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Employment Committee

2015/0801(CNS)

PURPOSE: to establish the Employment Committee.

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Decision (EU) 2015/772 establishing the Employment Committee and repealing Decision 2000/98/EC.

CONTENT: the Decision establishes an Employment Committee with advisory status to promote coordination between Member States on employment and labour market policies. Article 5 of the Treaty states that the Union is to take measures to ensure coordination of the employment policies of the Member States with a view to enhancing their effectiveness by developing a coordinated strategy for employment.

Tasks of the Committee: The tasks of the Committee shall be: to monitor the employment situation and employment policies in the Member States and the Union. To this end, the Committee shall, in particular, endeavour to:

  • promote the consideration of the objective of a high level of employment in the formulation and implementation of Union policies and activities;
  • contribute to the procedure leading to the adoption of the broad economic guidelines in order to ensure consistency between the employment guidelines and those guidelines ;
  • participate actively in the macroeconomic dialogue at Union level;
  • contribute to all aspects of the European Semester within its mandate and report on them to the Council;
  • promote exchanges of information and experience between Member States and with the Commission.

Each year, the Committee shall adopt a work programme, taking into account the policy priorities of the Council and the Commission. The work programme shall be transmitted to the Council.

In fulfilling its mandate, the Committee shall

  • consult the social partners and in this context, establish contacts with the social partners represented at the Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment.
  • work in cooperation with other relevant bodies and committees dealing with social and economic policy matters, such as the Social Protection Committee, the Economic and Financial Committee, the Economic Policy Committee, the Education Committee and the governing board of the European Network of Public Employment Services.

Membership and operation: each Member State and the Commission shall appoint two members of the Committee. The Committee shall elect its Chairperson from among the members appointed by the Member States for a term of two years, renewable once. The Chairperson shall be assisted by four Vice-Chairpersons.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 15.5.2015.