EMPLOYMENT : COMMON PRINCIPLES REMAIN NECESSARY, FLEXICURITY MISSION FINDS.

• Position: Employment and Social Affairs Council

The visits and analyses carried out by the fact-finding mission for flexicurity'(1) have confirmed the diversity of situations and approaches between member states but also the validity of an "approach in the form of common principles". This is the conclusion of the report of this mission, launched at the beginning of 2008(2), which the Employment and Social Affairs Council is scheduled to acknowledge, on 17 December.

The mission limited its analysis to five countries: France, Sweden, Finland, Poland and Spain.

Noting that all European labour markets are faced with the same challenges, the report underlines that the implementation of flexicurity "can only be specific, bearing in mind national and regional characteristics". It also confirms the need to retain common principles and develop an "integrated approach" and puts forward three findings of a transverse nature on its implementation:

- the implementation of the concept may seem more difficult in the current economic climate, but its short and long-term benefits in terms of employment, productivity and competitiveness "justify staying on track with reforms"

- the role of the social partners is crucial to creating a consensus on setting up flexicurity measures

- to apply the concept of flexicurity, it is necessary to permanently adapt to change and seek a better suitability between the needs of employers and job seekers.

Moreover, the report presents the various measures recorded in the countries visited, classified according to three domains...