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In the area of employment, PROGRESS aims to support the implementation of the European Employment Strategy (EES).

It was initiated at the 1997 (Luxembourg European Council) and further developed in the Lisbon and Stockholm Councils (in 2000 and 2001 respectively), where the key EU employment policy targets were set. In 2005, the EES underwent a major change and became a part of the renewed Lisbon strategy, which refocused the EUs efforts on growth and employment. The EES is implemented on the basis of the Open Method of Co-ordination (OMC). The Member States firstly agree a set of common objectives, which are included in the Integrated Employment Guidelines. Eight Employment Guidelines were agreed for the period 2005-2008; they stressed the necessity of promoting a lifecycle approach to work, ensuring inclusive labour markets, promoting flexicurity, and increasing investment in human capital. On the basis of the Integrated Guidelines the Member States draft the Employment chapters of their National Reform Programmes (NRP), describing the national policies to pursue common objectives. These programmes are then assessed and summarised in the Joint Employment Report, which is every year prepared by the Commission and adopted in the Council. On the other hand, The Commission Communication on Europe 2020 provides a strategic framework for the PROGRESS programme. The strategy, which should enable the EU to move from crisiseffect management to longer-term structural growth, puts forward three mutually reinforcing priorities: Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation; Sustainable growth: promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy; Inclusive growth: fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion. All three have significant employment and social aspects and require coherent and complementary contributions from different policy strands, methods and instruments. Moreover, in its contribution to the Europe 2020 strategy and to the Commission Work Programme, DG EMPL proposes a set of coherent and complementary initiatives to activate the policy levers available, with a view to: Modernising labour markets in order to raise employment levels, in particular for young people, Fighting poverty, promoting social modernising social protection systems; inclusion and justice, and

Adapting the legislative framework to evolving work patterns and new risks for health and safety at work; Combating discrimination and promoting equal opportunities for all;

Promoting gender mainstreaming in all policies and implementing the new strategy for equality between women and men. To support the aforementioned process PROGRESS provides financial assistance for Studies, information and data collection, joint-work with international organisations including the OECD, ILO and with wellestablished research networks have contributed and are contributing to continuously enrich the knowledge base. The networks of experts in Employment issues provide valuable support to the monitoring and analytical process, support to policy implementation while promoting information sharing and mutual learning. The peer review programme and the employment conferences and seminars provide opportunities for in-depth exchanges on priority issues and give a better insight into success stories and best practices in addressing employment challenges while involving as much as possible (European) social partners in these activities and policy debates. The Presidencys conferences allow to expand these reflections while mobilising high-level actors and increasing the visibility of Employment themes on the Council agenda. Information and dissemination activities (websites, newsletter, leaflets, posters, press activities, etc.) have been increasingly geared towards the objective of reaching opinion multipliers to increase awareness of the EU Employment process and to foster stakeholders participation especially social partners and civil society. Several awareness raising projects at EU, national and regional level have complemented this effort and contributed to create greater ownership of the process in Member States. Overall, the activities financed have played a crucial role in shaping and consolidating the Employment issues and provided significant input for policy debates and policy development important for the Member States and the Commission. Of course there is scope for improvements in all the areas above, and the Commission is committed to optimise the value added of PROGRESS activities by regularly evaluating their impact and by ensuring that they are increasingly geared towards the policy priorities identified and responds to the needs and requirements of the Member States.

WEESP Webtool for Evaluated Employment Services Practices (It includes organisational practices, tools and active labour market policies (ALMP) measures) http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1030&langId=en EU Skills Panorama (A single entry point to easily access information on skills needs in the EU) http://euskillspanorama.ec.europa.eu/ European Vacancy Monitor (the overview of recent developments on the European job market), quarterly issues http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=955&langId=en European Employment Observatory review on Employment Policies to Promote Active Ageing, April 2012

European Employment Observatory review on long-term unemployment, September 2012 European Employment Observatory Quarterly Reports http://www.euemployment-observatory.net/quarterlyreportsexecutivesummaries.aspx European Job Mobility catId=955&langId=en European Vacancy catId=955&langId=en Bulletin Monitor http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp? http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?

European Vacancy and Recruitment Report 2012

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