Enhanced cooperation between Public Employment Services (PES)

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted the report by Frédéric DAERDEN (S&D, BE) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on enhanced co-operation between Public Employment Services (PES).

The committee recommended that Parliament’s position adopted at first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission proposal as follows:

Legal base: Members proposed adding a second legal basis, Article 14 TFEU to Article 149 of the TFEU, to the proposal.

Objectives and initiatives of the PES: Members suggested adding a number of objectives aiming to: (i) modernise the Public Employment Service; (ii) support the most vulnerable social groups with high unemployment rates, especially older workers and young NEETs ; (iii) promote decent and sustainable work; (iv) promote the link between abilities and the needs of employees and employers; (v) identify best practices and the better integration of labour markets; (vi) increase voluntary geographical and occupational mobility, without social dumping, in compliance with the relevant Union law; (vii) identify skill gaps; (viii) development of initiatives to ensure that these young people gain the skills necessary to enter and remain in the labour market.

Amongst the other issues to be dealt with by the Network, Members noted the following:

• development and implementation of Union-wide evidence-based bench learning systems among public employment services. It should also participate actively in the implementation of these activities by sharing data, knowledge and best practices. The objective shall on no account be to rank PES performances, but rather to facilitate learning on the basis of a common methodology;
• preparation of reports in the employment field, at the request of the Council, the Commission or the European Parliament or on its own initiative.

Network actors: Members stated that the Network should cooperate, exclusively on its initiative, with labour market stakeholders including other providers of employment services, such as, where appropriate, social partners, organisations representing unemployed persons or vulnerable groups, NGOs working in the field of employment, and national labour inspectorates by involving them in relevant activities and meetings of the Network and by exchanging information and data.

Report: Members stipulated that two years after its entry into force, the Commission should submit a report on the application of this Decision to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions. Where necessary, the Commission should submit a proposal for a review of this Decision.

Entry into force: lastly, Members amended the date of entry into force of the initiative as adoption will not be possible in time for the instrument to be implemented properly by 1 January 2014 but they are committed to its adoption as soon as possible.