Employment in Europe. 1994 annual Report

In adopting the report by Mr MENRAD (PPE, D), Parliament again urged the Commission, the Council and the Member States to take measures to promote the economic development of the Community which will be achieved through the strengthening of competition policy, the creation of a climate which is favourable to businesses (especially SMEs) and to job-creation investment, the development and financing of research and advanced technologies, the creation of major networks, the provision of aid to environmentally-friendly production methods and the appropriate involvement of both sides of industry. Parliament considered that as a precondition for this, measures should be introduced to enable everyone to benefit from lifelong learning and training. It also called for Member States and EU regional authorities to take steps to promote part-time working, career breaks and paid holidays designed to encourage vocational improvement and other forms of reduction in working hours. It believed that a reduction in working hours could improve the employment situation in certain sectors, even if this should not be considered by the EU as a panacea for jobs. Parliament was therefore in favour of a rearrangement or, in some cases, a reduction in the general working time in order that job seekers might more easily find employment. However, Parliament recognized that a reduction in working hours could not by itself generate the new jobs which were hoped for. At the same time, Parliament expressed its support for the temporary granting of aid to cover the wage costs of employers who really apply themselves to the return of the long-term unemployed to the job market. It felt that Member States should take new steps to reduce indirect labour costs and taxation (particularly for less-skilled labour). Finally, Parliament stressed the urgent necessity of laying down a European policy on immigration in order effectively to combat the problem of illegal immigrants and their exploitation in the job market. �