COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 23 January 1984 on the promotion of employment for young people (84/C 29/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to the draft resolution submitted by the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),

Whereas, at their meetings in March and December 1982 and March 1983, the Heads of State and of Government underlined the need to give priority to the fight against youth unemployment and for the creation of more job openings for young people;

Whereas the Council reiterated its profound concern regarding the continued high level of unemployment, particularly among young people, at the meeting on 28 June 1982 of Ministers for Labour and Social Affairs, and at the Joint Meeting on 16 November 1982 of the Ministers for Economic and Financial Questions and the Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs;

Whereas the access of young people to employment should be promoted and the volume of jobs available to them increased;

Whereas the European Parliament has repeatedly stressed the need for action to promote equality of opportunity in the employment field, and more particularly to tackle the problem of youth unemployment;

Whereas only the adoption of a broad range of measures will suffice to meet both the diversity of the situations facing young people and the variations in economic and social conditions in the Member States,

HAS ADOPTED THIS RESOLUTION:

I. Objectives

The Council notes that youth unemployment is a worrying aspect of the general employment situation and can only be resolved within the framework of a general policy designed to achieve economic recovery and employment growth.

In these circumstances it is essential that, in addition to the efforts to be made in the area of vocational training (4), there should be increased efforts over the next five years to create additional job opportunities in order to reduce gradually and significantly the rate of unemployment among young people.

II. General guidelines

1. The specific measures to be introduced must take account of the different situation in each country and of the role and responsibilities of both sides of industry.

2. The measure should: - form part of general measures designed to stimulate the creation of jobs and to increase the flexibility of the labour market (5);

- supplement and be adequately coordinated with programmes of vocational training, which are an instrument of an active employment policy and a means of preparing young people for working life; (1) OJ No C 149, 8.6.1983, p. 14. (2) OJ No C 307, 14.11.1983, p. 88. (3) Opinion delivered on 1 June 1983 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (4) See Council Resolution of 11 July 1983 concerning vocational training policies in the European Community in the 1980s (OJ No C 193, 20.7.1983, p. 2). (5) These measures may include measures relating to the reorganization and reduction of working time, in accordance with the conclusions of the Joint Council on 16 November 1982.

- devote special attention to the most disadvantaged young people and to young people affected by unemployment of long duration or recurrent unemployment;

- include special measures allowing young women effective access to a wider variety of occupations or jobs in order to combat the very high level of unemployment amongst young women;

- avoid the risk of developing insecure jobs and accordingly concentrate as far as possible on activities offering longer-term prospects, bearing in mind the possibilities offered by new technology and those deriving from local economic and social needs;

III. Measures by the Member States

1. Within the context of their own policies and practices, Member States should take the following measures into consideration: - where possible encourage both sides of industry, in those agreements which have repercussions on employment, including those related to the reorganization and reduction of working time (1), to further the recruitment of young people taking account of their specific needs;

- facilitate the access of young people to employment, in particular by using the possibilities offered by employment aids and work incentive schemes for young people for contributing to the creation of additional jobs and by strengthening by all appropriate means the links with training, particularly linked work and training;

- examine, with a view to eliminating it, any inflexibility which might constitute an unjustifiable obstacle to the recruitment of young workers without, however, undermining the protection of the health and development of young people;

- help young people to establish new enterprises, including cooperatives, or to be involved in establishing new enterprises, notably by providing them with adequate training opportunities and project evaluation and guidance services, and supplying administrative, technical and financial support for launching new businesses;

- seek job and training opportunities in the public sector or in community work schemes, while paying particular attention to the recruitment of young people;

- help young people to develop their occupational skills and interests within the framework of existing services ; also bear in mind their motivation and interests, particularly social and cultural, outside the field of work to the extent that they may help to develop their abilities in working life.

IV. Community Measures

1. The Council would refer to the role which the European Social Fund plays in creating job opportunities.

2. The Commission is requested to support the implementation of innovatory job-creation projects for young people, taking into account the potential of such projects for helping to improve the youth employment situation in the Community, especially where the problem of youth unemployment is particularly acute.

To this end, it is requested to encourage and coordinate a group of demonstration projects on the following themes: (a) the creation of new small entreprises, including cooperatives, by young people or with their assistance;

(b) the exploration of possible means of increasing the recruitment of young people in the framework of measures including inter alia the reorganization and reduction of working time;

(c) the creation and development of special guidance and counselling centres for young people to promote cooperation at local level between all the various agencies and voluntary organizations concerned with the problems of young people, particularly the most disadvantaged young people, including young migrants.

3. The Commission is also requested to organize an annual exchange of information between the Member States on action taken pursuant to this Resolution to provide increased employment opportunities for young people, together with the means for monitoring, research and assessment. (1) In the context of the conclusions of the Joint Council on 16 November 1982.

V. Final provisions

1. Community financing for the measures referred to in Chapter IV will be decided on within the framework of the budgetary procedure and in accordance with the legal commitments entered into by the Council.

The projects referred to in Chapter IV(2) will be financed by the Community according to the means and financing rules of the European Social Fund.

2. The Council will examine the progress and the results achieved in implementing this Resolution on the basis of an interim report and a final report to be submitted by the Commission before 30 June 1989 (1). (1) The Council will also examine at any time, on the basis of a communication from the Commission, the efforts made by the Member States and the Community in accordance with this Resolution, with a view to intensifying the coordination of such efforts.