Employment policy: guidelines for strengthening the implementation of the European strategy

PURPOSE : to adopt the 2003 guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Decision 2004/740/EC.

CONTENT : the Council adopted a Decision maintaining the 2003 guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States. The conclusions drawn by the European Employment Task Force and the examination of the Member States' National Action Plans for employment, both contained in the Joint Employment Report 2003-2004, show that Member States and the social partners should give

priority to increasing the adaptability of workers and enterprises to changing economic conditions and labour market demands; attracting more people to enter and remain in the labour market and making work a real option for all, including by facilitating the access of unemployed young people to their first job and by encouraging older workers to stay in the labour market; investing more and more effectively in human capital and lifelong learning as well as in research and development, including in platforms for excellence; and ensuring the effective implementation of reforms through better governance, including efforts aimed at improving democratic involvement, at convincing citizens of the need for reforms and at strengthening links between EU funding, the ESF in particular, and the implementation of the European Employment Guidelines. The Employment Guidelines apply to the new Member States since accession.

In addition, the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and ensure that action is fully consistent with the maintenance of sound public finances and macro-economic stability.