectiveness of active labour market policies [8].[8]  Germany, Finland, SwedenRecommendation for aCOUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MEMBER STATES' EMPLOYMENT POLICIESTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 128(4) thereof,Having regard to the Commission recommendation of 12 September 2001,Having regard to the joint opinion of the Employment Committee and the Economic Policy Committee [9][9]  (Joint nature of the opinion to be confirmed)Whereas:(1) The Council adopted the employment guidelines for 2001 by the Decision of 19 January 2001 [10].[10]  OJ L 22 of 24.1.2001, p. 18 (2) The Lisbon European Council on 23 and 24 March 2000 agreed on a comprehensive strategy towards employment, economic reform and social cohesion and made a commitment to creating the conditions for full employment ; targets for employment rates to be reached by 2010 were accordingly set and further complemented by the Stockholm European Council on 23 and 24 March with intermediate targets for 2005 and a new target for increasing the employment rate among older women and men by 2010.(3) The Nice European Council on 7, 8 and 9 December approved the European Social Agenda, which states that the return to full employment involves ambitious policies in terms of increasing employment rates, reducing regional gaps, reducing inequality and improving job quality.(4) The Council adopted the recommendation on the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines on 15 June 2001, and the Amsterdam European Council of 16 and 17 June 1997 agreed on a Resolution on a Stability and Growth Pact setting commitments by Member States.(5) Member States should implement this recommendation in a way which is consistent with the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines, and in particular the labour market part thereof.(6) The 2001 Joint Employment Report, prepared jointly with the Commission, describes the employment situation in the Community and examines the action taken by Member States in implementing their employment policy in line with the Employment Guidelines and the Council Recommendation of 19 January 2001 on the implementation of Member States' employment policies  [11].[11]  OJ L 22, 24.1.2001, p. 27.(7) The Council considers it appropriate, in the light of the examination of the implementation of the Member States' employment policies, to make recommendations. They should be used sparingly, concentrate on priority issues and be based on sound and accurate analysis.(8) In complementing action undertaken by the Member States with a view to contributing towards the achievement of full employment, the competences of the Member States should be respected.(9) The Council acknowledges the significant efforts already undertaken by Member States with a view to implementing the Employment Guidelines and the Recommendation of 19 January 2001. In the assessment of the impact of these policies, the multi-annual perspective of the Employment Guidelines should be taken into account.(10) Member States should articulate their response to the Guidelines under the four pillars in a coherent overall strategy aiming at full employment, recognising Member States' different starting positions, the development and implementation of comprehensive and coherent strategies for lifelong learning and a comprehensive partnership with the social partners; due consideration should be given to gender mainstreaming and the need to reduce regional disparities and evaluate progress under all four pillars on the basis of indicators.(11) In order to influence the trend in youth and long-term unemployment, all young people should have the opportunity to gain entry to the world of work before they have been unemployed for six months and all the adult unemployed should be offered a new start before they have been unemployed for twelve months.(12) Member States should pursue the modernisation of their Public Employment Services;(13) It is important to reduce disincentives to employment embodied in the tax or benefit systems in order to ensure higher participation rates amongst women and older workers.(14) The development and implementation of lifelong learning, covering the development of systems for initial, secondary and tertiary education, further education and vocational training and the setting of national targets, is crucial to the development of a competitive and dynamic knowledge-based society and requires the active commitment of all actors concerned, including public authorities, the social partners and individuals, with a relevant contribution from civil society.(15) A coherent set of policies which promote social inclusion by supporting the integration of disadvantaged groups and individuals into the world of work, and combat discrimination in access to, and on the labour market is called for.(16) Improvements of the business environment and a better equipment of individuals for taking up entrepreneurial activities are needed to stimulate job creation by more and more dynamic enterprises. Framework conditions need to be developed to tap the potential for employment growth in the services sector.(17) Sustained job creation calls for more employment-friendly taxation systems in which the currently high burden on labour is shifted to alternative sources of fiscal revenue, such as energy and the environment.(18) Local action for employment significantly contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the European Employment Strategy.(19) The establishment of partnerships at all appropriate levels is crucial for the modernisation of the organisation of work and the promotion of the adaptability of undertakings and their employees.(20) Gender gaps in the labour market, particularly affecting employment, unemployment and pay, as well as gender segregation across sectors and occupations, require comprehensive mainstreaming strategies and measures to better reconcile work and family life.HEREBY ISSUES to the individual Member States the recommendations set out in the Annex.Done at Brussels,For the CouncilThe PresidentANNEXI. BELGIUMProblems in employment performanceThe Belgian labour market improved in 2000 with an increase in the employment rate to 60.5%, still markedly below the Lisbon target of 70%. A further drop in the unemployment rate to 7% (below the EU average of 8.2 %) was recorded and employment growth picked up to match the EU average (1.8%). However, long-standing challenges are only gradually being met.- Inflows into long-term unemployment are high and, despite a further decrease, the stock of long-term unemployed people - 3.8% of the labour force in 2000 -is greater than the EU average.- Participation in employment amongst older workers is still the lowest in the EU (at 26.3%, 11.4 points below the EU average), while the rate amongst women, at 51.5%, remains below the EU average.- The tax burden on labour remains one of the highest in the EU.- Work organisation needs to be further modernised with the involvement of the social partners.- Labour and skills shortages are apparent and a fully coherent and comprehensive lifelong learning strategy is not yet in place.- Regional disparities in unemployment remain considerable.After due analysis, it appears that more efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: implementation of a preventive policy, notably for adults; increasing the employment rate amongst older workers and women; reduction of the tax burden on labour; the development of lifelong learning; and increasing labour mobility between regions.Belgium should therefore:1. reduce inflows into long-term unemployment by taking decisive steps to implement an appropriate early intervention system for unemployed adults; examine the impact of the new personalised approach towards all unemployed young people;2. take stronger action with a view to increasing the overall employment rate, notably for women and older workers. Belgium should, in particular, examine the impact of recent measures and consider further measures aimed at preventing the early withdrawal of workers from work, as well as incentives enhancing the capacity of older workers to remain at work;3. pursue further measures to reduce the tax burden on labour so as to encourage employees to take up work and employers to create new jobs, and closely monitor the impact of measures already taken, including those related to the reduction of social security contributions; intensify efforts with the social partners to better combine security with greater labour market flexibility;4. reinforce, in cooperation with all actors concerned, the development and implementation of a comprehensive lifelong learning strategy to prevent skills shortages, to raise the attractiveness of technical and vocational education and to build a more solid foundation for the knowledge-based economy and society;5. take concerted action to increase labour mobility between regions through the provision of labour market information and further improvements to the coordination of labour market policies.II. DENMARKProblems in employment performanceThe labour market situation remains very favourable with the highest female employment rate in the EU (71.6 %), one of the highest male employment rates (80.8 %) and one of the lowest unemployment rates (4.7 %). While Denmark exceeds the Lisbon targets, key challenges for Denmark are:- The overall tax burden which is still high. The small differences between benefits and low wage incomes have limited so far the effects from tax reforms on work incentives for low income groups.- The tightening of the labour market in 2000, while a considerable part of the working age population is on early retirement or on social benefits, and the employment rate remains low amongst migrant workers.After due analysis, it appears that further efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: the reduction of the tax burden; and increasing labour market participation.Denmark should therefore:1. pursue and closely monitor implementation of on-going reforms to reduce the overall fiscal pressure on labour, in particular through lowering the high marginal effective tax rates on low and medium income earners;2. pursue incentives to encourage yet more people to take up employment, particularly through further development of the inclusive labour market and further efforts towards the integration of migrant workers.III. GERMANYProblems in employment performancePositive overall employment and unemployment trends over recent years were confirmed in 2000. While the overall employment rate of 65.3 % exceeds the EU average, it remains 5 percentage points below the Lisbon target. The key challenges still facing Germany's labour market are:- Relatively slow decreases in long-term unemployment, which still accounts for 4% of the labour force, with persistent regional differences, notably in unemployment rates, the new Länder being particularly badly affected. In addition, the outcomes of the active labour market policies in the Eastern part of the country are mixed.