Creation of the Employment Committee

PURPOSE : to establish the Employment Committee. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Decision 2000/98/EC on establishing the Employment Committee. CONTENT : the Council has established the Employment Committee to promote coordination between Member States on employment and labour market policies, in full compliance with the Treaty with due regard for the powers of the Community's institutions and organs. The Employment Committee shall: - monitor the employment situation and employment policies in the Member States and the Community; - formulate opinions at the request of either the Council or the Commission or on its own initiative, and to contribute to the preparation of the Council proceedings referred to in Article 128 of the Treaty. To this end, the Committee should also, in particular: - promote the consideration of the objective of a high level of employment in the formation and implementation of Community 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 and contribute to the synergy between the European Employment Strategy, macroeconomic policy coordination and the process of economic reform in a mutually supportive way; - participate in the macroeconomic dialogue at Community level; - promote exchanges of infirmation and experience between Member States and with the Commission. With regard to the operation of the Committee, each Member State shall appoint 2 members of the Committee and also 2 alternates; the Committee may call on external experts where appropriate to its agenda; the chairperson shall be elected from among the members appointed by the Member States. The Commission shall provide the analytical and organisational support for the Committee. The Committee shall work as appropriate in cooperation with other relevant bodies and committees dealing with economic policy matters. In conclusion, the Employment and Labour Market Committee established by Decision 97/16/EC shall cease to exist on the date of the first meeting of the Committee established by the present Decision. The first meeting of the Committee shall take place no later than 4 months after the date of adoption of this Decision.