EU Employment Ministers agree labour market reforms

EU Employment Ministers have agreed a range of labour market reforms to be taken into account by the Member States in their national employment policies.

The Employment Council, meeting in Luxembourg and chaired by Ireland's Minister for Labour Affairs, Frank Fahey, also agreed a series of specific recommendations for individual member states. On Ireland, the Council recommended that the supply and affordability of childcare should be increased, and urged a renewed emphasis on gender equality measures.

The overall employment package will now go forward for endorsement by the EU Heads of State at the European Summit on June 17.

Minister Fahey said the Irish Presidency had placed a special emphasis on the delivery of practical remedies to some of the difficulties facing the EU if it was to meet the 10-year targets for job creation and re-training set at the Lisbon summit in 2000.

“The nature of the investment needed to sustain EU economic growth, employment and social cohesion is changing. Investment in people is essential to promote effective economic and social restructuring in an enlarged Union,” he said.

The Irish Presidency had sought to stress the need for implementation and delivery of the agreed Employment Guidelines by inviting Ministers to respond to a study of the role of the European Social Fund in job creation: “The discussion on this theme was one of the most focused debates I have been involved with on the Employment Council. It helped to highlight examples of good practice and how more intensive peer review can contribute in a very practical way to the objectives of European employment strategy,” Minister Fahey said.

The Minister said there were two major innovations in the employment recommendations this year: integration of the ten new Member States into the existing policy framework, and the incorporation of the findings of the Employment Task Force.

Recent European Councils had underlined the need to increase investment in education, training and research and development to support the Lisbon objectives of creating more and better jobs.

The Minister said. “The political recognition of the value of investing in human capital is based on clear evidence that investment in people pays off, and that the skills and knowledge base of the labour force increasingly defines the competitive profile of industry and business. By directing resources towards education, training and re-training Member States can promote increased productivity, growth and more jobs”.

Following the Council meeting, Mr Fahey said that in response to increasing demand the Government, with EU assistance, was providing almost €437 million to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006.

(SP)