- The employment rate of people aged 55-64, at 37.3%, which decreased slightly to below the EU average.- The need for modernising work organisation and for a continuing substantial lifelong learning effort to overcome skill gaps and to enhance generally the qualification level of the labour force.- Despite on-going reforms, the still high overall tax burden on labour.- One of the highest gender pay gaps in the EU and relatively few childcare facilities.After due analysis, it appears that more efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: preventive policies; increasing older people's labour market participation; lifelong learning; the tax burden on labour; and equal opportunities.Germany should therefore:1. in order to substantially reduce long-term unemployment, devote additional effort to the prevention of inflows into long-term unemployment, particularly in the Eastern part of the country and in respect of ethnic minorities and migrant workers, and increase the effectiveness of active labour market policies;2. continue to remove obstacles and disincentives liable to discourage labour market participation amongst older workers and other groups at risk; examine and report on the effectiveness of initiated and agreed actions and adopt further measures to improve the employability of workers above 55 years of age;3. Take measures, where appropriate in the framework of the "Alliance for Jobs", to make work contracts and work organisation more flexible ; tackle skill gaps in the labour market through the implementation of agreed improvements for initial and continuing training, and through further developing a comprehensive strategy for lifelong learning supported by qualitative and quantitative targets. The social partners and the Government, each in its field of competence, are invited to strengthen their efforts to raise the quality of continuing training and to set up systems for the accreditation and recognition of formal and non-formal learning;4. pursue efforts to reduce taxes and social security contributions at the lowest end of the wage scale to make work pay and to enhance viable and acceptable employment prospects; examine and report on the impact of measures undertaken;5. strengthen action to reduce the gender pay gap and address the impact of the tax and benefit system on women's employment; promote the availability of childcare facilities and more family-friendly working times and school times. The implementation of these policies, involving the respective actors at all levels, should be monitored with appropriate verifiable indicators and targets.IV. GREECEProblems in employment performanceGreece still has one of the lowest employment rates in the EU (55.6% overall and 40.9 % for women, well below the Lisbon targets). Unemployment has now stabilised at 11% - well above the EU average - with growth in employment outweighed by long-term structural increases in the labour force. Long-term unemployment has been reduced to 6.2% but remains significantly higher than the EU average. This situation reflects the following structural problems in the labour market:- The low employment rate, while there is still unexploited job-creation potential in its SME and services-based economy.- Against the background of high youth, female and long-term unemployment, the public employment services do not deliver yet a preventive and personalised approach. Despite efforts to monitor flow statistics, a comprehensive system is not yet available.- In the context of low employment rates, the tax system as well as rules on pension entitlements should be reviewed in order to increase labour supply.- Educational reforms include steps to develop lifelong learning, but there is still no clear overall strategy, and education and vocational training systems need further improvement.- There is room for further improvement in the modernisation of work organisation, including through the social partners' contribution.- There are wide gender gaps in employment and unemployment which should be addressed inter alia by increased provision of childcare facilities.After due analysis, it appears that further efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: the overall policy approach; prevention of unemployment; tax-benefit reform; lifelong learning; the modernisation of work organisation; and gender mainstreaming.Greece should therefore:1. improve the strategic framework, in particular by developing a set of well co-ordinated and balanced policies for the implementation of the employment guidelines across the four pillars with a view to increasing employment and the employment rate, in particular for women and young people;2. speed up the restructuring of the Public Employment Services and take decisive and coherent action to prevent young and adult unemployed people from drifting into long-term unemployment through inter alia swift implementation of the personalised approach; upgrade the statistical system so that policy indicators on prevention and activation are available in good time and progress can be effectively monitored;3. examine and eliminate distortions arising from labour taxes and pension entitlements, thus improving incentives to work;4. further develop and implement a comprehensive strategy on lifelong learning, including the setting of targets; increase investment in and further improve education and vocational training systems, including apprenticeship, in order to enhance the skills of the labour force and meet the needs of the labour market.5. ensure full implementation of the recent labour market reform package and build on these efforts by promoting concrete commitments by the social partners at all appropriate levels on the modernisation of work organisation, while achieving a balance between flexibility and security;6. take effective and comprehensive action to increase the employment rate for women and to reduce the employment and unemployment gender gaps. To this end, care facilities for children and other dependants should be extended.V. SPAINProblems in employment performanceSpain has been experiencing steady and positive economic and employment growth over recent years, but serious challenges remain:- Unemployment is still very high at 14.1%, despite a significant decline since 1996. Long-term unemployment has also declined, but women remain particularly badly affected by unemployment.- The employment rate of 55 %, though on the increase, is among the lowest in the EU and far below the Lisbon target. Although the female employment rate has been steadily increasing, at 40.3% it is still one of the lowest in the EU. Gender gaps in both employment and unemployment (29.6 and 10.8 percentage points respectively) are among the highest in the EU.- While levels of educational attainment and participation in further learning are low, a fully coherent and comprehensive approach to lifelong learning is not yet in place.- Employment under fixed term contracts is high; most of these temporary contracts are of short duration and tend to be taken predominantly by women and young people.- Regional disparities are wide, while geographical mobility is very low.After due analysis, it appears that more efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: activation and prevention of unemployment; gender mainstreaming; lifelong learning; adaptability; and regional disparities.Spain should therefore:1. complete the modernisation of the Public Employment Services so as to improve its efficiency, and step up implementation of the preventive approach, particularly with regard to the adult unemployed, so as to cover all potential beneficiaries. These efforts should include the completion of the statistical monitoring system;2. take effective and comprehensive action to increase the overall employment rate and to close gender gaps in employment and unemployment. As part of a gender mainstreaming approach, targets for the provision of care facilities for children and other dependants should be adopted and implemented;3. vigourously complete reforms on vocational training to encompass a comprehensive and coherent strategy on lifelong learning, including the setting of verifiable targets, with a view to increasing the levels of educational attainment and the participation of adults in education and training, addressing the low level of skills and developing non-formal learning;4. further modernise the labour market and work organisation with the active involvement of the social partners with a view to reducing the high share of fixed-term contracts, and increasing the use of part-time contracts;5. reduce regional disparities in employment and unemployment by encouraging conditions conducive to employment creation in regions lagging behind and by diminishing obstacles to labour mobility.VI. FRANCEProblems in employment performanceThe employment situation continues to improve. At 62.2%, the overall employment rate is close to the EU average, whilst the female employment rate exceeds the EU average. However, significant structural problems persist:- The employment rate of people aged 55-64 rose in 2000 but remains considerably lower than the EU average (29.7% compared to 37.7%).- Despite some progress, the marginal effective tax rate is still relatively high.- The unemployment rate continues to exceed the EU average (9.5% compared to 8.2%) thus necessitating the pursuit and evaluation of programmes that implement the preventive approach.- The modernisation of work organisation needs to be pursued ; the implementation of working time legislation constitutes an important new challenge for small enterprises.