---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 19:51:47 +0100 GMT From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: COMMUNITY POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF EMPLOYMENT Resent-Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 19:51:59 GMT Resent-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Resent-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 13Nov97 EU: EU/EMPLOYMENT. IN ITS COMMUNICATION COMMUNITY POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF EMPLOYMENT PRESENT HOW EU ACTION CAN HELP TO CREATE JOBS. Brussels, 12/11/1997 (Agence Europe) - As foreseen, the European Commission adopted, on Wednesday, a communication from President Jacques Santer entitled "Community policies in support of Employment" (see EUROPE of 7 November, p.6). The communication will provide a reference framework for the discussions of Heads of State and Government at the Extraordinary European Council on Employment to be held on 21 November, but is in no way intended to be approved as such by the European Council. The base of the summit's deliberations must remain the adoption by the European Council of employment guidelines, which were already proposed last month. The Commission communication: i) recalls in a condensed form the contribution that the different Community policies can make towards creating employment; - ii) stresses that, in the global strategy developed since the Confidence Pact for Employment was approved at the European Council in Florence, EU action creates the framework of reference for job creation, namely: the macro-economic framework, single market, tax system, structural reforms of the labour markets, employment and sustainable development. Initiatives to be taken by the Summit, and Commission intentions For some of these aspects, the Commission points out what it expects from the Jobs Summit and what it plans to do itself. Thus: - Single Market. The summit should give impetus so that very special attention is given to the strict and effective application of single market provisions. - Tax system. The summit may invite the Ecofin Council to come to an agreement, by end 1997, on the overall package proposed by the Commission with a view to fighting against harmful tax competition and to give a positive direction on energy taxation and on the solution of targeted VAT reductions. - State aid. The Commission plans in time to review approval criteria for aid in order to foster schemes that promote economic efficiency and employment, and will establish with Member States a system of benchmarking to evaluate the effectiveness of the different national schemes in terms of employment. - Business environment (mainly SMEs). Before next month's summit in Luxembourg, the Commission will report on all the measures for legislative simplification either under way or envisaged. - Labour market. In anticipation of application of the Amsterdam Treaty, the employment summit should invite the Council to adopt the first guidelines on national employment policies. - Natural environment. The Commission will adopt a communication over the next few days on environment and employment to define a strategy and propose the first steps for embarking on this policy. It now announces that five key actions will be proposed. - Increased financial resources for SMEs. The launching of the EIB special action programme and the agreement on complementary instruments financed by the EU budget should constitute a major event at the Jobs Summit. - Trans-European Networks. The Jobs Summit should allow the special EIB plan to be launched which will allow the funding of TEN projects in the long term. Then, the June 1998 summit (Cardiff) will be able to examine the timetables and financing plans of priority projects. Not Available for Re-dissemination. (c) Agence EUROPE, Brussels 1997. EUROPEAN UNION AGENCE EUROPE 13/11/97
