PART III: THE POLICIES AND FUNCTIONING OF THE UNION
TITLE III - INTERNAL POLICIES AND ACTION
CHAPTER III - POLICIES IN OTHER AREAS
SECTION 1 - EMPLOYMENT
ARTICLE III-203
The Union and the Member States shall, in accordance with this Section, work
towards developing a coordinated strategy for employment and particularly for
promoting a skilled, trained and adaptable workforce and labour markets responsive
to economic change with a view to achieving the objectives referred to in Article
I-3.
ARTICLE III-204
1. Member States, through their employment policies, shall contribute to the
achievement of the objectives referred to in Article III-203 in a way consistent
with the broad guidelines of the economic policies of the Member States and
of the Union adopted pursuant to Article III-179(2).
2. Member States, having regard to national practices related to the responsibilities
of management and labour, shall regard promoting employment as a matter of common
concern and shall coordinate their action in this respect within the Council,
in accordance with Article III-206.
ARTICLE III-205
1. The Union shall contribute to a high level of employment by encouraging cooperation
between Member States and by supporting and, if necessary, complementing their
action. In doing so, the competences of the Member States shall be respected.
2. The objective of a high level of employment shall be taken into consideration in the formulation and implementation of Union policies and activities.
ARTICLE III-206
1. The European Council shall each year consider the employment situation in
the Union and adopt conclusions thereon, on the basis of a joint annual report
by the Council and the Commission.
2. On the basis of the conclusions of the European Council, the Council, on
a proposal from the Commission, shall each year adopt guidelines which the Member
States shall take into account in their employment policies. It shall act after
consulting the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, the Economic
and Social Committee and the Employment Committee.
These guidelines shall be consistent with the broad guidelines adopted pursuant to Article III-179(2).
3. Each Member State shall provide the Council and the Commission with an annual report on the principal measures taken to implement its employment policy in the light of the guidelines for employment as referred to in paragraph 2.
4. The Council, on the basis of the reports referred to in paragraph 3 and having received the views of the Employment Committee, shall each year carry out an examination of the implementation of the employment policies of the Member States in the light of the guidelines for employment. The Council, on a recommendation from the Commission, may adopt recommendations which it shall address to Member States.
5. On the basis of the results of that examination, the Council and the Commission shall make a joint annual report to the European Council on the employment situation in the Union and on the implementation of the guidelines for employment.
ARTICLE III-207
European laws or framework laws may establish incentive measures designed to
encourage cooperation between Member States and to support their action in the
field of employment through initiatives aimed at developing exchanges of information
and best practices, providing comparative analysis and advice as well as promoting
innovative approaches and evaluating experiences, in particular by recourse
to pilot projects. They shall be adopted after consultation of the Committee
of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee.
Such European laws or framework laws shall not include harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States.
ARTICLE III-208
The Council shall, by a simple majority, adopt a European decision establishing
an Employment Committee with advisory status to promote coordination between
Member States on employment and labour market policies. It shall act after consulting
the European Parliament.
The tasks of the Committee shall be:
(a) to monitor the employment situation and employment policies in the Union and the Member States;
(b) without prejudice to Article III-344, to formulate opinions at the request of either the Council or the Commission or on its own initiative, and to contribute to the preparation of the Council proceedings referred to in Article III-206.
In fulfilling its mandate, the Committee shall consult management and labour.
Each Member State and the Commission shall appoint two members of the Committee.