Mutual learning programme

SUMMARY OF:

Article 149 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union — actions to promote employment

SUMMARY

WHAT DOES THE PROGRAMME DO?

The mutual learning programme (MLP) encourages EU countries to share their experiences and good practice in the field of employment.

It aims to improve and develop cooperation between EU countries at national, regional and local level. Cooperation takes place in the key areas of the European employment strategy (EES), which is an integral part of the Europe 2020 strategy.

KEY POINTS

The programme contributes to the EU’s 2020 strategy objectives on matters of employment and social inclusion. These are that:

• 75 % of people between the ages of 20 and 64 should be employed;
• the rate of early school leaving should be below 10 %;
• 40 % of young people should have a higher education diploma;
• the number of people affected by poverty should be reduced by 20 million.

In addition, the MLP is a tool of the open method of coordination designed to help align national employment policies.

Action

The programme includes several types of action such as:

• Thematic events — seminars and workshops on specific employment policy issues, during which policymakers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other interested partners can debate the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy.
• Learning exchanges — small group meetings of representatives from EU countries to share experiences on specific policy issues.
• Peer review meetings — meetings of representatives from EU countries and independent experts on issues relating to specific policies, designed to allow the exchanges of good practices.
• Dissemination seminars — seminars held at the end of each year to present the MLP’s results. The main participants include:
  • EU institutions and other international policy organisations;
  • EU country representatives;
  • local and regional authorities;
  • social partners;
  • NGOs; and
  • academic institutions.
• Database of labour market practices — contains examples of effective policies and measures. A guide to the database is available.

Participants

The programme is open to EU countries, EU candidate countries and countries in the European Economic Area (EEA).

BACKGROUND

Mutual Learning Programme

ACT

Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Part Three — Union policies and internal actions, Title IX — Employment — Article 149 (ex Article 129 TEC) (OJ C 326, 26.10.2012, p. 113)

last update 15.06.2016