Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2017)677 - Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2017)677 - Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States. |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2017)677  |
| date | 22-11-2017 |
The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union provides that Member States are to regard their economic policies and promoting employment as a matter of common concern and shall coordinate their action within the Council. It provides that the Council is to adopt employment guidelines (Article 148), specifying that they must be consistent with the broad economic policy guidelines (Article 121).
Whilst the broad economic policy guidelines remain valid for any duration of time, the employment guidelines need to be drawn up each year. The guidelines were first adopted together (‘integrated package’) in 2010, underpinning the Europe 2020 strategy. The integrated guidelines remained stable until 2014. Revised integrated guidelines were adopted in 2015. The guidelines, other than framing the scope and direction for Member States’ policy coordination, also provide the basis for country specific recommendations in the respective domains.
The current set of integrated guidelines underpin the Europe 2020 strategy within the context of the approach to economic policy making built on investment, structural reform and fiscal responsibility. Within this framework the integrated guidelines are to support the achievement of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and the aims of the European Semester of economic policy coordination.
The guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States are presented as a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States – Part II of the Integrated Guidelines. The revised guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States have been amended to align the text with the principles of the European pillar of social rights, with a view to improving Europe's competitiveness and making it a better place to invest, create jobs and foster social cohesion.
The revised 'Employment Guidelines' are the following:
Guideline 5: Boosting the demand for labour
Guideline 6: Enhancing labour supply:access to employment, skills and competences
Guideline 7: Enhancing the functioning of labour markets and the effectiveness of social dialogue
Guideline 8: Promoting equal opportunities for all, fostering social inclusion and combatting poverty