Raad werkgelegenheid en sociaal beleid 29 februari 2008 (en)

The Employment and Social Policy Council will meet in Brussels on 29 February under the presidency of Ms Cotman, Slovenian Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs. The European Commission will be represented by Commissioner Vladimír Spidla , Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. Discussions will focus on the Strategic Report on the renewed Lisbon Strategy and the adoption of two reports - the Joint Employment Report and the Joint Report on Social Inclusion and Protection - in preparation for the Spring European Council in March.

Preparation of the Spring European Council

• 1) 

  Strategic Report: focus on social dimension, skills and flexicurity

The Strategic Report (IP/07/1892) is the European Commission's key report of the "Lisbon package". In the "Integrated Guidelines", it has fixed a higher priority for the social dimension, education and skills as well as flexicurity. The message was that the revised Lisbon Strategy is working, reforms are paying off. However, implementation gaps remain. There is therefore no need to change the employment guidelines for the next cycle 2008-2010; The Commission adopted this standpoint in December 2007. In this framework the Commission has just recently presented the Joint Employment Report including country recommendations.

• 2) 

  Joint Employment Report

The Ministers will adopt the Joint Employment Report (IP/08/287) which assesses the implementation of the employment aspects of each country's national reform programme according to the priorities set out under the EU's Lisbon strategy. The report gives an update of the employment situation in the EU, traces the principal reforms undertaken and highlights the main challenges for the future. It also includes the latest indicators on the European labour market performance.

• 3) 

  Joint Report on Social Protection and Inclusion

The EU's system of common objectives, assessment and reporting for social protection and inclusion - the 'open method of coordination' - operates in parallel with the strategy for growth and jobs. The report examines the Member States' integrated national strategies on social inclusion, pensions, healthcare and long-term care. It reviews the main trends across the EU and at national level. The 2008 report focuses on child poverty, older workers, private pension provision, health inequalities and long-term care (IP/08/296).

Mission for Flexicurity

The Commission will update Ministers about the Mission for Flexicurity, which was launched at the request of the Employment and Social Policy Council in its Conclusions of December 2007. The main purpose of the Mission is to assist Member States in promoting the visibility and ownership of the principles of flexicurity at national level. The Mission is composed of seven members and co-chaired by Commissioner Spidla and the former French Minister for Labour, Gérard Larcher. The delegation will visit several Member States in order to examine how flexicurity policies are put into practice. The Mission will prepare a report for the Employment and Social Policy Council in December 2008 highlighting the various policy approaches in the Member States.