VZCZCXRO3485
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHHM RUEHIK RUEHJO
RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBS #0826/01 0720927
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130927Z MAR 07 ZDK
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
RUEHC/DOL WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
INFO RUEHXI/LABOR COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000826 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOL FOR BLS AND ILAB 
TREASURY FOR IMI 
STATE FOR DRL/IL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB PGOV ESOC EUN
SUBJECT:  EU MINISTERS KEEN TO RAISE THE VISIBILITY 
OF SOCIAL EUROPE 
 
¶1.    SUMMARY.  EU ministers for Labor and Social 
Affairs in their February 22 Council meeting agreed 
on "key messages" for the March 8-9 European Council 
review of the "Lisbon Strategy" for Growth and Jobs. 
Though the dual approach of partnership and policy 
reform underpinning "Lisbon" was showing its 
positive impact, ministers recognized the 
"considerable delivery gaps" to address the fact 
that 17 million Europeans remain unemployed and 20 
million new jobs must be created.  To meet the 
Lisbon targets, EU countries should enhance 
"flexicurity" as a method of facilitating adjustment 
and easing transitions.  The ministers also 
addressed demographic change in Europe: they 
recognized the contribution of older people to 
economic growth, employment and social development 
and backed the German Presidency's initiative 
underlining the importance of family-friendly 
policies to encourage a higher birth rate.  Full 
text of Council conclusions is available from the 
Council website: http://www.consilium.europa.eu. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
PREPARATIONS FOR EUROPEAN COUNCIL: GROWTH AND JOBS 
 
¶2.  EU ministers for Employment and Social Affairs 
on February 22 adopted their contribution (in the 
form of a "key messages" paper) for the March 8-9 
European Council review of the "Lisbon Strategy" for 
Growth and Jobs.  Though the dual approach of 
partnership and policy reform underpinning the 
strategy was "showing its positive impact," the 
Council recognized that "considerable delivery gaps 
need to be bridged" to address the fact that 17 
million Europeans remain unemployed and to create 20 
million new jobs.  The paper said member states 
should enhance "flexicurity" as a method of 
facilitating adjustment and easing transitions 
(Note:  "flexicurity" is a model designed to adapt 
EU labor markets to global change by combining the 
easy hiring and firing --flexibility -- for 
employers and guaranteed social protection and 
training --security -- for employees between jobs) 
The Council also advocated a life-cycle approach to 
work; opportunities for people at the fringes of the 
labor market and investment in human capital. 
 
¶4.  German minister M|ntefering told a press 
conference a general consensus emerged among 
ministers on the need for "more visibility" of the 
social dimension within the framework of Community 
actions with a view to the second cycle of the EU 
Growth and Jobs Strategy to be launched in 2008. 
Particular emphasis should be given to the 
importance of social cohesion and to "fighting the 
trans-generational transmission of poverty."  The 
role of the social partners and of non-governmental 
organizations in promoting social cohesion was also 
highlighted.  As customary a "Tripartite" Social 
Summit gathering the Council, the Commission and the 
EU Labor and Employers' organizations (the social 
partners) will take place before the "Spring" 
European Council meeting on March 8, 2007. 
 
¶5.  Among other documents to be forwarded to their 
leaders, ministers adopted joint (read: Council and 
Commission) reports on employment as well as on 
social protection and social inclusion: 
 
-- The annual employment report, which assesses 
the implementation by the EU member states of 
their national reform programs in the area of 
employment, highlights that significant action 
has been carried out under the Lisbon priority 
to attract and retain more people in work. 
Progress has been made under the priority to 
raise investment in human capital with a slight 
increase in spending.  However policy 
implementation to improve the adaptability of 
workers and companies is lagging behind.  A set 
of country-specific recommendations was adopted 
with a view to contributing to effective 
delivery.  More details available from: 
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/07 /s 
t06/st06076.en07.pdf; 
 
BRUSSELS 00000826  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
-- The second document calls on member states to 
give priority to implementing comprehensive 
policies to fight child poverty, promote active 
inclusion and modernize pension provision and 
health and long-term care systems. 
 
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE IN EUROPE 
 
¶6.  The Council also discussed the opportunities and 
challenges of demographic change in Europe, trying 
to identify political priorities to be addressed at 
European level.  The aim was to explore how existing 
structures could support member state efforts and to 
discuss the possibility of developing a multi-annual 
approach, involving the upcoming Presidencies of the 
Council, to deal with the issue.  In a public 
debate, the large majority of delegations agreed 
that the Lisbon Strategy and the "Open Method of 
Coordination" provided the framework within which 
member states should operate and that no new 
structures or instruments should be created; rather 
there should be increased coordination between 
existing structures including also the reporting 
mechanisms.  Delegations backed the following 
priorities as outlined in a Presidency paper: 
 
-Aging:  recognizing the contribution of older 
people to economic growth, employment and 
social development; 
 
-Harnessing public policies, social dialogue and 
corporate social responsibility for family 
friendliness: a factor for business location 
and the mobility of families; 
 
-Human capital: promotion of the potential 
offered by well-educated and highly trained 
women in the workplace, as well as of a higher 
employment rate for older people; 
 
-Access to high quality care services both for 
children and the elderly; 
 
-Reconciliation of family life and work, 
including flexible working-time arrangements 
and care responsibilities for children and the 
elderly; 
 
-Migration: better opportunities for persons 
with migrant backgrounds, in particular 
children and young people; 
 
-Strengthening both inter-generational 
solidarity and the social and cultural 
commitment of all age groups; 
 
-The impact of demographic change on both local 
and regional infrastructure and social 
cohesion. 
 
¶7.  A number of member states also supported the 
Presidency's initiative, tabled by Federal minister 
for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and 
Youth, for a European Alliance for Families 
underlining the importance of family-friendly 
policies that would encourage a higher birth rate. 
Here again, many ministers underlined to need to use 
existing structures to promote cooperation and 
mutual learning. 
 
GRAY