Employment policy: guidelines for 2007 (Decision 2005/600/EC)

PURPOSE: to maintain for 2007 the guidelines for Member States' employment policies as set out in the Annex to Council Decision 2005/600/EC. 

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2007/491/EC on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

BACKGROUND: the revised Lisbon strategy, which was set out in 2005, is based on a new cycle of governance that includes an integrated package of guidelines. Based on the integrated guidelines (encompassing economic, social and environmental dimensions) the Member States have drawn up National Reform Programmes (NRPs), which set out a three year national strategy to deliver growth and jobs.

The Employment Guidelines and the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines need to be fully reviewed every three years only, while in the intermediate years – until 2008, their updating should remain limited to ensure a degree of stability.

CONTENT: the purpose of this Council Decision is to maintain, for 2007, the guidelines for Member States’ employment policies as set out in Annex to Council Decision 2005/600/EC.These guidelines should be taken into account by the Member States when setting their employment policies.

The Commission’s Annual Progress Report and in the Joint Employment Report, specify that Member States must continue with their efforts to:

- attract more people to, and retain more people in, employment, to increase the supply of labour and to modernise social protection systems;

- improve the adaptability of workers and enterprises; and

- increase investment in human capital through better education and skills.