Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2023)599 - Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States

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dossier COM(2023)599 - Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.
source COM(2023)599
date 24-05-2023


1. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

Pursuant to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, 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. 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. In 2018 the employment guidelines were aligned with the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights proclaimed in November 2017 by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, with a view to drive reforms at national level and to serve as a compass for a renewed process of upward convergence across Europe towards better working and living conditions, and remained unchanged in 2019. In 2020, they were aligned to integrate elements related to the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis, the green and digital transitions, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In 2021 they were carried over, while adjusting the recitals to reflect the outcomes of the Porto Social Summit and the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. In 2022, the guidelines were amended to align the text by retargeting of the narrative to the post-COVID 19 environment, bringing in more elements related to fairness in the green transition, reflecting recent policy initiatives and adding policy elements of particular relevance in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In 2023, they are again carried over, while adjusting the recitals to reflect the new EU headline and national targets on jobs, skills and poverty reduction and recent initiatives.

Along with the broad economic policy guidelines, the employment guidelines are presented as a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (Part II of the Integrated Guidelines) and provide the basis for country specific recommendations in the respective domains.


The revised 'Employment Guidelines' are the following:

Guideline 5: Boosting the demand for labour

Guideline 6: Enhancing labour supply and improving access to employment, lifelong acquisition of 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 fighting poverty