Report on France's economic and social prospects presented to Prime Minister

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In July 2000, the National Economic Planning Agency presented to the Prime Minister a major report on France's economic and social prospects. This report, which should form the basis for government action, was preceded by a wide-ranging consultation process involving the social partners and various other economic and social actors.

In a letter dated 24 November 1998 to Jean-Michel Charpin, the chair of the National Economic Planning Agency (Commissariat général du Plan, CGP), Prime Minister Lionel Jospin requested that the Agency produce a report on France's general economic and social prospects, to be compiled before government decisions are made and aiming to lay the foundations for a series of practical actions. The Prime Minister suggested that four fields of government activity be prioritised:

1. the fight against unemployment;

2. enhancing social cohesion;

3. the growth of the French economy within the EU framework; and

4. the modernisation of public policy instruments.

The report, based on many expert contributions and consultation with a number of leading figures, was submitted in early July 2000 ("Rapport sur les perspectives de la France", Commissariat général du Plan, rapport au Prime Minister, La documentation française, Paris 2000).

The report points to sweeping changes in French society in terms of the relationships between various groups: the sexes - with the emergence, according to the report, "of the principle of joint male and female participation" (ie the increasing role of women in society); the generations - due to longer life expectancy and changes in family structure; and social groups, with growing discrepancies in economic circumstances and the ever-growing risk of social exclusion.

These transformations in French society are linked to far-reaching economic changes: the impact of new technologies (particularly information technology); the evolution of work, particularly increasing workloads; the growing role of training; and lastly, the changes affecting "geographical space", with the growth of urbanisation, and more significant opening up to Europe and the rest of the world.

Based on these findings, the report identifies "new demands for regulation," requiring a range of diverse but integrated responses from the various actors, in which the state as well as European and international institutions will play an important role as arbitrators and guarantors.

The report reviews the various possible regulatory policies in the areas of work, employment and training, solidarity and health etc. It strives, among other things, to define the role of the state, as the promoter and guarantor of "collective choices", but indicates that it should be possible to take more decisions through negotiation rather than through legislation. The report thus advocates a strengthening of the role of the social partners and local authorities. However, without in any way denying the usefulness of the discussions currently underway between trade unions and employers' organisations on the reform of industrial relations (FR0002143F), the report clearly states that the role of the state as guarantor of "social pacts" cannot be denied and that it is thus unlikely that negotiations on "the reform of industrial relations" can be brought to a definitive close "without the state being called upon by one of the parties to use its power of arbitration".

The social partners were deeply involved in the report's compilation; first, within its "steering group", and second, through the consultation of many leading figures from the various sectors of activity - although the final version of the document was the CGP's responsibility. The steering group included one representative from each of the trade union organisations with representative status, as well as representatives of associations, non-governmental organisations and a large number of experts. Of the employers' associations, the General Confederation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Confédération générale des petites et moyennes entreprises, CGPME), the Craftwork Employers' Association (Union professionnelle artisanale, UPA) and the National Federation of Farmers' Unions (Fédération nationale des syndicats d'exploitants agricoles, FNSEA) were represented. Among the leading figures consulted were many senior officials from these organisations, as well as some from the Movement of French Enterprises (Mouvement des entreprises de France, MEDEF) and some of its sectoral affiliates.

Steering group members had the option of putting forward position papers as annexes to the report, which are to be considered as contributions to the debate. Unlike the employers' associations, each of the unions produced its own position paper for the report.

The publication of the Report on the perspectives of France is just one step in the current debate. It will be submitted for the scrutiny of the Economic and Social Council (Conseil économique et social), then to the two houses of parliament (the National Assembly and the Senate), along with a letter in which the government will lay out the lessons it has drawn from it. Finally, the report will be sent, for information, to the governments of the other EU Member States and the European Commission.