Council Decision (EU) 2020/1512 of 13 October 2020 on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States

What it is

to adopt guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States, in conjunction with the broad guidelines of the economic policies of the Member States and of the Union. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion. BACKGROUND: the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and the Employment Policy Guidelines were adopted jointly for the first time in 2010 to support the Europe 2020 strategy. The Integrated Guidelines remained stable until 2014, after which revised guidelines were adopted in 2015. In 2018, they were aligned with the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights proclaimed in November 2017 by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, with the aim of stimulating a process of reform at national level and pointing the way towards renewed convergence in Europe. In 2019, they remained unchanged. The European Parliament adopted by 550 votes to 128, with 10 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States. Parliament approved the Commission proposal subject to amendments. Parliament stressed that the current situation caused by the COVID-19 outbreak required unprecedented action to protect businesses and workers from immediate employment and income losses, as well as to contain the economic and social shock of the crisis and avoid massive job losses and a deep recession. Members called for the guidelines to be revised no later than one year after their adoption in order to take into account the COVID-19 pandemic and its social and employment consequences, as well as to better address similar future crises. In addition, the European Parliament should be involved in the definition of the Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs on an equal footing with the Council. Member States should actively promote full, quality employment on the basis of a strong economy. They should take the lead in a major public investment drive and pursue smart and ambitious employment policies. Temporary measures to protect workers should include (i) wage subsidies, (ii) income support and the extension of unemployment benefit schemes, (iii) the extension of paid sick leave and carer's leave and teleworking arrangements. Member States should, with the involvement of the social partners: - support the transformation of European enterprises towards ensuring self-sufficiency, in particular in protective equipment and medical devices; - step up their support to businesses that are struggling as a result of the crisis; These measures should be sustained over time until a full economic recovery has been reached, after which they should be phased out. - guarantee the rights and jobs of mobile and frontier workers that have been hit hard by border closures; - foster responsible entrepreneurship including among women and young people; - promote the development of the circular and social economy, foster social innovation, social enterprises and strengthen their sustainability, and encourage those forms of work which create quality job opportunities…

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