Informal Council discusses employment targets and pensions

EU employment and social policy ministers met informally in Burgos, Spain in January 2002. The main topics for discussion were the EU employment strategy and the new strategy for coordination in the area of pensions.

The first Employment and Social Policy Council of Ministers meeting of the Spanish EU Presidency was held on an informal basis in the town of Burgos on 18–19 January 2002. The main topic of discussion was employment, and in particular the target set at the March 2000 Lisbon European Council of achieving an overall employment rate of 70% by 2010 (EU0004241F). Talks focused on the probability of achieving this target in the current climate of economic slowdown and on what aspects should be considered when renewing and updating the European employment strategy, launched at the Luxembourg summit in 1997 (EU9711168F).

According to the Presidency summary of the meeting, ministers stated that they 'rated very highly' the achievements of the European employment strategy since 1997 and believed that the employment targets set at the Lisbon Council remained valid. They felt that the advances in terms of employment made in recent years were also due to a better coordination of social and economic policies and to factors such as the involvement of the social partners and other 'labour market players'.

Ministers also stated that they believed that job creation was an essential element in reforming and improving social protection systems: 'The EU needs to maintain and reinforce the social commitment to its citizens by providing the best social protection networks and the greatest opportunities for the future, even in times of economic crisis.' The ministers also pointed out that 2002 is the year of the mid-term evaluation of the employment strategy.

Participants restated their belief that the Lisbon employment targets were achievable and listed a number of elements which need to be addressed in order to ensure success in reaching the targets. These include: reinforcing skills acquisition and training policies, particularly in the information and new technology sectors; promoting equal access to the labour market for both men and women; and strengthening social protection systems to ensure that they provide a safety net but also encourage people to participate in the labour market where this is possible.

The ministers also discussed the issue of pensions, in the light of the European Commission's July 2001 proposal for an EU pensions strategy based on the 'open method of coordination' (involving the setting of common objectives and agreed indicators, regular reporting and the identification of best practice) (EU0110207F). The Presidency noted that 'broad consensus' has been reached on the common objectives to be pursued and on 'a working method which is adapted to the peculiarities of the national pensions systems and which respects the exclusive competence of the Member States and the Community principle of subsidiarity'. Once the forthcoming Barcelona European Council has definitively approved the common objectives, the method and the timetable, national strategy reports will be drawn up with a focus on the three main principles of adequacy, sustainability and modernisation. Member States will present their national reports in September 2002, which will include a presentation of the reforms they are implementing or planning with regard to the agreed common objectives.