EMPLOYMENT: GUIDELINES FOR 2006 IDENTICAL TO THOSE FOR 2005.

This decision must now be approved by the Council of Ministers by qualified majority, following consultation of the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and to the Employment Committee (procedure outlined in Article 128 s. 2 of the EC Treaty).

The employment guidelines for 2005-2008 were adopted by the Council on July 12 last year. They are termed integrated guidelines since they form a whole with the broad economic policy guidelines (BEPGs). The aims are: full employment, improving the quality of work and labour productivity, enhancing social and territorial cohesion, equal opportunities and stopping discrimination.

Eight integrated guidelines directly concern employment: achieving full employment, improving the quality of work and labour productivity and enhancing social and territorial cohesion (guideline 17); promoting a life-cycle approach to work (guideline 18), encouraging labour market insertion and making work financially attractive to job-seekers (guideline 19); improving the response to labour market needs (guideline 20), encouraging flexibility...