Council Decision (EU) 2015/772Show full title

Council Decision (EU) 2015/772

of 11 May 2015

establishing the Employment Committee and repealing Decision 2000/98/EC

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 150 thereof,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1) Article 5 of the Treaty states that the Union is to take measures to ensure coordination of the employment policies of the Member States with a view to enhancing their effectiveness by developing a coordinated strategy for employment.

(2) Title IX of Part Three of the Treaty establishes the procedures by which Member States and the Union should work towards developing a coordinated strategy for employment and particularly for promoting a skilled, trained and adaptable workforce and labour markets responsive to economic change.

(3) In fulfilling its tasks, which include advising and contributing to the work of the Council and the Commission, the Employment Committee (‘the Committee’) should contribute to ensuring that the European Employment Strategy, macroeconomic policy coordination and the process of economic reform are formulated and implemented in a consistent and mutually supportive way.

(4) The Committee should collaborate closely with the social partners, in particular with those represented at the Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment established by Council Decision 2003/174/EC(1).

(5) In its conclusions of 27 and 28 June 2013, the European Council stated that the social dimension of the Economic and Monetary Union should be strengthened. As a first step, it is important to better monitor and take into account the social and labour market situation within the Economic and Monetary Union, notably by using appropriate social and employment indicators within the European Semester. It is also important to ensure better coordination of employment and social policies, while fully respecting national competences.

(6) In its conclusions of 24 and 25 October 2013, the European Council stated that the coordination of economic, employment and social policies will be further enhanced in line with existing procedures while fully respecting national competences. The European Council considered that this requires more work to strengthen cooperation between the various Council configurations in order to ensure consistency of those policies in line with the common objectives.

(7) This Decision should reflect the development of the European Semester and the role of the Committee in this process. In particular, Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97(2) provides that the Economic and Financial Committee, the Economic Policy Committee, the Employment Committee and the Social Protection Committee are to be consulted within the framework of the European Semester, where appropriate. Moreover, Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3) provides that the in-depth reviews are to take into account, where appropriate, Council recommendations or invitations addressed to Member States. It also provides that a corrective action plan for any Member States for which an excessive imbalance procedure is opened is to take into account the economic and social impact of the policy actions and is to be consistent with the broad economic policy guidelines and the employment guidelines.

(8) The Committee and the Union bodies involved in the coordination of economic and social policies, in particular the Economic and Financial Committee, the Economic Policy Committee and the Social Protection Committee, should work closely together. Where appropriate and mutually agreed between the involved Committees, the Committee's cooperation with the Social Protection Committee, the Economic and Financial Committee and the Economic Policy Committee may include the organisation of joint meetings, in particular in the context of the Committees' respective roles within the European Semester.

(9) In order to effectively deliver on its Treaty mandate and to allow for the necessary flexibility to adapt to the timetable of the activities of the Committee, in particular within the framework of the European Semester cycle, the governance provisions relating to the functioning of the Committee should be revised with a view to ensuring efficiency and continuity.

(10) Council Decision 2000/98/EC(4) should be repealed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

(1)

Council Decision 2003/174/EC of 6 March 2003 establishing a Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment (OJ L 70, 14.3.2003, p. 31).

(2)

Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 of 7 July 1997 on the strengthening of the surveillance of budgetary positions and the surveillance and coordination of economic policies (OJ L 209, 2.8.1997, p. 1).

(3)

Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 November 2011 on the prevention and correction of macroeconomic imbalances (OJ L 306, 23.11.2011, p. 25).

(4)

Council Decision 2000/98/EC of 24 January 2000 establishing the Employment Committee (OJ L 29, 4.2.2000, p. 21).