Employment policy: guidelines for 2005-2008

 The committee adopted the report by Ana MATO ADROVER (EPP-ED, ES) broadly endorsing the objectives and content of the employment guidelines, subject to a number of amendments under the consultation procedure:

- the report emphasised the need for measures to assist the occupational integration of people whose participation in the labour market is too low, whilst ensuring that they stay in work. These include women, the elderly, young people, people with disabilities, immigrants and minorities. At the same time, there is a need to promote decisions that help reconcile work and family life by, for example, using flexible working models for both men and women;

- the quality of employment should be improved, by developing training and lifelong learning policies, promoting equality between men and women, as well as tackling labour and wage gaps. Health and safety risks at the workplace should be reduced, especially via agreements at the European level on risk prevention. Moreover, the incidence of early retirement due to permanent invalidity or as a result of industrial accidents or occupational disease must be reduced;

- the committee also wanted to put pressure on the Member States to implement measures promoting equal treatment, including between legal immigrants and non-immigrants, and combating all kinds of discrimination, both in the workplace and in society;

- finally, MEPs wanted to ensure the promotion of good industrial relations, improved information and consultation of workers, as well as cooperation with the social partners.