- Lifelong learning must be promoted and the social dialogue must be strengthened in this area.After due analysis, it appears that more efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: increasing older people's labour market participation; efforts to reduce the tax burden on labour; the prevention of unemployment; the implementation of legislation on the 35 hour working week; and lifelong learning.France should therefore :1. strengthen efforts to curb older workers' early withdrawal from working life by developing a more comprehensive approach towards active ageing involving the social partners;2. building on recent tax-benefit reforms, continue implementing and monitoring the impact of policy measures designed to encourage workers to seek and remain in work, particularly measures with an effect on low-skilled and low-paid workers;3. pursue implementation of personalised and early intervention schemes for the unemployed; examine the effectiveness of and report on the implementation of the Personalised Action Plans for a New Start initiative; evaluate the medium term impact of on-going efforts to create new job opportunities for young people;4. intensify efforts to modernise work organisation with a view to better combining security with greater adaptability to facilitate access to employment ; closely monitor the net effects of the implementation of the 35 hour working week legislation, especially on small businesses;5. pursue efforts within the framework of the social dialogue to improve the efficiency of the continuous training system and to promote a comprehensive lifelong learning strategy.VII. IRELANDProblems in employment performanceIreland's economic and employment performance has been very good. In 2000 the overall employment rate at 65.1 % was higher than the EU average for the second year running and the already low unemployment rates continued to fall for all groups. These developments indicate a further tightening of the labour market and some structural problems still exist:- Whilst labour supply shortages have increased in recent years and have fuelled wage inflation pressures, the employment rate for women (despite recent increases) has only just reached the EU average (54%) and the gender gap in employment remains high.- In this context, further effort is also needed to boost the low rates of participation in further learning, especially amongst those in employment.- Considerable regional disparities - in employment and unemployment rates but also educational levels and earnings - risk impeding sustained and balanced development.After due analysis, it appears that continued efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: increasing labour market participation rates, particularly amongst women; lifelong learning, especially in-company training; and regional disparities.Ireland should therefore:1. pursue further its comprehensive strategy to increase labour supply and employment rates. Particular efforts should be undertaken to mobilise and integrate further into the labour market economically inactive people, in particular women, by removing tax barriers, increasing the number of affordable childcare places and taking action with the aim of reducing the gender pay gap;2. pursue efforts to sustain productivity growth and upgrade skills and qualifications in the workforce, through increased emphasis on in-company training and the further development of lifelong learning, including the setting of overall targets, and in this respect promote active involvement of the social partners in implementing the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness;3. in the context of the Spatial Strategy programme, address imbalances in employment, unemployment, job creation and human capital endowment between various areas in Ireland.VIII. ITALYProblems in employment performanceAs in the previous year, employment increased and unemployment fell during 2000. However, these improvements leave several structural problems of the Italian labour market still unresolved:- The low employment rate of 53.5% is still some 10 percentage points below the EU average and far below the Lisbon target. The employment rate for women (39.6 %) is the lowest in the EU and for older people it is one of the lowest in the EU (27.8 %).- Work organisation needs to be further modernised ; the planned general review of the social benefit system was postponed for the second time.- Unemployment fell to 10.5% but remains almost 2 percentage points above the EU average. Regional disparities remain significant with unemployment rates ranging from less than 5% to over 20%, despite recently recorded faster growth in the South.- Wide gender gaps in employment - at 27.9 percentage points - are characteristic of the labour market, particularly in the Southern regions, and female unemployment, at 14.4%, is almost double the male unemployment rate of 8.0%.- In a context of low levels of educational attainment and participation in further learning, improvements in the approach to lifelong learning are required, including as regards those in employment.After due analysis, it appears that further efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: the appropriate policy mix to favour employment growth, reduce regional imbalances and combat undeclared work; tax and benefit systems; activation and prevention of unemployment; gender mainstreaming and gender gaps; and lifelong learning.Italy should therefore:1. pursue policy reforms to sustain growth in employment rates, in particular for women. Such reforms should address regional imbalances by further strengthening employability policies, and by promoting job creation and the reduction of undeclared work, with the active involvement of the social partners ;2. continue to increase labour market flexibility with a view to better combining security with greater adaptability to facilitate access to employment ; pursue the implementation of the reform of the pensions system through the review planned for 2001, and undertake the planned review of other benefit systems in order to reduce the outflow from the labour market; pursue efforts to reduce the tax burden on labour, especially on low-paid and low-skilled workers;3. in the context of employability policies, take further action to prevent the inflow of young and adult unemployed people into long-term unemployment. Such action should include: the full implementation of the reform of the Public Employment Services across the country; the speedy introduction of the Employment Information System; and continuation of current efforts to upgrade the statistical monitoring system;4. improve the effectiveness of active labour market policies and implement specific measures to reduce the wide gender gaps in employment and unemployment within an overall gender mainstreaming approach, and in particular by setting targets for the provision of care services for children and other dependants;5. strengthen efforts towards the adoption and implementation of a coherent strategy on lifelong learning, including the setting of national targets; social partners should continue their efforts to provide more training opportunities for the work force.IX. LUXEMBOURGProblems in employment performanceIn Luxembourg, the labour market is benefitting from a favourable environment supported by strong economic growth (8.5%) and an increase in employment (5.5%). At 2.4%, the unemployment rate continues to be the lowest in the EU. However, some structural problems persist:- At 62.9%, the employment rate continues to fall short of common objectives, despite the highly favourably employment situation. The latter results, however, in large part from a high level of cross-border working. Activity rates are particularly low amongst older workers (27.4%) and women (50.3%) though both figures have been on the increase since 1996.- The gender employment gap - 24.8 percentage points - remains one of the highest in the EU.- Efforts underway in respect of continuing training must be pursued in order that the needs of a modern and dynamic economy be met.After due analysis, it appears that more efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: increasing labour market participation amongst older people and women; the coherence of lifelong learning policy.Luxembourg should therefore:1. further strengthen action aimed at significantly increasing labour market participation rates amongst workers over the age of 55 by reviewing early retirement and disability pension schemes ;2. strengthen efforts aimed at increasing labour market participation rates amongst women, by improving services to facilitate a better reconcilation of work and family life, by encouraging their return to work after long periods outside the labour market and by adopting measures to promote equality between men and women particularly as far as the gender pay gap is concerned;3. ensure effective implementation of the framework law on continuous training, with strong involvement by the social partners, combat early school leaving and undertake a revision of the overall learning system with a view to achieving better coherence between the different education and training sectors.X. THE NETHERLANDSProblems in employment performanceEmployment growth was healthy in 2000 and employment rates (73.2 % overall and 63.7 % for women) are well above the EU averages and the Lisbon targets. The official unemployment rate continued to fall in 2000, to less than 3%, which is significantly below the EU average. However, a key structural imbalance characterises the labour market:- Despite emerging labour market shortages, the labour force is constrained by the high proportion of the working age population drawing on disability, unemployment or welfare benefits.After due analysis, it appears that more efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: labour supply and benefit reforms.The Netherlands should therefore:1. in addition to measures to decrease the inflow into disability benefits, develop effective policies to reintegrate people currently drawing on such benefits into jobs that take account of their remaining capacity to work;2. in order to tap all possibilities of potential labour supply and reduce inactivity, address the cumulation of benefits, including local cost of living subsidies for low income recipients.XI. AUSTRIAProblems in employment performanceThe Austrian labour market's performance improved last year, with an overall employment rate of 68.3% (59.4% for women) close to the targets set by the Lisbon Summit and well above the EU average. Overall unemployment was reduced to 3.7% in 2000 and, together with youth and long-term unemployment, is still among the lowest in the EU. Despite the overall good performance, structural problems remain in the labour market.- In the context of ensuring an adequate labour supply in a tightening labour market, there is room to boost the participation of older and low-paid workers, as well as ethnic minorities and migrant workers.