Employment policy: guidelines for 2005-2008

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Ana MATO ADROVER (EPP-ED, ES) and made some amendments to the Commission’s text. It endorsed the objectives and content of the employment guidelines, but adopted a number of amendments to introduce improvements to the proposal. (Please see the document of 10/05/2005.) Parliament also amended some recitals to state that one of the objectives of the Lisbon strategy is full employment in the long term. Five years later the objectives remain far from being achieved, and it is clear that substantially greater efforts are needed in order to achieve the employment targets set by 2010.

Parliament made reference to encouraging the equal sharing of family responsibilities, support for single-parent families, and recourse to flexible working models for both women and men, and  parental leave. It added that a special effort must be made for those with any kind of disability, developing policies to encourage their employment and the creation of an accessible environment. Action must also be taken to promote the full integration of immigrants in society and the workplace and to eradicate racism, all forms of discrimination and harassment in the workplace and society.