Tripartite committee on employment starts work

Download article in original language : LU9803151NFR.DOC

Luxembourg's tripartite committee on employment met twice in February 1998 and has arranged a further six meetings for March to draw up a national action plan under the process agreed at the November 1997 European Union Jobs Summit.

As previously agreed (LU9801138N), the Tripartite Coordinating Committee (Comité de Coordination Tripartite- LU9711127F) met behind closed doors on 6 and 20 February 1998 to discuss Luxembourg's national employment action plan to fulfil the decisions taken at the special European Council Jobs Summit held in November 1997 (EU9711168F).

According to information from the Prime Minister, discussion at the meetings did not focus solely on the introduction of new measures for relaunching the labour market and continuing training, but also on the need for a fresh offensive in support of increased "independence" - that is to say a combination of self-employment and self-help. Small and medium-sized companies will need most help in creating new jobs. It is will also be up to employers, the trade unions and the Government to acknowledge their responsibilities and achieve tangible results against unemployment in 1998 in line with the guidelines of the Jobs Summit.

The two meetings served to identify all the issues that need to be considered if the Summit's objectives are to be met. The scant information made available to the public suggests that discussions at the meetings were heated .

As each EU Member State has to lodge its national action plan with the Presidency of the Union by 15 April 1998, and bearing in mind that the Tripartite Coordinating Committee's coordinated opinion has to be presented and approved on 6 April 1998, six additional meetings were scheduled for the month of March.