- There is still a significant gender gap in employment and one of the highest pay gaps in the EU, requiring new measures to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life. Childcare coverage rates are among the lowest in the EU and need to be extended.- A comprehensive and coherent lifelong learning strategy, with quantitative targets and the appropriate involvement of all relevant actors, is still lacking.After due analysis, it appears that more efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: increasing labour market participation ; gender gaps and childcare provision; ; and lifelong learning.Austria should therefore:1. develop policies to ensure an adequate labour supply in the future. In this context, Austria should pursue and extend the reform of tax and benefit systems to increase the participation of older workers and low skilled and low paid workers, and improve equal opportunities for ethnic minorities and migrant workers on the labour market;2. develop a target-based strategy for narrowing the gender pay gap, in agreement with the social partners; promote at all levels action to reduce the gender gap in employment, by extending childcare facilities and promoting policies to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life;3. adopt and implement a comprehensive and coherent strategy on lifelong learning in agreement with all actors involved, which includes indicators and national quantitative targets and ensures that appropriate resources are made available to support structural links between compulsory and higher education, initial and continuing training, and adult education.XII. PORTUGALProblems in employment performanceWith an overall employment rate of 68.3 %, the employment situation has further improved and come close to the Lisbon target. At 4.2%, unemployment is among the lowest in the EU and long-term unemployment is at a low level (2.7%). However, the labour market suffers from structural weaknesses which require action:- In the context of low levels of educational attainment and participation in further learning, as well as (despite a fall) the highest rates of early school leaving in the EU (43.1%), improvements in the field of lifelong learning are required.- Further strong input from the social partners is needed to address the main challenges facing the Portuguese labour market, in particular the low skill level, the modernisation of work organisation and employment relations.- Portugal has a good record in terms of its female employment rate, having now reached the 60% target set at the Lisbon Summit. However, the Portuguese labour market displays one of the most pronounced gender imbalances in terms of employment across sectors in the EU.After due analysis, it appears that more efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: lifelong learning and skills; the partnership approach; and gender imbalance.Portugal should therefore:1. better articulate the lifelong learning strategy, by improving education and training systems in order avoid skill shortages, increase the supply of skilled labour and thus promote the creation of medium and highly skilled jobs and raise labour productivity;2. pursue efforts to implement a partnership approach and promote concrete commitments from the social partners, in particular in the areas of modernisation of work organisation and adaptation of employment relations, including labour regulations, carefully monitoring the implementation of the agreements already signed by the Government and the social partners;3. pursue efforts to reconcile family and working life, in particular by extending childcare facilities, and examine new ways to promote a better gender balance at sectoral level.XIII. FINLANDProblems in employment performanceWhile Finland has maintained strong employment growth over the past five years, reaching an overall employment rate (67.5 %) close to the Lisbon target and a female employment rate (64.4 %) in excess of the EU average and the Lisbon target , some major structural problems remain.- The overall unemployment rate is still high at 9.8%, with high youth and long-term unemployment rates among older workers giving particular cause for concern, as well as large regional differences in unemployment.- Finland has a high female employment rate and well developed equal opportunities policies. However, the Finnish labour market displays one of the most pronounced gender imbalances in terms of employment across sectors and occupations in the EU, as well as a considerable gender pay gap.- Finland faces skills shortages in several sectors (both in high and low-skilled jobs) and in some regions ; the outcome of active labour market programmes in terms of employment contracts of the participants is mixed.After due analysis, it appears further efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: tax and benefit incentives to increase participation; the gender pay gap and gender imbalance; and regional disparities.Finland should therefore :1. continue to review tax and benefit schemes with a view to encouraging participation in the labour market and ensuring the availability of labour; in particular, strengthen efforts to reduce high marginal effective tax rates especially on low wage earners and to improve incentives in benefit schemes, especially pensions, for people to take up work and to stay in the labour force;2. take appropriate action, in the context of a gender mainstreaming approach, to close the gender pay gap and continue taking action to improve the balance in representation between men and women across both occupations and sectors;3. increase the effectiveness and quality of active labour market programmes with a view to combating unemployment and reducing regional disparities and labour market bottlenecks, focusing on the needs of the long-term and young unemployed.XIV. SWEDENProblems in employment performanceAt 73% and 71% respectively, Sweden exceeds the Lisbon targets and has among the highest overall and female employment rates in the EU. Overall unemployment fell to 5.9% in 2000. However, a number of structural problems remain in the labour market:- A large number of people of working age are dependent on benefits: the tax burden on labour is still high, and tax and benefit incentives to work could be further enhanced.- Sweden has a high female employment rate and well developed equal opportunities policies. However, the Swedish labour market displays one of highest gender imbalances across sectors and occupations in the EU.- Regional differences in unemployment are significant and the labour market situation of ethnic minorities and migrant workers could be improved; the effectiveness of different types of active labour market policies is mixed.After due analysis, it appears that further efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: the tax burden on labour and tax-benefit incentives to work; gender imbalance; and the efficiency of active labour market policies.Sweden should therefore:1. pursue reforms, including the setting of targets taking into account the national situation, to reduce significantly the high tax burden on labour in particular for low wage earners; pursue reforms of tax and benefit systems to promote work incentives;2. take new initiatives to tackle the current imbalance in representation between women and men (at both occupational and sectoral level), as part of the gender mainstreaming reforms begun in 1999;3. review the effectiveness of the active labour market programmes, especially in relation to long-term unemployment, in this context paying particular attention to the needs of ethnic minorities and migrant workers.XV. UNITED KINGDOMProblems in employment performanceThe UK saw further employment growth in 2000 and, at 77.8% and 64.6% respectively, the employment rates for men and women are well above the EU average and the Lisbon targets. The unemployment rate continued to fall in 2000, to 5.5%, below the EU average. However, important structural problems persist:- At national level, despite increasing role and visibility, there is no general approach to social partners' involvement which therefore remains restricted to a number of specific issues.- Though diminishing, the gender pay gap and the current imbalance in representation between women and men (both occupational and sectoral) remain high compared to the EU averages; the provision of affordable childcare places, although it has started to improve, is important in this regard.- Inflows into long-term unemployment amongst young people and adults slowed only slightly in 2000 (to 16% and 10% respectively) and are still rather high. Inactivity, long-term unemployment and low employment rates are concentrated in households with no-one in work, certain regions and particular disadvantaged groups (lone parents, certain ethnic minorities, male older workers, the disabled, and the low skilled).- The low level of basic skills amongst the workforce is contributing to emerging skills gaps and to levels of labour productivity which, despite recent improvements, remain low.After due analysis, it appears that further efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning: the partnership approach; gender imbalance; activation policies, especially for adults and disadvantaged groups; and the role of work-based training in tackling skill gaps.The United Kingdom should therefore:1. further foster social partnership at the national level to improve policy implementation and development. In particular, efforts should be aimed at improving productivity and skills, and the modernisation of working life;2. strengthen efforts to reduce the gender pay gap and improve the balance in representation between women and men across occupations and sectors, by involving all relevant actors including the social partners and enabling monitoring with appropriate verifiable indicators and targets; further implement and monitor the impact of actions taken to improve the provision of affordable childcare facilities;3. reinforce active labour market policies for the adult unemployed before the 12 month point to supplement the support provided by the Jobseekers' Allowance Benefit and schemes to improve job search effectiveness. Within this context, particular attention should be paid to groups facing particular problems in the labour market;4. reinforce current efforts to encourage and develop work-based training to address increasing workforce skill gaps and low levels of basic skills.


