5 December Social Affairs Council

Date: 14/12/1995

AFTER a public debate on employment policy, EU social affairs ministers approved the

11-page single report on employment policy to be considered by the Madrid summit. The report deals with the development of employment, recent national measures and multi-annual programmes, macro-economic conditions, ideas for raising the profile of employment actions at EU level, recommendations for developing the Essen criteria on the fight against unemployment, and local employment initiatives.

GERMANY finally agreed to lift its reserve on plans for equal opportunities measures under the Fourth Community Action Programme 1996-2000. But under pressure from Germany, the UK, France and the Netherlands, the Council only agreed a budget of 30 million ecu, compared to the 60 million ecu proposed by the Commission. Social Affairs Commissioner Pádraig Flynn complained that the management committee set up to run the programme was too complex and would lead to additional costs. He also criticised the decision to set the budget at less in real terms than for the last programme, claiming that the Council was “sending a negative message to the women of Europe”. However, he stressed that the figure agreed was indicative and that the final amount would depend on the European Parliament's budget procedure.

NO decisions were possible on the other measures held up by the Germans because of their opposition to bringing in programmes under Article 235 of the treaty. Germany refused to lift its reserve on the proposed scheme to help the elderly. Ministers decided to await Parliament's decision before deciding on the Essen programme on employment and the Fourth Community Action Programme on health and safety at work.

ITALY pledged to place the proposed Posted Workers Directive high on its agenda for the first half of 1996 after ministers discussed the question over lunch. The new Socialist Portuguese government indicated that it was prepared to adopt a more flexible approach to the question of the time threshold before local conditions apply.

FLYNN told ministers that the Commission would be preparing a proposal to put the recent agreement by the social partners on parental leave on to the statute books.

AS the social partners had not decided to negotiate on the burden of proof in sex discrimination cases, Flynn said the Commission would start the phase of consultations soon to decide the possible content of legislative proposals to be presented to the Council.

THE Commissioner announced that the second phase of consultations on part-time work would begin in the New Year.

MINISTERS adopted amendments to Directive 89/655 on the minimum safety and health requirements for the use of work equipment.

THE Council asked Coreper (the Committee of Permanent Representatives) to examine the Commission's recommendations on promoting equality in decision-making.