Guidelines for the employment policies in 2009

PURPOSE: to maintain the guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States in 2009.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2009/536/EC on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

CONTENT: the examination of the Member States’ National Reform Programmes contained in the Joint Employment Report shows that Member States should continue to make every effort to address the following priority areas:

• attracting and retaining more people in employment, increasing labour supply and modernising social protection systems;
• improving adaptability of workers and enterprises;
• increasing investment in human capital through better education and skills.

In view of the current economic crisis, the guidelines should also serve as a tool for meeting the immediate challenges of increasing unemployment and social exclusion. Policies in the immediate term include integrated flexicurity policies to facilitate the transition to work, matching the unemployed with available jobs, and skills upgrading.

In light of the Commission’s examination of the National Reform Programmes, the focus should be on their effective and timely implementation, paying special attention to the agreed targets and benchmarks and the involvement of social partners.

The Employment Guidelines were adopted in 2008 with a validity of three years, during which time their updating should be strictly limited. When implementing these guidelines, Member States should explore the use of the European Social Fund. Moreover, in view of the integrated nature of the guideline package, Member States should fully implement the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines.

Therefore, the guidelines for Member States’ employment policies as set out in the Annex to Council Decision 2008/618/EC on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States are maintained for 2009 and shall be taken into account by the Member States in their employment policies.