Avis juridique important

|

31987H0567

87/567/EEC: Commission Recommendation of 24 November 1987 on vocational training for women

Official Journal L 342 , 04/12/1987 P. 0035 - 0037

*****COMMISSION  RECOMMENDATION  of 24 November 1987  on vocational training for women  (87/567/EEC)  THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,  Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community and the second indent of Article 155 thereof,  Whereas Article 4 of Directive 76/207/EEC of 9 February 1976 on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions (1) lays down that the Member States shall ensure application of the principle of equal treatment with regard to access to all types and to all levels of vocational training and retraining;  Whereas the Commission communication to the Council transmitted on 20 December 1985, on 'Equal Opportunities for Women - Medium-Term Community Programme 1986 to 1990', included education and training as one of the seven fields of action defined therein and stated that the Commission will propose Community guidelines on vocational training for women;  Whereas the Second Council Resolution of 24 July 1986 on the promotion of equal opportunities for women (2) supported the broad outlines of the Commission communication referred to above and supported the programme's objectives of realizing in practice equal opportunities in economic, social and cultural life;  Whereas the Second Council Resolution also called on Member States to take appropriate action on the basis of, inter alia, the Commission communication;  Whereas Council Decision 86/365/EEC of 24 July 1986 adopting the programme on cooperation between universities and enterprises regarding training in the field of technology (COMETT) (3), Council Decision 87/327/EEC of 15 June 1987 adopting the European Action Scheme for the Mobility of Univrsity Students (ERASMUS) (4), the Resolution of the Council and the Ministers for Education meeting within the Council of 12 July 1982 concerning measures to be taken to improve the preparation of young people for work and to facilitate their transition from education to working life (5), the Resolution of the Council and the Ministers for Education meeting within the Council of 3 June 1985, containing an action programme an equal opportunities for girls and boys in education (6), the proposals for a Council decision adopting an action programme for the training and preparation of young people for adult and working life (7), and the Commission Communication on adult training in firms (8), have all underlined the importance to be attached to equal opportunities;  Whereas the European Parliament has on several occasions emphasized the need for a comprehensive large-scale policy in the area of equal opportunities for women and has urged the promotion of adequate vocational training for women;  Whereas the need for well-targeted vocational training measures has been heightened by the fact that the structural crisis on the labour market and the introduction of the new technologies have seriously affected women's employment prospects and whereas the demographic trend and the economic and social changes call for the skills of all workers to be more closely attuned to requirements;  Whereas this situation has led to the development in the Member States of various initiatives designed to promote more appropriate skills for women but whereas the measures involved have often remained limited; whereas certain measures have also been undertaken at Community level and whereas the European Social Fund contributes to the financing of vocational training operations;  Whereas it is therefore important to establish Community guidelines for carrying out a number of specific comprehensive actions in a variety of fields in order to develop appropriate vocational training for women,  RECOMMENDS AS FOLLOWS:  Article 1  It is recommended that the Member States should adopt a policy designed to encourage the participation of young and adult women in training schemes, especially those relevant to occupations of the future, and should develop specific measures, particularly as regards training, for occupations where women are under-represented.  Article 2  It is recommended that the Member States should introduce, continue or encourage active measures designed to:  (a) integrate training for women within a broader process of cooperation between all the parties concerned: the education authorities and oganizations, school and vocational guidance, the two sides of industry, the training organizations, the lenders of capital, the central and/or regional and/or local authorities, equal opportunities organizations, undertakings, women's groups or associations;  (b) staff the guidance, training and placement services with persons qualified to deal with the specific problems of women (e.g. equal opportunities counsellors) and to take measures to increase the awareness of instructors;  (c) reorganize the school, university and vocational guidance services in such a way that they seek out rather than wait to be approached by the people concerned;  (d) encourage the participation of women and girls in training courses by providing more decentralized and more widely distributed education and training facilities;  (e) develop awareness and information measures so as to offer women and those around them images of women engaged in non-traditional activities, particularly those related to occupations of the future;  (f) encourage the participation of girls in higher education, particularly in technical and technological fields, by:  - making provision within the grants system for ways of compensating for the double sexual and social handicap borne by girls from underprivileged backgrounds,  - adopting measures enabling girls to benefit on an equal footing from the programmes set up in the context of the links to be developed between universities and industry (in particular the COMETT programme) and from inter-university agreements promoting the mobility of students (particularly the ERASMUS programme),  - making efforts to steer girls towards key areas of new technology;  (g) encourage greater participation by girls in the various initial vocational training systems outside the education system, especially apprenticeships, other than those teaching certain 'female' occupations and adapt or, where appropriate, abolish types of training for women which do not provide real occupational skills or lead girls into overcrowded occupations;  (h) encourage girls and women to set up their own businesses or cooperatives by introducing special training and further training schemes particularly designed to provide:  - training in financial management,  - information on access to back-up and financial facilities;  (i) develop measures designed to promote the participation of women in continuous training entailing:  - campaigns to provide information and promote awareness of the potential offered by such training,  - measures to encourage women to follow such training courses, for example by adapting the conditions of training courses (e.g. timetables, duration and forms of training) to the specific problems of women and, where appropriate, by setting target figures, to be reviewed, particularly for sectors and occupations where women are under represented;  (j) provide specific courses for certain categories of women, particularly underprivileged women and women returning to work after an interruption, particularly in the confidence-building, awareness or pre-training phases;  (k) open up all types of training (paticularly those intended for unemployed people) to women wishing to return to work and encourage the two sides of industry to develop 'reintegration' projects providing training likely to enable the persons in question to re-enter the firm at the level at which they left;  (l) enable the spouses of self-employed workers who help with that self-employed activity to take advantage of training opportunities on the same terms as self-employed workers;  (m) introduce support measures such as the provision of flexible childminding arrangements and the establishment of the appropriate social infrastructures so as to enable mothers to take part in training schemes, the introduction of financial incentives or the payment of allowances during training;  (n) recognize skills acquired in running a household and looking after a family (exemption for certain course elements, etc); (o) monitor the progress of women having taken part in training schemes, particularly in occupations where women are underrepresented.  Article 3  The Member States shall inform the Commission within three years of the date of this Recommendation of the measures taken to give effect to it, in order to allow the Commission to draw up a report on all such measures.  Article 4  This Recommendation is addressed to the Member States.  Done at Brussels, 24 November 1987.  For the Commission  Manuel MARÍN  Vice-President  (1) OJ No L 39, 14. 1. 1976, p. 40.  (2) OJ No C 203, 24. 7. 1986, p. 2.  (3) OJ No L 222, 8. 8. 1986, p. 17.  (4) OJ No L 166, 25. 6. 1987, p. 20.  (5) OJ No C 193, 28. 7. 1982, p. 1.  (6) OJ No C 166, 5. 7. 1985, p. 1.  (7) COM(87) 90 final.  (8) COM(86) 780.


