Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2000)134 - Social Protection Committee - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2000)134 - Social Protection Committee. |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2000)134  |
| date | 13-03-2000 |
The Commission's new initiative for enhanced co-operation on the European level
On the basis of two previous Communications ("The Future of Social Protection: a Framework for a European Debate" i of 1995 and 'Modernising and Improving Social Protection in the EU' i of 1997) the Commission presented in July 1999 a number of suggestions how to enhance the co-operation in the field of social protection on the European level.
In this new Communication on 'A Concerted Strategy for Modernising Social Protection' i the Commission proposed that the Council endorsed a framework for closer co-operation in the field of social protection, based on the exchange of experiences, mutual concertation and evaluation of ongoing policy developments with a view to identifying best practices.
The Commission identified three key elements to bring about this co-operation:
- a group of high-level officials: Member States were invited to designate high-level senior officials to act as focal points for the new co-operation.;
- systematic use of the 'Social Protection in Europe-report': In order to assist Member States in this process of co-operation and to monitor policy developments, the Commission announced its intention to adapt its Social Protection in Europe report and to publish and submit it to the Council from now on annually (cf. point 2);
- involvement of all relevant actors: the Commission proposed to invite other Community institutions, in particular the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions to co-operate in this process and to invite also social partners, NGOs and social security institutions to contribute to this process.
The Council Conclusions
The Social Affairs Council in Luxembourg on the 22 October 1999 discussed the Communication's suggestions in detail, and, in the light of this discussion, the Social Affairs Council in Brussels agreed on the 29 November to endorse them i.
In its Conclusions, the Council
- underlined 'the need for co-operation in modernising social protection, based on a structured and permanent dialogue, follow-up and exchange of information, experience and good practice between the Member States' i;
- acknowledged 'the need to discuss the future of social protection at the European level' i;
- supported "the Commission's suggestion to establish a mechanism for enhanced co-operation brought about by the work of a group of high-level officials for the implementation of this action" i; and
- underlined 'the necessity to create this group as soon as possible' i.
The present proposal for a Council Decision follows up these Council Conclusions in order to set up, as soon as possible, this group of high-level officials.
It is suggested to name this group 'European Social Protection Committee' (ESPC). This title is to stress the analogue character of this group's work to the co-operation sui generis between the Member States and the European Commission, which existed in the field of employment before the entering into force of the Amsterdam Treaty.
2. The ESPC and the preparation of the Annual Social Protection Report
Beside the creation of the ESPC, the other key instrument of the new mechanism for enhanced co-operation is the new 'Annual Social Protection-report'. The Council Conclusions establish a direct link between the report and the tasks of the European Social Protection Committee by conveying it the task to prepare a report to be submitted to the Council i.
The new 'Annual Social Protection-report' builds on the existing co-operation between the Commission and the Member States in the drafting of the 'Social Protection in Europe-report', which was published in 1993, 1995 and 1997, and on the experiences gathered in this co-operation. This new report will be published on an annual basis (instead of every second year as it was the case with the 'Social Protection in Europe-report') and will systematically take into account the four broad policy objectives outlined in the Commission's Communication and endorsed in the Council Conclusions i.
Art. 1, point 2, third sub-section of the draft Council Decision setting up a Social Protection Committee reflects the new report's character as central instrument within the new mechanism for enhanced co-operation and the European Social Protection Committee's role in preparing the report.
In its Conclusions the Council requested that 'work should begin immediately and a progress report should be prepared in the context of the European Council in June 2000' i. In order to meet this deadline, the Commission, for an interim period, works together with representatives designated by the Member States, as requested by the Council. The first two meetings of this ad interim group have taken place on 26 January and 23 February 2000.
3. Working Arrangements with other Committees
The Council emphasised in point i of its Conclusions 'that the new co-operation towards improving and modernising social protection should be a coherent action, parallel to and inter-active with the European Employment Strategy as well as to the macro-economic dialogue.'
Therefore, Article 1, point 3 of the proposal for a Council Decision provides for the possibility to ensure this close co-operation, requested by the Council, with other relevant bodies and committees.