Agenda: modernisering welvaartsstaat, openen grenzen voor Oost-Europese werknemers, gelijkheid mannen en vrouwen, mondialiseringsfonds (en)

Increasing job creation and competitiveness, while safeguarding social cohesion, will be a central theme at the Employment and Social Affairs Council in Brussels on 10 March. Gender equality and the free movement of workers in the EU will also feature on the meeting's agenda.

Employment and Social Affairs Ministers are expected to discuss modernising social protection and welfare systems and promoting active participation of all in society. They will reaffirm their commitment to the European Employment Strategy's objectives - full employment, productivity, quality at work, and social and territorial cohesion. This will require more people being drawn into (and kept in) employment, as well as improving workers' and companies' adaptability, and increasing investment in better education and skills.

Following the International Women's day, the Council will discuss new developments in gender equality. EU Commissioner Vladimir Spidla will present the Commission's 2006 report on equality between men and women, which will also be presented to the European Council later this month. It highlights that progress has been slow in closing gender gaps, such as the 15% gap between men and women's earnings in the EU.

The Council will also discuss the Commission's "Roadmap for Equality between men and women", containing 21 specific activities over the next five years, including setting up a European institute for gender equality.

Further, Commissioner Spidla will present a proposal for a regulation establishing the European Globalisation adjustment Fund (EGF) to the Council. The proposal was put forward following the European Council conclusions of December 2005 and adopted by the Commission on 1 March. The conclusions foresee an annual EGF budget of € 500 Mio for 2007-2013.

Finally, when presenting the Commission's recent report on "the functioning of transitional arrangements" concerning worker mobility in the EU, Commissioner Spidla will invite Ministers to take the report's findings into account before Member States decide on whether to maintain restrictions before May 2006.

The Council takes place under the Austrian presidency, represented by Mr Bartenstein, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Employment, Mrs Rauch-Kallat, Federal Minister for Health and Women; and Mrs Haubner, Federal Minister for Social Security, Family Affairs and Consumer Protection. The Council will focus on defining key messages for the Heads of State and Government meeting at the European Council on 23-24 March.