News
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13/06/2007
Cohesion policy 2007-2013: Commission approves the national strategy and priorities for Netherlands
Regional policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner and Employment and social affairs Commissioner Vladimír Špidla congratulated the authorities of the Netherlands for reaching agreement with the European Commission on the national plan and priorities for Cohesion policy 2007-2013. In their National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) the Dutch authorities describe how they are going to invest EU funding of € 1.9 billion that they will receive over seven years to deliver growth and jobs to their regions. The adoption procedure has now been completed as the European Commission issued its decision on elements of the Dutch NSRF, including priorities, indicative annual allocations, and list of operational programmes.
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13/06/2007
Commission moves ahead on cutting red tape for service sector while guaranteeing the protection of posted workers
Today the Commission has presented its assessment of national measures applied by Member States in the context of supervising the posting of workers, as well as the situation in terms of administrative cooperation. The aim is to remove unnecessary obstacles to the free provision of services within the internal market while continuing to ensure adequate protection for posted workers. This balanced approach is to be supported amongst others by a high level Committee of government experts, involving social partners, to facilitate the exchange of good practices. The Commission also proposes to reinforce administrative co-operation through the use of the Internal Market Information system (IMI). Furthermore, the Commission will launch, if necessary, infringement procedures to ensure conformity with Community law.
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12/06/2007
Cohesion policy 2007-2013: the Commission approves the strategy submitted by France
Danuta Hübner, the Commissioner for Regional Policy, and Vladimir Špidla, the Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, have commended the French authorities for the strategy chosen for the 2007-2013 cohesion policy. In their National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), the authorities explain how they will use assistance from the Structural Funds totalling almost EUR 13.5 billion to stimulate growth and job creation in the French regions over the next seven years. Today, the European Commission approved the various elements of the French NSRF, including the priorities, the indicative annual allocations and the list of operational programmes.
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11/06/2007
Preparing for EU's ageing population at heart of new government expert group
Today a high level group of government experts will meet for the first time in Brussels to discuss demography issues. The group - set up by the Commission following requests from Member States responding to the 2005 Green Paper on demography (IP/05/322) - will support the Commission in developing policies adapted to the new reality of Europe's ageing population and shrinking workforce. The group will also act as a platform for Member States to exchange experiences and good practice in areas like active ageing, family policy, care for the elderly dependent and migration. Made up of representatives from all Member States, as well as a small number of independent experts, the group will be headed by the former Austrian Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Leonora Hostasch.
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11/06/2007
Preparing for EU's ageing population at heart of new government expert group
Today a high level group of government experts will meet for the first time in Brussels to discuss demography issues. The group - set up by the Commission following requests from Member States responding to the 2005 Green Paper on demography (IP/05/322) - will support the Commission in developing policies adapted to the new reality of Europe's ageing population and shrinking workforce. The group will also act as a platform for Member States to exchange experiences and good practice in areas like active ageing, family policy, care for the elderly dependent and migration. Made up of representatives from all Member States, as well as a small number of independent experts, the group will be headed by the former Austrian Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Leonora Hostasch.
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07/06/2007
Education, Employment, Accessibility for people with disabilities – Ministers meet for first time ever on disability issues
The first ever informal meeting of Ministers responsible for disability issues will take place in Berlin on 11 June in the margins of the annual Presidency conference on disability. The informal meeting will focus on the recent UN Convention for disability rights (see IP/07/446) and how the European Community and Member States can rapidly implement the Convention's provisions which will protect over 50 million EU citizens and 650 people with disabilities worldwide. The UN disability Convention covers areas like anti-discrimination and equal opportunities in employment, training and education.
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04/06/2007
"Lighten the load" campaign - tackling musculoskeletal disorders (work-related back pain)
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common work-related health problem in Europe, affecting millions of workers. Across the EU27, 25% of workers complain of backache and 23% report muscular pains. Lighten the load, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work's 2007 campaign to tackle MSDs in the workplace, supports an integrated management approach with three key elements. First, employers, employees and government need to work together to tackle MSDs. Secondly, any actions should address the ‘whole load on the body’, which covers all the stresses and strains being placed on the body, environmental factors such as cold working conditions, and the load being carried. Thirdly, employers need to manage the retention, rehabilitation and return to work of employees with MSDs.
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30/05/2007
Commission assesses impact of funding for regions, launches debate on next round of cohesion policy
Cohesion policy has had a proven effect in helping the European Union's regions to develop, but it will face some new challenges in years ahead. Those are the findings in the European Commission's latest report on economic and social cohesion . The fourth such report, published today, provides the economic, social and territorial situation of the enlarged Union of 27 Member States and 268 regions for the first time. The report contains detailed analysis of the position of regions in terms of GDP, productivity and employment. It identifies a series of challenges with which Member States and regions will be confronted in the years ahead. It provides a first assessment of the impact of European cohesion policy in the 2000-2006 programming period, as well as of the preparation for the new period 2007-2013. The report includes 10 questions to kick off f the debate inside and outside the European institutions on the future of this major policy area.
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30/05/2007
Commission pushes forward on consultation with workers and employers for better work-life balance
The Commission has adopted today the second stage consultation with workers' and employers' representatives on how to achieve a better balance between work, private and family life. Invited to express their opinions on the need for Community action on this issue last October, thirteen of the European social partners have sent contributions. All have acknowledged the importance of issues such as accessible care facilities for children and dependants, the need for men genuinely to take up reconciliation measures, equal pay, flexible working hours and the possible updating of existing legislation related to reconciliation. Although views differ on what needs to be done and at what level, the majority of the social partners consider that further action is needed in this area.
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21/05/2007
Commission calls on trade unions to play active role in shaping a prosperous, social Europe
Addressing participants at the four-yearly European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) congress in Seville, European Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso said "Social dialogue is essential for Europe to progress and to prosper. Trade unions are indispensable to social dialogue. ETUC is a valued and very relevant European player. Europe's social dimension has been and should continue to be a factor of success. If we are to respond to today's global challenges, we need to build on our successes. This means stronger and better cooperation." He added, "As the workers' representatives, you should be part of the pioneers for the new Europe we are building together - a Europe of prosperity, solidarity, fairness and partnership."