Avis juridique important

|

32001H0613

Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 July 2001 on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers

Official Journal L 215 , 09/08/2001 P. 0030 - 0037

Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 10 July 2001on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers(2001/613/EC)THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 149(4) and Article 150(4) thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(1),Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions(2),Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty(3),Whereas:(1) The transnational mobility of people contributes to enriching different national cultures and enables those concerned to enhance their own cultural and professional knowledge and European society as a whole to benefit from those effects. Such experience is proving to be increasingly necessary given the current limited employment prospects and an employment market which requires more flexibility and a greater ability to adapt to change.(2) Mobility for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers - whether in the context of a Community programme or not - is an integral part of freedom of movement for people. This is one of the fundamental freedoms protected by the Treaty. The right to move and reside freely is moreover recognised for any citizen of the Union under the conditions provided for by Article 18 of the Treaty.(3) Council Directive 68/360/EEC of 15 October 1968 on the abolition of restrictions on movement and residence within the Community for workers of Member States and their families(4), recognises the right of residence for workers and their families. Council Directive 93/96/EEC of 29 October 1993 on the right of residence for students(5) obliges Member States to recognise the right of residence for any student who is a national of another Member State and who has been accepted on a vocational training course, and for the student's spouse and their dependent children who do not enjoy this right under other provisions of Community law. Furthermore, Council Directive 90/364/EEC of 28 June 1990 on the right of residence(6) recognises the right of residence more generally, in certain conditions, for citizens of the Union.(4) Mobility for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers is also an integral part of the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of nationality as provided for in Article 12 of the Treaty. That principle applies to the areas covered by the Treaty, as has been held in the case law of the Court of Justice. It therefore applies to the fields of education, training and youth.(5) The Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, adopted on 14 December 2000 a resolution concerning an Action Plan for mobility(7), which was also approved at the Nice European Council.(6) Council Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 of 14 June 1971 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, to self-employed persons and to members of their families moving within the Community(8) has in part become applicable to students under Council Regulation (EC) No 307/1999(9).(7) Council Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 of 15 October 1968 on freedom of movement for workers within the Community(10) provides for equality of treatment as regards access to education and vocational training for workers and their families who have exercised their right to freedom of movement.(8) The recognition of professional qualifications for entering and exercising regulated professions, such as teaching, is governed in the Community by the general system established by Council Directives 89/48/EEC(11) and 92/51/EEC(12).(9) Council Resolution of 3 December 1992 on the transparency of qualifications(13), and Council Resolution of 15 July 1996 on the transparency of vocational training certificates(14), called on the Commission and the Member States to take steps to improve mutual understanding of the qualifications systems of the various Member States and of the qualifications themselves, by making them clearer and more readable, and therefore more transparent. A European Forum in the field of transparency of vocational qualifications has been created to make concrete proposals for implementing those Resolutions. The first proposals were submitted in February 2000.(10) Involvement in transnational voluntary activities helps to shape young people's future careers, develop their social skills and smooth their integration into society, thereby fostering the development of an active citizenship. In addition, since voluntary work is an activity which specifically involves solidarity, is non-profit-making and unpaid, it should not be treated, under national legislation, as employment.(11) Furthermore, the Council has invited the Commission to study the feasibility of introducing, on a voluntary basis, a European administrative annex to the diploma in order to establish synergies between academic recognition and professional recognition of qualifications(15). The work undertaken along those lines by the Commission together with the Council of Europe and UNESCO has been completed and will soon be followed up with a public awareness campaign.(12) Despite the provisions quoted above, the Green Paper on "Education, training, research: the obstacles to transnational mobility", adopted by the Commission in October 1996, noted the existence of obstacles to mobility. The diversity of the status in the Member States of students, persons undergoing training, teachers and trainers, particularly with regard to provisions on the right of residence, employment law, social security and taxation, is an obstacle to mobility. Similarly, not recognising the specific nature of voluntary work is a hindrance to the mobility of volunteers.(13) Persons wishing to undertake mobility in the areas of education, training and youth, particularly students, persons in training, volunteers and teachers and trainers, are often discouraged by the many obstacles they encounter, as evidenced by the petitions they address to the European Parliament. In this context, the Community's action should cater for the aspirations of its citizens in terms of mobility in education and training.(14) In the context of Article 293 of the Treaty which provides in particular for the Member States, so far as is necessary, to enter into negotiations with each other with a view to securing for the benefit of their nationals the abolition of double taxation within the Community, it should be noted that this network of bilateral agreements is still not complete, with the result that obstacles to mobility still remain.(15) The Green Paper proposed a series of actions to eliminate those obstacles. They have been largely approved in the context of the debates which have been organised on this subject in all Member States. It is therefore necessary to remove those obstacles to mobility. Special attention should be paid to the needs of the most disadvantaged and most vulnerable groups, such as the disabled.(16) The European Council in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000 declared its support for mobility as an essential feature of the new knowledge society and in promoting lifelong education. It called on the Member States, the Council and the Commission to:- take the necessary steps within their areas of competence to foster the mobility of students, teachers and training staff, in particular by removing obstacles, through greater transparency in the recognition of qualifications and periods of study and training, and through specific measures for removing obstacles to the mobility of teachers by 2002;- develop a common European format for curricula vitae to encourage mobility by helping to improve assessment, by education and training establishments and employers, of knowledge acquired.The European Council also called on the Council and the Commission to create a European database on jobs and learning opportunities to facilitate mobility, while improving employability and reducing the skills shortage.(17) Mobility fosters the discovery of new cultural and social environments. There is therefore a need to facilitate the cultural preparation and initiation of the persons concerned into living, learning and working practices in different European countries, as well as their return under appropriate conditions, namely by training relevant contact persons of the target groups (university teachers and administrators, vocational teachers and trainers, teachers and head teachers, staff of sending and hosting organisations) interculturally, and to encourage educational and training establishments to appoint staff to coordinate and facilitate their intercultural training.(18) This Recommendation conforms to the principle of subsidiarity referred to in Article 5 of the Treaty insofar as Community action, complementing action by the Member States, is necessary for the obstacles to mobility to be removed. It is important to that end to emphasise that mobility requires Community intervention because by its nature it entails transnational aspects. This Recommendation also conforms to the principle of proportionality referred to in that Article because it does not go beyond what is necessary to achieve the objectives pursued.(19) This Recommendation seeks to encourage cooperation between Member States on the subject of mobility by supporting their activities and fully respecting their responsibilities within the framework of their national legislation in particular as regards the implementation of the invitations which it contains.(20) This Recommendation is aimed at Member State nationals who would like to experience living in a Member State other than the home Member State. Nevertheless, it should also be noted that the European Council stated at Tampere on 15 and 16 October 1999 that the European Union must ensure "equal treatment for third country nationals who are legally resident in a Member State" and that a more vigorous integration policy should aim at granting them rights and imposing on them obligations comparable to those citizens of the Union. Third country nationals who are legally resident in a Member State should be granted a number of rights in that Member State which come as close as possible to those enjoyed by the citizens of the Union.(21) Community education, training and youth programmes are open to the countries of the European Free Trade Association participating in the European Economic Area and the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CCEE), in accordance with the conditions set out in the Europe Agreements, in their additional protocols and in the decisions of the relevant Association Councils, and to Cyprus, Malta and Turkey. This Recommendation should accordingly be brought to the attention of these countries and mobility should be facilitated for any nationals from those countries who pursue studies or training, take part in voluntary activities, or provide teaching or training within the European Union under a Community programme.