SOCIAL POLICY : LIBERAL CZECHS TO PUT SOCIAL POLICY ON BACK BURNER.

The Czechs are not expected to highlight the European Union's social policy and may put it on the back burner during their Presidency. Only in the context of a free labour market without barriers' is social policy seen as a priority. In this respect, the Czechs have identified four priorities: liberalisation of the free movement of workers; increase in employment and flexibility on the job market; horizontal support for families for whom free choice' should be paramount; and active inclusion of underprivileged people.

The two meetings of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) under the Czech Presidency, scheduled for 9-10 March and 8-9 June, have differently weighted agendas. The latter is far heavier, with 20 points, than the one in March. At the informal Council, on 22-24 January, the main topic will be the free movement of workers - a top priority for the Czechs. In addition, six thematic conferences on social policy are scheduled for the next six months.

The Czechs will push for greater mobility on Europe's labour market and during the spring European Council (19-20 March) they will aim to remove or "significantly reduce" transitional measures that...