91997E2679

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2679/97 by Jesús Cabezón Alonso (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1997)

Subject: The Amsterdam Summit and new jobs

Does the Commission think that the new provisions on employment adopted at the Amsterdam Summit will provide incentives for sources of new jobs, local employment initiatives and territorial pacts on employment?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (25 September 1997)

The new employment title of the Amsterdam Treaty contains two types of provision which will stimulate employment creation. First, Article [4] gives a further impetus to the co-ordination process of Member States' employment policies. Each year, the Council will adopt guidelines for employment which Member States shall take into account in their employment policies. The implementation of these guidelines will be examined at Community level, with the possibility for the Council to issue recommendations to Member States. Second, Article [5] enables the Council to adopt incentive measures aimed at developing exchanges of information and best practice, providing comparative analysis and advice as well as promoting innovative approaches and exchanging experience, in particular by recourse to pilot projects.

In accordance with the resolution on growth and employment adopted by the European Council in Amsterdam, in October the Commission will propose the first guidelines for employment. This proposal will deal, inter alia, with new local development and employment initiatives and implementing the territorial employment pacts. These two instruments will help exploit new sources of employment.

The existing budget lines B3-4010 (Employment policy and labour market) and B3-4013 (Third system and employment) have already enabled the Commission to carry out preliminary work in the domain covered by Article [5], notably concerning the employment potential of the 'third system' in the fields of services to daily life, services to improve the quality of life, and cultural and leisure services. It is the intention of the Commission to strengthen its activities in this area in the near future.