(22) The Community programmes, including those mentioned above, have enabled the development at Community level of good practice and of important tools which aim to facilitate mobility for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers. The widest possible application of those good practices and tools should be envisaged,I. HEREBY RECOMMEND that Member States:1. Measures which concern all categories of people covered by this Recommendation:(a) take the measures they consider appropriate to remove the legal and administrative obstacles to the mobility of persons undertaking a course of studies, a period of training or a voluntary activity, or providing teaching or training in another Member State, particularly in the context of Community programmes (including Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth) but also outside them; to cooperate with the Commission in the promotion of the exchange of experience and good practice relating to the transnational mobility of the persons concerned and the various aspects of this Recommendation;(b) take the measures they consider appropriate to reduce linguistic and cultural obstacles, for example:- to encourage the learning of at least two Community languages, and to make young people aware, in particular, of Union citizenship and respect for cultural and social differences;- to encourage linguistic and cultural preparation before any mobility measure;(c) promote the development of various arrangements for financial support for mobility (grants, scholarships, subsidies, loans, etc.) and in particular:- facilitate the portability of scholarships and national aids;- take the measures they consider appropriate so that the procedures for transferring and paying grants and other assistance abroad are facilitated and simplified;(d) take the measures they consider appropriate to promote a European qualification area, i.e. to enable those concerned to report on the qualifications obtained and the experience acquired in the host State to the relevant authorities, particularly the academic and professional authorities in their home State; that might be carried out by promoting the objectives of the 1992 and 1996 Resolutions on the transparency of qualifications and training certificates, by encouraging the use of the Europass Training document as provided for in Council Decision 1999/51/EC of 21 December 1998 on the promotion of European pathways in work-linked training, including apprenticeship(16) and of the European diploma supplement, and by implementing the conclusions of the Lisbon European Council of 23 and 24 March 2000, in particular by establishing a European framework of basic skills and a common European format for curricula vitae;(e) consider to what extent the persons covered by this Recommendation can benefit from the arrangements for support available to the same categories of persons in the host State, such as for example reductions for public transport, financial assistance with accommodation and meals, as well as access to libraries and museums, with the exception of benefits available under social security. In this context discussions on introducing a "mobility card" should be initiated;(f) help to enable people interested in mobility to have easy access to any useful information concerning opportunities for studying, training, volunteering, or providing teaching or training in the other Member States, by extending the work of the National Academic Recognition Information Centres, the European Network of Information Centres and Europe Direct, in particular by:- improving the dissemination of information regarding the possibilities and conditions (especially the arrangements for financial support) concerning transnational mobility;- ensuring that their citizens are aware of their entitlements under Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 and under existing reciprocal arrangements concerning social security cover while they are temporarily resident in another Member State;- encouraging the training of, and regular provision of information to, those at all administrative levels regarding the Community acquis on mobility;- taking part in the work on the creation of a database on jobs and learning opportunities, in the context of decentralised procedures and taking full advantage of existing structures and mechanisms such as the European Employment Services (EURES);(g) take the measures they consider appropriate so that the categories of persons concerned by this Recommendation are not subjected to discrimination in their home Member State in relation to the same categories of persons who do not undertake a transnational mobility experience;(h) take measures they consider appropriate to remove obstacles to the mobility of third country nationals who, when participating in Community programmes, including Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth, pursue study or training, do voluntary work or provide teaching or training.2. Measures which specifically concern students:(a) facilitate the recognition, for academic purposes, in the home Member State of the period of study undertaken in the host Member State; for this purpose the use of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) throughout the Community should be encouraged which, based on the transparency of curricula, guarantees the recognition of academic experience as a result of a contract drawn up in advance between the student and the home and host establishments;(b) take, furthermore, appropriate measures so that the decisions of the authorities responsible for academic recognition are adopted within reasonable timescales, are justified and can be subject to administrative and/or legal appeal;(c) encourage educational establishments to issue a European supplement as an administrative annex to the diploma, the aim of which is to describe the studies undertaken in order to facilitate their recognition;(d) encourage students and pupils to complete a part of their studies in another Member State and to facilitate the recognition of periods of study completed in this context in another Member State;(e) take or to encourage appropriate measures to enable students more easily to prove that they have health cover or insurance in order to obtain their residence permits;(f) facilitate the integration (academic guidance, educational psychology, etc.), of students undergoing mobility into the education system of the host Member State, as well as their reintegration into the education system of the home Member State, following the example of the Socrates programme.3. Measures which specifically concern persons undergoing training:(a) promote the consideration in the home Member State of attested training undertaken in the host Member State; to this end, the use of the "Europass Training" document, amongst others, should be encouraged;(b) encourage the use of more transparent models for vocational training certificates, as provided for in the 1996 Resolution on the transparency of vocational training certificates and in the proposals submitted by the European Forum on the transparency of vocational qualifications. These proposals aim in particular at:- issuing, with official national certificates, a translation of such certificates and/or a European certificate supplement;- designating national reference points responsible for providing information on national vocational qualifications;(c) take the measures they consider appropriate, in accordance with Community law and in the framework of their national law, so that persons travelling to another Member State for the purpose of undergoing recognised training there are not subject, because of their mobility to discrimination with respect to relevant social protection, including the administrative formalities for this protection, such as in the area of health care and other relevant areas;(d) take the measures they consider appropriate from the administrative point of view to make it easier to obtain proof that a person undergoing training in another Member State has sufficient resources, as provided for in Directive 90/364/EEC.4. Measures which specifically concern volunteers:(a) ensure that the specific nature of voluntary activity is taken into account in national legal and administrative measures;(b) promote the consideration, in the home Member State, of voluntary activity undertaken in the host Member State by means of a certificate that persons have taken part in voluntary activity projects, describing the experience gained, within the framework of the objective of bringing about a common European format for curricula vitae;(c) take the measures they consider appropriate, in accordance with Community law and in the framework of their national law, so that volunteers and their families are not discriminated against because of their mobility with respect to relevant social protection, such as health care and social welfare policies;(d) take the measures they consider appropriate, under national legislation, to ensure that recognised voluntary activities are not treated as employment.5. Measures which specifically concern teachers and trainers:(a) take into account as far as possible the problems facing teachers and trainers on short-term mobility covered by the legislation of several Member States and encourage cooperation in this respect;(b) take the measures they consider appropriate to facilitate teachers' and trainers' mobility to other Member States, for example:- by making arrangements for the temporary replacement of teachers and trainers on European mobility;- by ensuring that arrangements are made to facilitate their integration in the host establishment;- by considering the introduction, in accordance with procedures established at national level, of European training periods to make mobility easier.(c) encourage the introduction of a European dimension into the professional environments of teachers and trainers, in particular:- in the content of the programmes for the training of teachers and trainers;- by encouraging contacts between establishments for the training of teachers and trainers in different Member States, including exchanges and courses in other Member States;(d) promote consideration of European mobility experience as a component of the careers of teachers and trainers.II. HEREBY INVITE Member States:- to draw up and forward to the Commission, within two years of the adoption of this Recommendation and thereafter every two years, an evaluative report on the action they have taken in response to the recommendations set out above and in the Action Plan for mobility.III. HEREBY INVITE the Commission:(a) to set up a group of experts who represent all Member States and comprise the officials responsible for coordinating, at national level, the implementation of these recommendations and of the measures in the Action Plan for mobility, in order to enable the exchange of information and experience on these;(b) to continue to cooperate with the Member States and the social partners, within inter alia the European Forum on the transparency of professional qualifications, so that useful information and experience concerning the implementation of the measures advocated in this Recommendation may be exchanged;(c) to submit to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, at the latest two years and six months after the adoption of this Recommendation and thereafter every two years, an analytical summary of the reports from the Member States referred to in II above; and to include in such a summary an indication of the areas of activity in which Community action may be needed to complement measures which have been taken by Member States;(d) to study the procedures for introducing a pass for schoolchildren/students/trainees/volunteers within the Community giving holders entitlement to different concessions during their period of mobility;(e) to draw up proposals for improved cooperation in promoting the transparency of qualifications, in particular for making the EUROPASS available to third countries participating in Community programmes, and with regard to certificates of completion of vocational training;(f) to study appropriate procedures for the adoption of measures, in cooperation with the Member States, for the exchange of information on opportunities for education, training or voluntary work, or providing teaching or training in the other Member States.Done at Brussels, 10 July 2001.For the European ParliamentThe PresidentN. FontaineFor the CouncilThe PresidentD. Reynders(1) OJ C 168, 16.6.2000, p. 25.(2) OJ C 317, 6.11.2000, p. 53.(3) Opinion of the European Parliament of 5 October 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Council Common Position of 19 January 2001 (OJ C 70, 2.3.2001, p. 1) and Decision of the European Parliament of 15 May 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Council Decision of 26 June 2001.(4) OJ L 257, 19.10.1968, p. 13. Directive as last amended by the 1994 Act of Accession.(5) OJ L 317, 18.12.1993, p. 59.(6) OJ L 180, 13.7.1990, p. 26.(7) OJ C 371, 23.12.2000, p. 4.(8) OJ L 149, 5.7.1971, p. 2. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1399/1999 (OJ L 164, 30.6.1999, p. 1).(9) OJ L 38, 12.2.1999, p. 1.(10) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989, p. 16.(11) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989, p. 16.(12) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992, p. 25. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2000/5/EC (OJ L 54, 26.2.2000, p. 42).(13) OJ C 49, 19.2.1993, p. 1.(14) OJ C 224, 1.8.1996, p. 7.(15) OJ C 195, 6.7.1996, p. 6.(16) OJ L 17, 22.1.1999, p. 45.ANNEXCATEGORIES OF PEOPLE COVERED BY THIS RECOMMENDATIONThe people mentioned below are covered by this Recommendation only if they move from one State (the home State) to another (the host State) for a temporary stay and return to the home State at the end of their stay. Such persons keep their legal residence, as defined by the law of each Member State, in the home State.I. StudentsPeople who study in educational establishments such as those covered by the third indent of Article 149(2) of the Treaty.II. Persons undergoing trainingPeople who, regardless of their age and professional conditions, attend vocational training at any level including higher education.III. VolunteersPeople, especially young people, who, in the context of the "European Voluntary Service" section of the Community "Youth" programme or of transnational voluntary projects similar to the "European Voluntary Service", undertake an activity which specifically involves solidarity, is nonprofit making and unpaid and helps them acquire social and personal skills.IV. TeachersPeople who provide teaching in educational establishments such as those covered by the third indent of Article 149(2) of the Treaty.V. TrainersPeople who provide training in educational or vocational training centres such as those referred to in the fourth indent of Article 150(2) of the Treaty and/or in training centres or undertakings.


Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the Commission to open negotiations for the conclusion of a Political Dialogue and Co-operation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States and the Central American Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.


Avis juridique important

|

31980K3384

Commission Recommendation No 3384/80/ECSC of 23 December 1980 extending the Community system of monitoring imports into the Community of certain iron and steel products covered by the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community and originating in third countries

Official Journal L 355 , 30/12/1980 P. 0042

****( 1 ) OJ NO L 65 , 11 . 3 . 1980 , P . 15 .  ( 2 ) THE IMPORT DOCUMENTS DELIVERED DURING NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 1980 MAY CONTINUE TO BE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 1 ( 3 ) OF RECOMMENDATION NO 587/80/ECSC FOR A PERIOD OF TWO MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF THEIR DELIVERY EVEN IF THIS PERIOD ENDS IN 1981 .    COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION NO 3384/80/ECSC   OF 23 DECEMBER 1980   EXTENDING THE COMMUNITY SYSTEM OF MONITORING IMPORTS INTO THE COMMUNITY OF CERTAIN IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS COVERED BY THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY AND ORIGINATING IN THIRD COUNTRIES   THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,   HAVING REGARD TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY , AND IN PARTICULAR ARTICLE 74 THEREOF ,   WHEREAS BY RECOMMENDATION NO 587/80/ECSC ( 1 ) THE COMMISSION INSTITUTED A COMMUNITY MONITORING SYSTEM IN RESPECT OF IMPORTS INTO THE COMMUNITY OF CERTAIN IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS COVERED BY THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY ;   WHEREAS THE REASONS WHICH ORIGINALLY LED THE COMMISSION TO INTRODUCE THESE MEASURES , NAMELY THE NEED TO ENSURE FULLER INFORMATION ON BOTH EXPECTED IMPORTS AND THE TERMS UNDER WHICH THEY ARE MADE , CONTINUE TO APPLY ;   WHEREAS IT IS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO PROLONG THE SAID COMMUNITY MONITORING SYSTEM ,   HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION :   ARTICLE 1   THE PERIOD OF VALIDITY OF RECOMMENDATION NO 587/80/ECSC IS HEREBY EXTENDED TO 31 DECEMBER 1981 ( 2 ).   ARTICLE 2   THIS RECOMMENDATION IS ADDRESSED TO THE MEMBER STATES .   DONE AT BRUSSELS , 23 DECEMBER 1980   FOR THE COMMISSION   ETIENNE DAVIGNON   MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION