Bulletinof the European Communities

Supplement 2/74

Social actionprogramme

COM(73) 160024 October 1973

Blank pages not reproduced:

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Commission

, 4 , 6 , and 12

conte nts

Resolution of the Council of 21 January 1974 concerning asocial action programme

Social action programme submitted by the Commission to theCouncil on 25 October 1973 ,

Social action programme - Annex I: list of actions on which immediate proposals will

be put to the Council

- Annex II: details of the priority actions on which theCommission considers that the Council should decide in theperiod 1974-1976 .

- Annex III: details of other supporting actions- Annex IV: list of actions for which proposals are already

being discussed in the Council

Resolution of the Council

of 21 January 1974concerning a social action programme

The Council of the European Communities,

Having regard to the Treaties establishing theEuropean Communities;

H~v~ng regard to the draft from the Com-mISSIon;

Having regard to the Opinion of the EuropeanParliament;

Having regard to the Opinion of the Economicand Social Committee;

Whereas the Treaties establishing the EuropeanCommunities assigned to them tasks with rel-evance to social objectives;

Whereas, pursuant to Article 2 of the Treatyestablishing the European Economic Commun-ity, the European Economic Community shallhave as a particular task to promote throughoutthe Community a harmonious development ofeconomic activities, a continuous and balancedexpansion, an increase in stability and an accel-erated raising of the standard of living;

Whereas the Heads of State or of Governmentaffirmed at their conference held in Paris inOctober 1972 that economic expansion is not anend in itself but should result in an improvementof the quality of life as well as of the standard ofliving;

Whereas the Heads of State or of Governmentemphasized as one of the conclusions adopted atthe abovementioned conference that they attachas much importance to vigorous action in thesocial field as to the achievement of Economicand Monetary Union and invited the Communityinstitutions to draw up a social action pro-gramme providing for concrete measures and thecorresponding resources particularly in theframework of the European Social Fund on thebasis of suggestions put forward by the Heads ofState or Government and the Commission at thesaid Conference;

Whereas such a programme involves actionsdesigned to achieve full and better employmentthe improvement of living and working condi-

S. 2/74

tions and increased involvement of managementand labour in the economic and social decisionsof the Community, and of workers in the life ofundertakings;

Whereas actions described in the above pro-gramme should be implemented in accordancewith the provisions laid down in the Treaty,including those of Article 235 of the Treatyestablishing the European Economic Commun-ity;

Having regard to the wishes expressed bymanagement and labour;

Whereas irrespective of serious threats toemployment which may arise from the situationobtaining at the time of adoption of this resol-ution, and without prejudice to the results of anyfuture studies or measures, the Communityshould decide on the objectives and priorities tobe g~ven to its action in the social field over thecomlllg years;

Takes note of the Social Action Programme fromthe Commission

Considers that vigorous action must be underta-ken in successive stages with a view to realizingthe social aims of European union, in order toattain the following broad objectives: full andbetter employment at Community, national andregional levels, which is an essential conditionfor an effective social policy; improvement ofliving and working conditions so as to makepossible their harmonization while the improve-ment is being maintained; increased involvementof management and labour in the economic andsocial decisions of the Community, and ofworkers in the life of undertakings

Considers that the Community social policy hasan individual role to play and should make anessential contribution to achieving the afore-mentioned objectives by means of Communitymeasures or the definition by the Community ofobjectives for national social policies, withouthowever seeking a standard solution to all socialproblems or attempting to transfer to Commun-ity level any responsibilities which are assumedmore effectively at other levels

Considers that social objectives should be aconstant concern of all Community policies,

Considers that it is essential to ensure theconsistency of social and other Community pol-icies so that measures taken will achieve theobjectives of social and other policies simul-taneously,

Considers that, to achieve the proposed actionssuccessfully, and particularly in view of thestructural changes and imbalances in the Com-munity, the necessary resources should be pro-

vided, in particular by strengthening the role ofthe European Social Fqnd

Expresses the political will to adopt the measuresnecessary to achieve the following objectivesduring a first stage covering the period from1974 to 1976 , in addition to measures adoptedin the context of other Community policies:

Attainment of full and better employmentin the Community

(i) to establish appropriate consultationbetween Member States on their employmentpolicies, guided by the need to achieve a policyof full and better employment in the Communityas a whole and in the regions;(ii) to promote better cooperation by nationalemployment services;

(iii) to implement a common vocational train-ing policy, with a view to attaining progressivelythe principal objectives thereof especiallyapproximation of training standards, in partic-ular by setting up a European Vocational Train.ing Centre;(iv) to undertake action for the purpose of

achieving equality between men and women asregards access to employment and vocationaltraining and advancement and as regards work-ing conditions, including pay, taking intoaccount the important role of management andlabour in this field;

(v) to ensure that the family responsibilities ofall concerned may be reconciled with their jobaspirations;

(vi) to establish an action programme formigrant workers and members of their familieswhich shall aim in particular:(a) to improve the conditions of free movementwithin the Community of workers from MemberStates, including social security, and the socialinfrastructure of the Member States, the latterbeing an indispensable condition for solving thespecific problems .of migrant workers and mem-bers of their families, especially problems ofreception, housing, social services, training andeducation of children;

(b) to humanize the free movement of Com-munity workers and members of their families byproviding effective assistance during the variousphases, it being understood that the prime objec-tive is still to enable workers to find .employmentin their own regions;

(c) to achieve equality of treatment for Com-munity and non-Community workers and mem-bers of their families in respect of living andworking conditions , wages and economic rightstaking into account the Community provisions inforce;

(d) to promote consultation on immigrationpolicies vis-a-vis third countries;

(vii) to initiate a programme for the vocationaland social integration of handicapped persons, inparticular making provisions for the promotionof pilot experiments for the purpose of rehabili-tating them in vocational life, or where appro-priate, of placing them in sheltered industriesand to undertake a comparative study of thelegal provisions and the arrangements made forrehabilitation at national level;

(viii) to seek solutions to the employmentproblems confronting certain more vulnerablecategories of persons (the young and the aged);

(ix) to protect workers hired through tempor-ary employment agencies and to regulate the

activities of such firms with a view to eliminatingabuses therein;

(x) to continue the implementation of theCouncil' s conclusions on employment policy inthe Community and particularly those concetn-

S. 2/74

ing the progressive integration of the labourmarkets including those relating to employmentstatistics and estimates.

Improvement of living and working conditions so asto make possible their harmonization while theimprovement is being maintained

(i) to establish appropriate consultationsbetween Member States on their social protec.don policies with the particular aim of theirapproximation on the way of progress;(ii) to establish an action programme forworkers aimed at the humanization of theirliving and working conditions, with particularreference to:(a) improvement in safety and health condi-tions at work;(b) the gradual elimination of physical andpsychological stress which exists in the place ofwork and on the job, especially through improv-ing the environment and seeking ways of increas-ing job satisfaction;(c) a reform of the organization of work givingworkers wider opportunities , especially those ofhaving their own responsibilities and duties andof obtaining higher qualifications;(iii) to persevere with and expedite the imple-mentation of the European Social Budget;

(iv) gradually to extend social protection, par.ticularly within the framework of social securityschemes, to categories of persons not covered orinadequately provided for under existingschemes;

(iv) to promote the coordination of socialsecurity schemes for self-employed workers withregard to freedom of establishment and freedomto provide services;

(vi) to invite the Commission to submit areport on the problems arising in connectionwith coordination of supplementary schemes foremployed persons moving within the Commun-ity;

(vii) progressively to introduce machinery foradapting social security benefits to increasedprosperity in the various Member States;

S. 2/74

(viii) to protect workers ' interests, in particularwith regard to the retention of rights and advan-tages in the case of mergers, concentrations or

razionalization operations;(ix) to implement, in cooperation with theMember States, specific measures to combatpoverty by drawing up pilot schemes.

Increased involvement of management and labour inthe economic and social decisions of the Community,and of workers in the life of undertakings

(i) to refer more extensively to the StandingCommittee on Employment for the discussion ofall questions with a fundamental influence onemployment;(ii) to help trade union organizations takingpart in Community work to establish trainingand information services for European affairsand to set up a European Trade Union Institute;(iii) progressively to involve workers or theirrepresentatives in the life of undertakings in theCommunity;(iv) to facilitate , depending on the situation inthe different countries, the conclusion of collec.tive agreements at European level in appropriatefields;(v) to develop the involvement of managementand labour in the economic and social decisionsof the Community,

Lays down the following priorities among theactions referred to in this Resolution:

Attainment of full and better employmentin the Community

: The establishment of appropriate consulta.tIOn between Member States on their employ-me~t policies .and the promotion of better coop-eratIOn by natIOnal employment services.

2, T~e establishment of an action programmefor mIgrant workers who are nationals of Mem-ber States of third countries.3. The implementation of a common vo-cational training policy and the setting up of aEuropean Vocational Training Centre.

4, The undertaking of action to achieve equal-ity between men and women as regards access toemployment and vocational training andadvancement and as regards working conditionsincluding pay,

Improvement of living and working conditions so asto make possible their harmonization while theimprovement is being maintained

5. The establishment of appropriate consulta-tions between Member States on their socialprotection policies,

6. The establishment of an initial action pro-gramme, relating in particular to health andsafety at work, the health of workers andimproved organization of tasks, beginning inthose economic sectors where working condi.tions appear to be the most difficult.

7, The implementation, in cooperation with theMember States, of specific measures to combatpoverty by drawing up pilot schemes.

Increased involvement of management and labour inthe economic and social decisions of the Community,and of workers in the life of undertakings

8. The progressive involvement of workers ortheir representatives in the life of undertakings inthe Community.

9. The promotion of the involvement ofmanagement and labour in the economic .andsocial decisions of the Community.Takes note of the Commission s undertaking tosubmit to it, during 1974, the necessary pro-posals concerning the priorities laid down above;Takes note of the Commission s undertaking tosubmit to it, before 1 April 1974, proposalsrelating to:(i) an initial action programme with regard tomigrant workers;(ii) the setting up of a European VocationalTraining Centre;

(iii) a directive on the harmonization of laws

with regard to the retention of rights and advan-

tages in the event of changes in the ownership ofundertakings, in particular in the event mergers;

Notes that the Commission has already submit-ted to it proposals relating to:(i) assistance from the European Social Fundfor migrant workers and for handicapped

workers(ii) an action programme for handicappedworkers in an open market economy,(iii) the setting-up of a European GeneralIndustrial Safety Committee and the extension ofthe competence of the Mines Safety and HealthCommission;(iv) a Directive providing for the appraxi-mation of legislation of Member States concern-ing the application of the principle of equal payfar men and wamen(v) the designation as an immediate objective ofthe overall application of the principle of the

standard 40-hour working week by 1975, andthe principle of 4 weeks annual paid holiday by1976,(vi) the setting up of a European Foundationfor the impravement of the environment and ofliving and working conditions

(vii) a Directive on the approximation of theMember States ' legislation on collective dis-missals.

Undertakes to act, at the latest five manths afterthe Commission has informed the Council of theresults of its deliberations arising from theopinions given by the European Parliament andthe Economic and Social Committee, if such

consultations have taken place , or, if such con.sultatians have not taken place, at the latest ninemonths from the date of the transmissian of theproposals to the Council by the Commission;

Takes note of the Commission s undertaking tosubmit to it befare 31 December 1976 a series ofmeasureS ta be taken during a further phase.

! OJ C 13 of 12. 1974.

S. 2/74

Social action programme(submitted by the Commission tothe Council on 25 Octaber 1973)

1. Since its inception the European Commun-ity has achieved a substantial increase in the rateof economic growth, which has literally trans-formed the life and the face of Europe andbrought to the great majarity of its people higherliving standards and wider horizons,

2. But greater prosperity has nat resolved thesacial prablems of the Community, and indeedin some cases it has exacerbated them, Thereare the problems of those regions and groupswhich have not fully participated in the generaladvance , and which, in some cases, find them-selves falling further and further behind, Thereare continuing, and in some cases worsening,problems over the distribution of income andwealth within the Community, and over workerparticipation within industry, There are prob~lems caused by the failure of the infrastructure insome sectarS ta keep pace with the demands onit. And then there are the problems caused bygrawth itself-problems of industrial pollution.of a deteriorating enviranment, of a conflict

values in some cases between industry and socie-ty, disruptions to the pattern of life, and agrowing dependence on migrant workers whomsociety is not always ready to accept as citizenswhile it continues ta require their services tomaintain its standard of living,

3. Unless these problems-af inequalities andof the unacceptable by-products of growth-canbe resolved, economic growth will fail to providethe improved quality of life which our peoplesrightly expect from it. Indeed, it may be im-possible to maintain the rhythm of growth itselfin face of the social pressures and resistance itgenerates. Economic growth and an active pro-gramme .of social reform are nat antithetic, Thepurpose .of economic growth shauld be to widenthe range of social options available ta thepeoples of the Community by bringing about acontinuing rise in living standards and the qual-ity .of life. Unless the process of growth can beput more fully at the services of society, growthitself may become politically unacceptable.

4. It is not the Commission s aim to centralizethe solutions of all the social problems of the

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Community, nor would it wish to see introduceda single social policy tackling all social problemsin the Community in a uniform manner. Nordaes the Commission propose the transfer toCommunity level of respansibilities and func-tions carried out more appropriately at otherlevels. Equally, the proposals in this ActionProgramme are not intended as a substitute fornational policies. Rather, each Action is envis-aged, and will need to be examined, in thecontext of what individual Member States aredoing and can be expected to do within thelimits of their resources,

Nor daes this Action Programme seek to miti-gate the responsibilities of Member States withinthe social field,

5. On the other hand, there are problems inthe social field which are common ta all MemberStates and which could best be dealt with on aCommunity basis rather than in isolation; thenumber of these problems will grow with theincreasing integration of the economies of theMember States as progress is made towardseconomic and monetary union, The Commun-ity s economic relations with the rest of theworld produce their own internal reactions, Asthe liberalization and expansion of world tradegoes steadily forward, and our relatians with thedeveloping countries are enabled to grow

policies of trade and aid, so structural adjust-

ments came about in the Community econamyitself, It has been recognized in all MemberStates that this whole process demands a moreactive Community social policy if the well-beingof all the peoples of the Community is to bemaintained. Furthermore, without Communitysolidarity, the less-favoured Member States andregions will find it increasingly difficult to solvetheir prablems; seriaus disparities in the rate .ofsocial progress and social standards betweenMember States could distort competition andthus retard the development of full economicunian. It is, therefore, dear that dose andcontinuous collaboration between nationaladministrations and Community institutions isgoing to be increasingly necessary in the manthsand years ahead, Similar callaboration, as

already stated, is necessary between the SocialPartners and the Community institutions, bothglobally and ilY individual sectors.

6. The preamble ta the final declaration of theCanference of Heads of State or Government inParis in October 1972 states:

Economic expansion is not an end in itself, Itsfirm aim should be to enable disparities in livingcanditions to be reduced. It must take placewith the participatian of all Social Partners, Itshould result in an improvement of the quality oflife as well as in standards of living,

' ..

and further:The Heads of State or Government emphasizethat they attach as much importance ta vigarousaction in the social field as ta the achievement ofthe economic and monetary union. Theythought it essential to ensure the increasinginvolvement .of the Social Partners in the econ-omic and social decisions of the Commun-ity, They invited the institutions , after cansult-ing the Social Partners, to draw up, between nowand 1 January 1974, a programme of actionproviding for concrete measures and the corre-spanding resources, particularly in the frame-work of the Social Fund,..

In the light of this cammunique , the need for acontinuing commitment of all Member States toan active programme .of social reform at Com.munity level is clear and inescapable,

This Action Programme represents a response tothe Summit mandate , following the 'Guidelinesdrawn up by the Commissian an 18 April 1973and subsequently discussed with the Council ofMinisters and Social Partners.

7. Of course, this Action Programme does notrepresent the first writing an tabularesa The establishing Treaties contain specificsocial provisions on the strength of which anumber of actions are now in hand or plannedas earlier outlined in the CommissianpaperPreliminary Guidelines for a Sacial Policy Pro-gramme in the Community ,z published inFebruary 1971. The Treaties powers of action

on the social side, however, appear inadequatefor some of the purposes of this Pragramme, andthe CommissioQ accardingly feels the Article 235procedure should certainly be resorted ta if needbe, As. for the financial instruments

of the

policy and the terms of reference of the SocialFund, these were deliberately expanded in 1972ta enable the Fund to act as a mare positiveinstrument for employment policy. As mattersnow stand it remains the main instrument insocial policy, and its resources must therefore beincreased to be commensurate with the Summitaims, Other financial instruments at the Com.munity s dispasal include the ECSC Treatyretraining and redevelopment pravisions, theoperations of the European Investment Bank andthe EAGGF Guidance Section, Cammunity-aidedsocial and medical research under the ECSC andEuratom Treaties, and the future RegionalDevelopment Fund, Furthermore it may berecalled that among the praposals in the Scienceand Technolagy Actian Programme which theCommission submitted to the Council in August1973 is one for an outline research programmeon the medical side,

8. Nevertheless, it is the case-as the SummitCanference communique indicates-that there now a greater sense of priority and urgencyabout social policy in the Community. . Thereasons are those set out in the paragraphs

above: the fact that the Community has nowreached a stage in its economic and socialdevelapment when it can, and indeed mustafford to question more critically the pattern andthe casts .of economic growth and the distribu-tion .of its resources, One must also bear inmind that our Community is today not .onlyricher but also better educated andinformed. With better education and infarma-tion come increased, and entirely legitimatedemands for a more just saciety and a betterquality .of life.

I Supplement 4/73 - Bull. Ec.Supplement 2/71 - Annex to Bull. EC 4-1971.

S. 2/74

9. The three main objectives of an auton-omous Social Action Programme which emergedfrom the discussions at the Summit Conferenceand which were spelt out in the 'Guidelines for aSocial Action Programme' are:

(i) full and better employment;

(ii) improvement of living and working condi-tions;

(iii) greater participation of workers andemployers in the economic and social decisionsof the Community.

The relationship between the different Actions inthe Programme is set out below under each ofthese three headings.

Full and better employment

10. Full employment must be primaryaim. It is the responsibility of governments andthe Community to ensure full employmentthrough adequate economic and financial pol-icies. The objective must be to create enoughjobs for the present and future working popul-ation of the Community~ so that no worker isforced by economic pressures to migrate insearch of work. This is why the Commissionon the one hand, envisages in its proposals in thefield of regional policy the setting up of incen-tives for the creation of new jobs and, on theother hand, seeks to emphasize, in this presentprogramme, the vigorous role of social policy inthis field through the development of the necess-ary corresponding actions,

But job creation by itself will not be enough toachieve and maintain full employment in theCommunity. The European integration processtechnological developments and many other fac-tors will continue to cause many structuralchanges in the employment market, bringingabout the disappearance of many existing jobsand the demand for new skills. Without anactive social and employment policy there is adanger that the structural imbalances which existat present will become more serious.

S. 2/74

This calls for a more imaginative approach to theconcept of full employment. Training to enablea worker to realize his full potential is in anycase a basic human need and right, and anessential aspect of the educational objectives ofthe Community. This need is highlighted by therisk of insecurity arising from the changes listedabove , and the opportunities for better employ-ment that these changes can provide, At thesame time, better training facilities will alsobenefit industry in the Community in helping itto adapt more efficiently to a rapidly changingtechnological and market situation, while thepravision of a trained labour force is essential forthe successful development of the regions.Social policy instruments must be especiallyconcerned with the human aspects of the overallstrategy for full employment, that is, they mustensure access to the employment best suited toindividual capacities and to the collective well-being. A more dynamic Community policy onvocational guidance, vocational training, retrain-ing and rehabilitation is therefore of great impor.tance.

The Commission envisages a number of newinitiatives in various fields to give vocational

training a wider imyortance, The ProposedEuropean Centre tor Vacatianal Training(Action II ) will provide an essential operationalinstrument for developing a common policy onvocational training, in particular by improvingthe exchange of information, promoting researchand coordinating training .standards and qualifi-cations. Apart from the expansion of trainingfacilities where the need is greatest, improvementof training methods must depend 1;lot only on theworkers' acceptance that training is necessarybut on the solution of the problems posed. bypossible loss of earnings during a period c ofvocational training or retraining. That is whythe Commission attaches so much importance tothe introduction of general training incentivesinvolving income guarantees (Action II

For improving the situation of women at work,better vocational training and initial vocationalguidance and more retraining facilities later onrepresent an indispensable but only partial sol.:.ution. It is necessary to create facilities at

Com

mun

ity le

vel t

o pr

ovid

e no

t onl

y fo

r an

intensive information campaign, but al

sa to

enco

urag

e in

itiat

ives

in a

ll re

late

d fi

elds

, aim

edat

gra

dual

ly a

chie

ving

equ

ality

bet

wee

n m

en a

ndwomen on the Community labour market

incl

udin

g m

easu

res

to e

nabl

e w

omen

to r

econ

cile

fam

ily r

espo

nsib

ilitie

s w

ith jo

b a~

pira

tions

(Act

ion

II

The

mai

n in

stru

men

t ava

ilabl

e ta

the

Com

mis

-si

on f

or a

n ac

tive

labo

ur m

arke

t pol

icy

is, a

salready indicated, the

Social Fund,

Exp

ansi

onof the Social Fu

nd m

ust b

e se

en a

s an

ess

entia

lpreconditian of th

is S

ocia

l Act

ion

Pro-

gram

me.

Whi

le th

e R

egia

nal F

und

will

hav

eth

e po

ssib

ility

to p

art-finance capital schemes

and

assi

st th

e cr

eatia

n of

em

play

men

t opp

ortu

n-iti

es, t

he S

ocia

l Fun

d's

task

will

be

to h

elp

ensu

reth

e ac

quis

ition

of a

ppro

pria

te s

kills

by

the

labo

ur f

arce

in th

e re

gion

al d

evel

opm

ent a

re~s

,

In a

dditi

on to

its

spec

ific

con

trib

utio

n in

this

field

and

to it

s ra

le in

pro

mot

ing

retr

aini

ngsc

hem

es, t

he S

ocia

l Fun

d w

ill, o

ver

the

com

ing

years, be increasingly involved in dealing with

the problems of sp

ecif

ic c

ateg

orie

s of

wor

.kers. The need fo

r co

ncer

ted

effo

rts

on b

ehal

fof migrant workers and handicapped people, i

npa

rtic

ular, warrants an extended use of th

e

Soci

al F

und

on th

eir

beha

lf (

unde

r A

rtic

le 4

of

the Council Decision of 1 February 1971)

(Act

ion

I)' Special cansideration will alsa be

given to the problems encountered by el

derl

yw

orke

rs, u

nem

ploy

ed s

choa

lleav

ers

and

wom

enseeking to take up em

ploy

men

t afte

r a

perio

daw

ay f

rom

wor

k (A

ctio

n 11

1), The Commission

plans in addition to have recourse to A

rtic

le 4

.of

the

Soci

al F

und

in c

onne

ctia

n w

ith m

easu

res

tode

al w

ith th

e st

ruct

ural

pro

blem

s of

som

ein

dust

ries

, T

he

hand

icap

ped

cons

titut

e a group which

dese

rve

imm

edia

te c

ansi

dera

tion

by th

e C

om-

munity as a whole, In ad

ditio

n to

thos

e ha

ndi-

capp

ed f

rom

bir

th, t

here

is a

gro

win

g pr

opor

tion

of the working po

pula

tion

who

, bec

ause

of

disa

bilit

ies

acqu

ired

sin

ce b

irth

, are

una

ble

tolead an independent ex

iste

nce

and

earn

thei

row

n liv

ing.

The

ir p

hysi

cal o

r m

enta

l dis

abili

ties

mak

e th

em vulnerable not only ta severe psy-

cholagical pressures of adjustment but also to a

seri

ous

redu

ctia

n in

ear

ning

cap

acity

and

jab

oppo

rtun

ities

, As

a fir

st s

tep,

the

Com

mis

sion

is m

akin

g im

med

iate

pro

posa

ls ta

the

Cou

ncil

for an action pr

ogra

mm

e fo

r ha

ndic

appe

d w

or-

kers

in th

e op

en la

bour

mar

ket (

Act

ion

I ) w

hich

will

be

clos

ely

linke

d to

the

.ope

ning

up

or A

rtic

le4 of the Social Fund for handicapped workers

(Action IJ In the longer term, there will also

be a wi3e pragramme of sp

ecifi

c ac

tians

toim

prov

e th

e ch

ance

s of

soc

ial i

nteg

ratio

n of

all

handicapped people (Action IIJ

A s

peci

al r

espo

nsib

ility

of

the

Com

mun

ity m

ust

be towards

the

migrant workers,

who naw

exce

ed 6

mill

ion

and

with

their dependents

prab

ably

10

mill

ion.

The

exi

stin

g in

stru

men

tsof Community social policy are inadequate to

deal

with

the immense issue of m

igra

tian.

Indu

stri

al, r

egio

nal a

nd e

xter

nal i

nves

tmen

t pol

i-ci

es m

ust b

e us

ed to

dea

l with

the

fund

amen

tal

caus

es o

f th

e im

bala

nce

betw

een

rich

and

poo

rco

untr

ies

and regions, But immediate so

cial

prob

lem

s en

coun

tere

d by

mig

rant

wor

kers

and

thei

r fa

mili

es m

ust b

e tackled as an urgent

Com

mun

ity is

sue,

As

a fir

st s

tep

the

Com

mis

-si

on is

mak

ing

imm

edia

te p

ropo

sals

to th

e C

oun-

cil for the .opening up of Article 4 of the Social

Fund

to a

llevi

ate

the

prob

lem

s of

mig

rant

wor

-ke

rs (

Act

ion

I)' A programme of ac

tion

on th

esa

cial

and

livi

ng .

cond

ition

s of

the

mig

rant

pop

-ul

atio

n is

a m

ajor

pri

ority

, as

is th

e co

ordi

natio

nby

the

Mem

ber

Stat

es o

f th

eir

polic

ies

tow

ards

the

mov

emen

t of m

igra

nt w

orke

rs fr

om th

irdco

untr

ies

to a

nd f

rom

the

Com

mun

ity (

Act

ion

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S. 2

/74

the field of contract labour (Action rq, Withregard to actions of a technical nature, theCommission has already submitted proposals tothe Council concerning conflicts of laws labour relations within the Community (ActionIVJ The Cammission will also take furtherinitiatives towards intensifying cooperationbetween the national employment services(Action II )' and improving employment fore-casting and especially current and prospectiveanalysis of trends relating to labour qualifica-tians (Action III,). Continuing efforts must bemade to provide comparable statistical tools(Action IV", without which policy planning atCommunity level would be ineffective, The sys-tem of young worker exchanges will be extendedto provide greater opportunities for young peo-ple to develop wider horizons and more variedprafessional experience (Action IIIJ

Improvement in living andworking conditions

11. The improvement of living and workingconditions must, of course, be the ultimate.objective of all policy within the Community. goes without saying that the basis of a better lifefor the peaple of the Community must be thesafeguarding and strengthening of the institutionof the family, the basic cell of saciallife, and allthe policies of the Social Action Programme areconcerned in one form or anather to help in thisregard. While much of our concern must befocussed on relations and canditions in theworkplace, sacial policy must affect all aspects oflife.

The improvement in living conditions and thequality of life' does not solely depend on in-creases in incomes and social benefits. Itrequires a caurageaus policy of investment insocial services and amenities to satisfy the needsof modern saciety. This consideratian mustaffect the implementation of numeraus actionsadvocated in this programme, such as thoserelating ta child care, facilities for workingmothers, amenities and services for migrant wor-kers, handicapped persons, elderly persons , etc.

S. 2/74

The present structUre of social benefits withinMember States represents a scene of cansiderablediversity, It is no part of the intension of theCommission to recommend a uniform system inthe Community, or to seek to eliminate the manydisparities resulting from different nationalpriarities, needs and values, . At the same time,the Commission has a clear duty ta seek toestablish minimum standards of sacial protectioncapable of being regularly improved.

Moreover, there are certain underprivilegedgroups within the Cammunity, the improvementof whose conditions constitutes, by any reckon-ing, a social priority,

The examination of the scope for ensuring thatsocial benefits throughout the Community rise inline with the increase in the standards of living ofthe working population is a question to whichthe Commission attaches considerable import-ance (Action II

The Commission propases to study a number ofspecific measures with representatives of theMember States, e,g. pragressive coordination ofMember States ' social security arrangements farself-emplayed persons moving from one MemberState ta another, and other graups (Action II)and supplementary benefits nat hitherto payableto migrant workers (Action lI )' Better informa-tion is needed an present and foreseeable condi.tians in the Member States in order to establishpriorities in the sphere of social protec-tion. Hence the need for the Eurapean SocialBudget (Action Ill ) and the further developmentof the system of sacial indicators (Action IIIJ.

Quite apart from the measures proposed in thisprogramme to deal with particular aspects andcauses of poverty, the Commissian recognizesthat there will still remain problems of chronicpoverty which are unacceptable in an advancedsociety, There is in the Community a neglectedminority of chranically poor, such as theunemplayable ' and their families, families on

exceptionally low incames or fatherless fami-lies. Because they are unable in many cases tohelp themselves or to respond to the help being

offered them, these graups find themselves trap-

ped in an almost inescapable cycle of pover-ty, The rehabilitation of these people and theirfamilies is primarily the responsibility of the

Member States, However, the Commissionbelieves that it can help the Member States toidentify the problem and methods of solutionthrough pilot studies and experiments involvingamong others social workers, psychiatrists andvocational guidance experts (Action II

In additian, there are special problems connected

with the elderly, not all of which are limited tothe provision of financial assistance, The Com-mission is completing a study of the socialproblems of the elderly in the Community fromwhich new Community initiatives may be devel-oped in order to assist Member States in theirsearch far solutions to these problems.

In the field of wages and working conditions, theCommissian believes that there are certainguidelines which, in the interests bath .of socialprogress and the equalization of competitive

conditions, should be recognized as basic objec-tives throughout the Community, to be achievedas quickly as possible, As a first step theCommission is asking the Council to fix asimmediate targets the 40-hour week and fourweeks' annual haliday (Actian 1 ) and implemen-tation of the principle of equal pay far equalwork between men and women, on which a newlegal instrument is shortly ta be proposed(Action 1 ), The establishment of basic wagesminima shauld also in the Commission s view berecognized as an objective to be reached asquickly as possible in the Community as a whole(Actian III.,),

One of the outstanding problems in the Com-munity at present is that a number of industries,because of their unattrative working conditionsare tending to became 'ghetto ' areas reserved formigrants, Among these are industries de-manding large scale repetitive wark, includingassembly line industries such as motor carmanufacture, . These industries are already con-scious of the need ta remove as far as passiblethe monotony of work by techniques of jobenrichment, if they are ta have a future in aworld of full employment where the warker is no

longer driven by economic necessity to acceptwhatever job he can.get. The Commissionbelieves it important to encourage such efforts

all means possible, in accordance with the needto improve the quality of working life and willbe taking appropriate action (Action IIIOf equal importance are measures to remove

dangers and nuisances at work and to make

work acceptable, The Cammission is makingimmediate proposals to the Council for the

establishment .of a gefleral committee for indus.trial safety and for the extension of the com-petences of the Mines Safety and Health Com-missian ta cover opencast mining and othermines (Action 1 ), An Action Programme onindustrial safety (Action II ) is envisaged for theend of 1974, Improvements are needed in thestatistics for industrial accidents (ActionIII )' In the field of radiation protection, fur-ther measures are envisaged to extend the inval-uable safety and health programme built up averthe years on the basis .of the Euratom Treaty(Action 1I1 )' Similar activities are now beingdeveloped in the framework .of the enviranmen-tal policy, to eliminate or reduce the variousenvironmental hazards and nuisances (ActionIII

) .

vital role in improving understanding .of

problems in the environmental field and inanalysing possible solutions can, in the view ofthe Commission, be played by the proposed

Foundatian for the Improvement of the Environ-ment and Living and Working Conditions(Action 1 ), which wiII be able to concentrate onresearch into the fundamental, longer term pro-blems of creating an environment in whichpeople will be happy to live,A Community concern for health cannot in thelong term restrict itself to problems of industrialmedicine, accident prevention and pollutian con-trol. The Commission feels that the time hascome for the Community institutions to take upwider problems in the health field. In all Mem-ber States, there are emerging aspects of publichealth which justify coordination such, forexample, as health protectian for foreign wor-kers and their families, prevention of mental andpsycho-somatic iIIness related to working and

S, 2/74

living conditions and a wider approach to pre-vention and care .of social diseases. The Com-mission will examine these areas in order toprepare proposals for action in the public healthfield at Community level.

Finally, no programme to imprave living andwarking canditions can afford to ignore thequestian .of social housing. A study programmein this field is being prepared within the Com-mission services, Conclusions ta be drawnfrom these studies will be proposed in due course(Actian III

Finally, the Commission is currently drawing up,in accordance with the Cauncil's instructionissued on 13 March 1969 and confirmed an 27July 1971 , a comprehensive list of arrangementsin operatian or planned in the Member Stateswith respect to asset formation in order tosubmit its conclusions on the subject (ActionIII ), Mare systematic information is alsaneeded on the distributian of incame and assetsthroughout the Community (Action Ill

).

Participation and industrial democracy

12, Within the structure of industry, greaterparticipation is needed, This need increases inline with the rapid changes , due in particular tatechnological progress, and to the size of firmsincluding development of multi-national com-panies, The future development of companystructure is being actively debated in all theMember States. Some of these have alreadyincluded in their Olegislation direct participationof workers in the decisions of enterprises (ActionIII

The issue of worker participation in industry hasalso risen at Community level. The Commis-sian has already made proposals in this re-spect. They are embodied in the draft Statutefor the European Company1 and in the draft 5thdirective on the harmonization of Companylaw,2 These praposals are at present being dis-cussed in the consultative and representativeinstitutions of the Community. The Commis-sion considers it desirable that conclusions be

S. 2/74

reached as soon as possible on this matter whichis of growing impartance to the Community(Actions IV , 4, J,

Greater participation of the social partners in thedecision-making process at Community level alsoarises, Its importance increases with the grow-ing integration of the Member States ' economiesand with the increase in the number and scope ofCommunity decisions, Efficient structures aretherefore necessary to develop such participationand to render it as effective as possible.

In particular the Commission considers that theStanding Committee on Employment should beused more extensively as the main organ fordealing with all matters having a fundamentalimpact on employment, In additian, the Cam-mission, together with the other parties in theCommittee, will seek the most appropriatemethods for improving the operation of thisCommittee, in Qrder to enable it to attain fullythe above-mentioned objectives, For its part,the Commissian will meet the European SocialPartners before the end .of 1973 ta discuss thebest means of improving substantially the latterparticipation in the drawing up and implementa-tion of the Community s policies.

The Commission cansiders that a directive oncollective dismissals (Action ~) shauld beadopted by the Council as a matter of urgentpriority in order ta reduce job insecurity, whichis today a patent and evident cause of industrialunrest and suspicion. The Commission alsoenvisages the immediate submission of a direc-tive on the pratection of the rights of workers inmergers. In the case of national mergers, pravi-sions far agreements between management andworkers have already been proposed in the thirddirective on company law,

An impartant instrument for promoting indus-trial democracy and participation exists in themixed or joint committees of which at presentthere are seven. The Commission praposes toextend these to all sectors where the social

I Supplement to Bull. EC 8- 1970.2 Supplement 10/72 - Bull. Ec.

partners so wish (Action III J. The Commis-sion is of the opinion that European collectiveagreements in the most suitable fields shauld bedrawn up so that problems can be solved in thecontext of such agreements-bath at Communitylevel and in the Member States, But the Com-mission has na intention of interfering in theindependence of the social partners in callectivebargaining. The Commission is in any case

ready, if both parties wish it, to help in thepractical preparation of negotiations with infor.mation and technical assistance, In this contextit is helped by the mandate given it by theCouncil in November 1972 to compile a Com-munity index of collective agreements in 13specified branches of industry, which is nowbeing completed,

Finally, the Commission considers that its pro-posal ta assist in the establishment of an inde-pendent but Community-financed EuropeanTrade Union Institute (Action II ) will corre-

spond to the growing need felt by the TradeUnions ta extend the training of their memberson European affairs,

Annex

List of actions on which immediate proposalswill be put to the Council

Action

Assistance from the European Social Fund formigrant warkers and handicapped workers,

Action

An action programme for handicapped warkersin an open market economy.

Action

The setting up of a European general safetycommittee and the extension of the competencesof the Mines Safety and Health Committee.

Action

directive providing for the ap-proximation .of legislation of Member Statesconcerning the application of the principle of

equal pay for men and women.

Action

The designation as an immediate objective of theoverall application of the principle of the

40-hour week between now and 1975 , and theprinciple of 4 weeks annual paid holidaysbetween now and 1976.

Action

The setting up of a European Foundation for theimprovement of the environment and living andworking conditions.

Action

A directive on the approximation of the MemberStates ' legislation on mass dismissals.

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Annex

Details of the priority actions

on which the Commission considers that theCouncil should decide in the period 1974-

The texts contained in this annex are .of anindicatory nature, The objective, the presentsituation and the means are indicated in eachcase. Propasals within the framework of eachaction will be submitted at a later date takinginto account the social development in the Com-munity.

Action

Cooperation between national employment services

Objective-- To imprave cooperation betweennational emplayment services at both palicy andoperational level, in .order ta contribute to therealization of a full and better emplaymentpolicy throughout the Community. In .order toachieve maximum effectiveness such cooperationshould take into account policies and a~tivities insuch related fields as investment, regianal devel-opment, vacational training and migratian,

Present situation~Cooperatian to date betweenthe national employment services has been large-ly at an operatianal level. Over the past tenyears, there have been many valuable exchangesof views, information and experiences on such

topics as placement techniques (including the useof data-processing equipment) and the recruit-ment and training of persannel.

However, there has been na systematic contactbetween the national emplayment services at apolicy level to discuss the broader issues ofemplayment policy (such as the implications ofchanges in the age-composition of the labourforce, or the effect of changes in industrialstructures).

Means-Regulation 1612/68 relating to the freemovement of labour, and the plan for cooper-ation between the national employment servicesagreed upon in 1967 are the basis for further

S, 2/74

caoperation, particularly at the operational level.The Commission will make a careful assessmentof the first results .of actions already startedregarding the transmission .of job vacancy infar-mation between national employment services(SEDOC job classifications and studies in the useof computers) in order to assess the extent to

which they can be further developed.

The Commission will organize policy level meet-ings of natianal officials early in 1974 to discussthe development of natianal employment pol-icies , the possibilities for collaboration betweencountries concerning such policies, and to assessthe impact .of the European Social Fund in thecontext of such policies. In addition, the Com.mission is ready to participate in discussions onthe prablems involved in the creation or thedevelopment of tri-partite committees at theregional level to advise on specific employmentpolicies far the areas concerned,

Action

Vocational training programme

Objective--To give a new impetus to the cam-mon policy of vocational training through thecreation .of an operational unit to collaboratewith the Commission in particular with a viewto:(i) d~veloping the exchange of infarmation andexperIence;

(ii) promoting coordinated research in theMember States in relation to Community per-spectives, and especial!

\ .

15 concerns educationaltechnology;(iii) organizing pilot schemes for traininginstructors and for workers from those catego-ries or sectors for which training has a partic-ularly strong effect on the level of employment;

(iv) intensifying efforts to bring about anapproximation .of training standards and qualifi-cations;(v) to promote and support initiatives whichseek to enlarge or improve the structure ofvacational training in thase regions particularly

lacking in such structures;

(vi) stimulating vacational guidance and infor.mation activities.

Present situation- The need for this kind ofspecialized Community unit has been recognizedduring the last few years by the Eu~opeanParliament, the Council, the EconomIC andSocial Committee and by the Sacial Part-ners. This unit will be able to make a contribu-tion to research projects and specific activitiesrelated ta the development of the 'First measuresto implement a common po!icy of vocationaltraining ' which were the sub)ect . of a proposalsubmitted to the CouncIl m November1972. (Council document 1872/72 Soc.245). A certain number of these 'measureshave already been agreed and are at presentbeing carried out,

Means-The Commission upholds the atherseventeen actions contained in this document onwhich the Cauncil reserved its agreement pend-ing decisions to be taken in the context of t~e

present social actian programme. T?e CoJ?m~s-sion will presently invite the Council to gIve Itsapproval ta these remaining actions.

As regards the creation of a specialized unit, tobe called the 'European Centre for VocationalTraining , the Commission will shortly presen~ adetailed proposal to the Coun~ll. , The admm-istrative organs of the centre will mdude repre-sentatives of the Social Partners. The Centre

will be financed essentially by the Communitybudget. It will draw up annual reparts onactivities.

Action

Income maintenance for workers during periodsof retraining and job search

Objective-Ta aid the re-adjustment of labour. .of

economic and technical change by encouragmgthe establishment of adequate national schemes

for income support for workers ~uring retraini~gand subsequent job search, wIth Cammumtysupport where appropriate.

Present situation-Growth and change in,modern industry can result in a need for large

scale redeplayment and retraining by the labourfarce, Insofar as such redeployment andretraining is undertaken within a given firm, thecost bath of wages and of the training arrange-

n'ts , is normally met by the firm itself, How-ever workers who are made redundant mayhav; to bear a large part .of the cost of thisreadjustment. Alternatively, they became a bur-den an social security funds. Effarts by membercountries to establish retraining schemes forredundant workers have been substantial, butsomewhat unequal. The schemes and suchassociated arrangements for income maintenanceas exist tend to be weaker in cauntries with alawer i~come per head , although that is wherethe need is greatest.

The Social Fund is a first step in the Communitymove towards a dynamic social policy. Itmakes it possible for the. Commission ~o supportspecific projects in the fIeld of mdustnal adJust-ment. The encouragement of Member States toestablish or improve incentives for retrainingwould both contribute to an improved attitudeamong workers tawards industrial change , andensure that the burden of such change rests onsaciety rather than the individual warkers.

Means-The propased scheme wauld involve:

(i) A commitment by member countries tointroduce adequate income maintenance for w?r-kers during retraining and subsequent Jobsearch;

(ii) Community support towards the cost .of

income maintenance, linked with the develop-

ment of Community targets in the field ofemployment. These sh~uld be based on a C?1.lt-

inuous assessment of national manpawer pahClesand an assessment .of the contribution of theSocial Fund to such policies (d. Action III

The Cammission will undertake a thoroughstudy of the ways and means of implementingthe scheme for Community support for incomemaintenance in the light .of Community targetsand existing national policies , and may presentproposals during 1974, given that such a schemecannot at present be incarporated in the SocialFund,

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Action

Women s employment problems

Objective- To bring about a situation in whichequality between men and women obtains in thelabour market throughout the Communitythrough the improvement of the economic and

psychological conditions, and the sacial andeducational infrastructure, Immediate prioritycould be given to the problems of providingfacilities to enable women to reconcile familyresponsibilities with jab aspiratians,

Present situatian--Continuing differencesbetween the pay career structure of men and~omen can be attributed to many causes, includ~lUg:

(i) lack of career guidance, vocational trainingand retraining;

(ii) frequent discrimination in conditions of

recruitment and in job evaluation;(iii) interrupted career pattern on accaunt ofmatherhood;(iv) lack .of adequate facilities for workingmothers.

At present, there are no facilities at Europeanlevel for coordinating and concerting national

efforts to solve these wide ranging problems.

Means~An ad hoc group is being set up to assistthe Commissian in identifying lines of action, inaddition ta those referred to in the conclusions

of the report on equal pay, (See Actian), The Commission will present proposals

during 1974 which will include:

(i) the creation of a Community documentatiancentre on women s problems and an infarmationservice to help change attitudes concerningwomen at work (for employers, public serviceseducational bodies and women s Organizations);(ii) preparation .of a Community contributionto the International Women s Year 1975 of theUN;

(iii) the creation .of a permanent working groupan women s employment problems.

S. 2/74

The ad hoc group and, later on, the p~rmanentworking group will help the Commissian tostudy the problems and the possibilities of Cam-munity action particularly in the following fields:recruitment, job re-entry after maternity, voca-

tianal guidance , training and retraining, childcare facilities, flexible working time arrange-ments, etc, A first set of proposals will bepresented before the end of 1974; proposals willbe discussed with the Standing Committee onEmployment,

Action

Action programme for migrant workers

Objective- To achieve an equality in living andworking conditions, in wages and salaries and inecanomic and social rights, and to ensure theparticipation in Community life for all migrantworkers and their families, whether they comefrom the countries of the Community in theframework of the free mavement .of workers, .or

whether legally admitted from third cauntriesand also to coordinate the immigration policiesof Member States as regards third countries.

Present situation--Employment policy should beconcerned with the creation of new jabs inunderdeveloped or declining regians so thatemployment will be brought ta the workers andforced' migration can be ended, This objectivecan only be achieved progressively through acomprehensive and effective Community re-gional policy, but whilst migration is continuing,equal rights .and treatment for all migrant war-kers and their families from Community, as wellas non-Community countries, who have beenadmitted legally to emplayment and residence inthe territories of the Member States, must beassured,

The migrant population live and work in condi-tions substantially inferior to those of theindigenaus populatian. Discrimination againstmigrant workers exists in various forms through-out the Community, in such matters as socialsecurity, housing and rights ta participate atdifferent levels of decision making. Discrimin-

atian-taken in a wider sense to mean a lack .of a

sense of responsibility towards a section of theresident population-is particularly widespreadand is shawn in the serious lack of receptioncentres, advisory services and educatianal facil-ities for both the migrant worker and his chil-dren, In another way, it is shown in the recruit-ment of migrant workers to carry out the

unpleasant jobs which are refused by the locallabour farce,

As a result of Community regulations , workerswho are Community nationals retain the benefitsof those acquired rights in each Member State inthe field of Social Security, This is not sa in thecase of migrant workers from third countrieswho represent more than 75% of the totalmigrant worker population.

The overseas recruitment and immigration pol.icies .of the Member States are, in their diversity,not compatible with a coordinated employmentpolicy at Community level, nor are they consis-tent with the aims .of the Community policytowards the developing countries,

Despite numerous initiatives to improve thesituatian of migrant workers at the national andlocal level, there is an urgent need for theCommunity ta assume its overall human respon-sibilities towards the whole migrant populationirrespective of its country of .origin. Extendingthe use of the Sacial Fund in favour of migrantworkers represents an immediate step in thisdirection, but in the longer term the Communitymust supplement incentive schemes with an over-all strategy involving minimum standards andguarantees in the framework of a coordinatedimmigration policy,

Means-In view .of the complexity .of the prob-lems invalved, the Commission will intensify itsactivities in various sectors of palicy and, at thesame time, develop an .overall approach to coor-dinate different aspects.

Social security

Further initiatives to coordinate social securityschemes will, as in the past, be based on thefollowing principles:

(i) non-discrimination between nationals andfareign workers;(ii) transfer of benefits fram one Member Stateto anather, .or ta the country of origin;

(iii) aggregatian of periods of insurance com-pleted for the purpose of entitlement to orcalculation of benefits,

The following measures are being prepared:(i) a proposal to the Council to eliminatediscrimination in respect of benefits comingwithin the scope of social assistance and demo-graphic policy in certain cauntries;(ii) a comprehensive report by a tripartiteworking graup on the possibilities .of coordinat-ing supplementary schemes involving contrac-

tually agreed benefits (following on fram theadoption of Regulatian 1408/71 by the Coun-cil);

(iii) a draft regulation to coordinate socialsecurity schemes regarding the seIf.employed inorder to eliminate .obstacles to the freedom .of

establishment and the freedom to supply servi-ces. This will be prepared by a mixed workinggroup with representatives .of self-employed wor.kers and of the ILO, as well as the SocialPartners and governmental experts. A prelim-inary draft Directive will be submitted early in1974 to achieve overall coardination at thenational level .of schemes for the self-employedwith those of wage earners;(iv) the implementation of the three principlesas concerns nationals .of nan-member countrieswithin the framework of an instrument fargradually caordinating immigration policy;

(v) the improvement of existing regulations inthe field of social security of migrant workers.

Housing and social services

Owing to the lack of systematic and comparableinformation about the social conditians ofmigrant workers , the programme of studiesenquiries and seminars will be intensified, Inthe field of housing, a survey of the housingconditians of migrant warkers in the Commun-

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ity, as requested by the Council, will be com-pleted in 1974, In the cantext of a study onpublic sector housing (Action 1Il )' the problemsof migrant workers will also be closely stu-died. Particular attention will be given ta recep-tion facilities, including training, language stu-dies and special education provisions, andattempts made ta draw up a proposal underArticle 235 of the EEC Treaty, for a minimumstandard of welcaming service.

Participation and job enrichment

The Commission is laoking into these issues atseveral levels, including:(i) the development of immigrants ' consultativecouncils and faundations in local communities;

(ii) attempts to eliminate the dehumanizingeffects of unpleasant and monotonous work andin connection with the European Foundatian forthe Improvement of the Environment and Livingand Working Conditions (see Actions 16 and1Il

Overall strategy

An ad hoc graup of high-level representatives ofthe Member States is being set up to assist theCammissian in planning an overall strategy.The graup will undertake an immediate examin-ation of the situation, including nat only the

topics mentioned in Points 1- , but alsa the basicissue of the coordination of immigration policiesfor workers from third cauntries. Tn this con-text, the conditions for taking up permanentresidence in the Community and for participa-tion in the political life .of the host country willequally be examined.

The ad hoc group shall discuss with the SocialPartners and other organizations interested inmigrant workers ' problems, etc, and shall submitan initial report with suggestians for actionduring 1974. The Commission will make a firstset of proposals to the Council before 1 April1974. National and local authorities in variousfields of activity will be invalved in the imp le-mentatian of proposals,

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Action

Long.term programme for the social reintegrationof handicapped people

Objective-Ta develop a common approachtowards the problems encountered by thosewhose disablement prevents them, either tempor-arily or permanently, from finding ordinaryemployment and from leading an active andindependant life, with the aim of improving thechances .of social integration for all mentally andphysically handicapped persons , including chil-dren.

Present situation-Many new initiatives havebeen taken recently in the field of specialemployment facilities, housing policy, social andmedical services, education, vocatianal training,etc. but these vary widely between differentMember States. Whilst diversity as such is notto be discauraged, there is a need for a muchgreater exchange of information, nat only onmethods and techniques but also on the practicalimplementation of policy at the lacal communitylevel. As yet there is na common conception ofthe link between medical and vocational rehabil-itation, or between narmal and special employ-ment, or between social security, social servicesand other forms of social assistance.

Means-The Commission will be extending its~ctivities in a number of specific fields, includ-Ing:

(i) vocational training and special employmentfacilities-the ad hoc graup which worked onthe report on 'The Emplayment of the Disabledin the Open Labour Market' will continue itswork making praposals before the end of 1975for Community initiatives in the field of specialemployment;(ii) housing policy-in the framework .of thestudy on publ ic sect?r hous~ng (see Action 1IlspecIal attention wIll be gIVen to the hausingneeds of the handicapped;(iii) social services-further studies and sem-inars giving particular attention to local experi-

ments to involve the severely handicapped in thelife of the community,

The Commission will also examine the ways andmeans of integrating these various aspects into aglobal approach and of setting up a cansultativebody to assist in farmulatingproposals forCommunity activities. The Consultative Com-mittee for the Rehabilitatian .of Disabled Persons(see Action IJ might well be adapted to meet thistask.

Action

Supervision of contract labour hiring

Objective- Ta contribute to a better supervisianof the activities of temporary wark agencies inorder to protect the rights and interests of theworkers concerned and to eliminate abusesthereof,

Present situation- The phenomenon .of contracthiring .of labaur is becoming increasingly wide-spread in the Community. Existing or plannedlegislation in Member States governing tempor-ary work agencies is very varied. Moreaver, itis not at present possible to ensure that the

provisions of Community law in respect .ofnan-discrimination between workers .of membercountries are not abused , especially when wor-kers are sent from one country to another, particular, workers are often unaware of theirlegal rights, and may be denied access to anyunemployment, sickness, or accident insuranceschemes. The Advisary Committee on the Free-dom of Mavement for workers advised on thenecessity .of taking Community action in the fieldof temporary work in October 1972,

Means-As a first step, the Commissian willshartly present a draft Directive aimed improving cooperatian between nationalemployment autharities by establishing a regularflow of infarmation. A process of collaborationand mutual assistance in advising on the licens-ing OJ; registration of temporary work agencieswill enable the national employment services tosupervise the activities of such agencies andthereby protect the workers concerned.

The Commissian will also begin consultations,particularly with the Standing Committee onEmployment, to examine the need far any fur-ther initatives at Community level.

Action

Action programme on 'Industrial Safety

Objective-To .obtain a real improvement inenviranmental conditions and a distinct imprave-ment in . safety in the largest possible number ofcampames.

Present situation The Community has , up tothe present time, encouraged research onimproving the preventian .of sickness and acci-dents , it has assisted coaperation between profes-sional organizations and administrations and hasendeavaured to give common guidelines an legis-lation to be implemented by the MemberStates. These actions must becoardinated anddeveloped, but this in itself is nat sufficient toguarantee the achievement of the desired .objec-tives without an overall appraach designed to:

(i) impose uniform obligations as laid down bylaw or regulation applicable to all undertakings;

(ii) make more extensive use of incentiveswhich will invalve ensuring that means for betterprevention are available and accessible, Thisrequires , in particular, a greater emphasis on theadoption of prevention methods , their teachingand their application in practice;

(iii) coordinate measures for preventian to betaken both inside the undertaking s premises andoutside,

The importance attached by Sacial Partners tothe impravement of working canditions could

produce concrete and generalised results,

Within the framework of the programme on theenvironment, the Commissian has already under-taken to make concrete proposals, particularlyan industrial health. These actians will included in the overall approach.

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Means-The Commission is completing a series.of preparatory studies started in 1972 on:

(i) the assessment of environmental factors and

their effects;

(ii) the methods of accident prevention and theimprovement of working conditions, hygiene andsafety,

On this basis., and in collabaration with the JaintCommittees, the General Safety Committee andthe Mines Safety Commissian, an action pro-gramme will be drawn up and proposed beforethe end of 1974. This programme will set upthe necessary means (documentatian, researchexchanges of experience, legislation, develap-ment assistance) in order to:

(i) determine methods and reference values farthe prevention of specific risks as well as criteriafor correctly interpreting the results and forimproving the organization of work;

(ii) provide training for workers an safety mat-ters and improve the training of staff with specialresponsibilities in industrial prevention and ins-pection;(iii) contribute to the rationalization of workand, to this end , facilitate action by the socialpartners at the plant level;

(iv) organize Community-level cooperation oforganizatians and national institutes specializingin the technical aspects of prevention.

Action

Extension of social protection

Objective-To contribute to erasing the pockets

of poverty and hardship that still exist through-out the Community by extending social protec-tion to those people nat covered or inadequatelyprovided for, under existing schemes.

Present situation--Inadequate protection existsin different forms in the Community. Certaincategories of persons are simply nat provided forin some countries. They may be thase with noemployment, or marginal categaries of wage-

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earners .or certain self-employed people. Some-times sacial insurance is inadequate in scope

leaving incapacity for wark and certain basictypes .of medical treatment uncovered, Some-times the actual level of protection is inadequate.

Means-The Commission will convene an expertworking party early in 1974 to assist in drawingup a plan .of action. The graup will study theCommission s report on the persanal range ofapplication of social security, which has beensent to the Council and which is to be completedby the end of 1973 as regards the situation in thethree new Member States. The group will alsoexamine the link between social security andsocial assistance.

The Commission will put forward a programmebefore the end of 1974 which will involve aseries of measures, together with a costing andfinancing schedule, to be implemented in stagesup until 1980. (The specific proposal on thedynamization of social benefits, Actian should be seen in the context .of this overa Iplan,

Action

Dynamization' of social security benefits

Objective-To bring abaut a situation in whichall beneficiaries of social security benefits can

share in rising prosperity by linking the realvalue of social benefits to the increase in incomesenjoyed by the productive sector of the popul-ation, and, thereby help to guarantee adequate

social protectian to all graups.

Present situation--Mechanisms for maintainingthe purchasing value of social security benefitsexist in varying farms throughout the Commun-ity. The real income of pensioners, widows, thepermanently disabled, etc. may thus remain con-stant, but their relative income, as camparedwith the average earnings of the working popul.ation, declines. The existence of systems oflinking the real value of social security benefitsto the rise in real incames is still fairlyexceptional.

Means-The Commission will convene a graupof governmental experts:(i) to examine the variaus methods and nation-al experiences in adjusting the real value of socialbenefits to trends in economic and sector growth:e,g, inclusion in economic plans, adjustmentaccording ta wages, incomes and price indices;

periodic or automatic adjustment, etc,) andespecially to examine the appropriate minimumratio. between retirement pensions and lastearmngs,

(ii) to make short and medium-term forecastson the basis of different adjustment hypathesesand in connection with work on the socialbudget.

On the basis of the conclusions of the group, andafter consulting the social partners, the Commis-sion will make proposals to the Council beforethe end of 1975.

Action

Action against poverty

Objectives~To assist the Member States in theirefforts ta ensure that the chranically poar are

aided and equipped to increase their share in theeconomic and social well-being of the Commun-ity.

Present situation-There is a minority of chron-ically paar in the Community, for examplecertain of the elderly, unemployable persans andtheir families, the socially maladjusted, . largefamilies with exceptionally low incomesetc. This group is difficult to identify andmeasure nevertheless the Commission hasstarted research into the methodology for theevaluation and identification of suchgroups. Preliminary results should be forth-coming in 1974,

Moreover, the Cammission is about to completea study of the social problems of the elderly, inwhich certain aspects of chronic poverty will beexamined,

Means-The Cammission will examine the re-sults of the research into methodology and will

discuss with experts from the Member States,including voluntary arganizatians which playalarge role in dealing with the problems of thechranically poor, in order to determine the areasin which cancerted Community action could beundertaken, By the end of 1974, the Commis-sion will propose a programme of pilot projectS,to be undertaken in 1975/76, in which will involved social workers, psychiatrists , guidanceexperts , etc.

The Commission s proposals will be a comple-

ment to the various actions proposed on behalfof the elderly, handicapped and underprivilegedgroups generally,

Action

European Trade Union Institute

Objectives-To help the Trade Union organiza-tions extend the training of trade union membersin the European sphere,

Present situation-All the trade unions organiz-

ing are already making great efforts in the fieldof training their own members. In Europeitself, several trade union schools or institutes areoperational an a full time basis, In their curri-cula these institutes cover Europeanaffairs, Nevertheless, it is clear from experiencethat without a Community context the bestefforts in this direction tend to remain frag-mented,

Means-The Commissian will do all it can tohelp the European trade union organizationswith a view to setting up a European trade unioninstitute.

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Annex III

Details of other supporting actions

The texts contained in this annex are .of anindicatory nature. The .objective, the presentsituatian and the means are indicated in eachcase, Proposals within the framework of eachaction will be submitted at a later date takinginto account the social development in the Com-munity,

Action IlI

Extension of young workers exchanges

Objective----To give yaung workers in the Com-munity a chance to widen horizons and benefitfrom varied professional experience.

Present situation The present programme .ofyoung workers exchanges, setup under Article50 of the EEC Treaty, benefits a very limitednumber of young people and finds a veryunequal response according to industrial sectorand in different Member States, The facilitiesprovided under the existing programme fall farshort of those in many .of the bilateral arrange-ments, It must be remembered that a generalprogramme on youth exchanges is being pre-pared.

Means-The Commission will draw up a reportassessing the achievements and inadequacies ofthe existing programme and present propasalsbefore the end of 1974, for improving andextending the scope of the joint pra-gramme, The following elements will be exam-ined:

(i) a guaranteed minimum infrastructureincluding preparatory language training, guaran-teed minimum wage, .organization of culturalactivities;

(ii) a control of results;(iii) wider system of recruitment of candidates;(iv) improved clearing systems;

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(v) passibility .of other Community incentivesincluding the use .of Community InformationOffices in the national capitals,

The Cammission will draw up the report afterdue consultation with interested parties. Theimplementation of the programme will dependon relevant departments of national govern-ments, and particularly an the active participa-tion of industry. The Commission will alsoseek to involve more closely trade unions andyoung workers' organizatians,

Action IIl

Unemployed schoolleavers, elderly workers andwomen re-entering employment

Objective-Ta assist in solving the problemsfaced by unemployed schoalleavers and .elderlyworkers and wamen re-entering employment.

Present situation-The proportion .of 15-25 yearolds wha are unemployed is alarmingly high inmost Member States, not only in areas of stag-nant economic growth, Equally serious is thenumber of elderly workers who face prematureretirement or down-grading to lower paid activ.ities, There is , moreover, a growing number ofmarried women who are faced with difficulty inresuming employment on account of the lack ofretraining schemes relevant ta their needs,

These three groups suffer from the psychologicalas well as economic consequences of an unbal-anced manpower policy. Provisions alreadyexist in the Social Fund on the basis .of Article 5far intervention in favour of these categories,

Means-In addition to. the use .of the SocialFund, the Commission will examine the possibil-ity of develaping Community initiatives infavour of these groups of people.

; This annex does not include aCtion III4' this hasbeen withdrawn by the Commission at the lastmoment.

Action III

Analysis, forecasts and researchon the labour market

Objective-To improve current and prospectiveanalysis of the labour market at Cammunitylevel, through research inta developments withindifferent occupations and professians and trendsin qualifications, and thereby ta identify theimplications for employment and vocationaltraining palicy in the Community.

Present situation-Existing cooperation, operat-ing in the context .of Regulation 1612/68 and .of

the plan agreed in 1967, is too limited and

should be enlarged. There is a need for improv-ing methads of ahalysis and forecasting, fordeveloping similar methods between the differentcountries, for coordinating figures and for col-lecting data, both from companies and govern-ments, There is a special need as regards statis-tical data concerning regions.

The paoling .of experiences and perhaps resaur-ces wauld be particularly appropriate, especiallyin the relatively new field of trends in qualifica-tions and professions,

Means-The Commissian will draw up, with theaid of national experts, a research programme tainvestigate trends in qualifications and profes-sians and their implication for vocational train-ing. This programme will be presented toCouncil in 1974. It is suggested that the imp le-

mentatian of this research programme shauld beentrusted to an outside body reporting to theCommunity authorities (e.g. the Centre forVocational Training-Action IIJ.

The Commission will propose, in 1974, anarrangement for cooperation in medium andlong-term forecasting of emplayment, involvingthe examination and interpretation of existingnatianal and community-wide forecasts , and theresulting policy issues, Major findings will bereported in the annual report on the emplaymentsituation.

Action III

European social budget(Survey and Forecast of social expenditureand financing)

Objective---- To acquire a comprehensive knowl-

edge of the past and future development-shortand medium-term-of social expenditure .andmethads of financing in the member countries ofthe Community, as a means of providing aninstrument for the progressive convergence ofsocial protection, in particular, and social policyin general throughout the Community.

Present situation-On the basis of a Cauncil

Decision of 9 November 1972, the Commissianbegan to set up the first Cammunity SocialBudget in March 1973 in collaboration withgovernmental experts. This budget covers theperiod 1970-75 and covers thefollawing areas:

(i) social security;

(ii) benefits not required by law paid by theemployers;

(iii) benefits paid to victims of war and naturaldisasters;

(iv) social assistance.

This budget should be ready during the first partof 1974,

The Commission is awaiting a Decision from theCouncil on the praposals presented under thechapter concerning the wark programme far thesetting up of the European Social Budget, Thisprogramme was communicated to the Cauncil inSeptember 1972, Of the main praposals, it is

worth noting the fallowing:

(i) the extension of the Sacial Budget (whichalready covers current expenditure) to covercapital expenditure;

(ii) the time extension (5 years before and 5

years after the reference year, i,e. a total periodof 11 years);

(iii) the inclusion of both a shart-term and

medium-term period in the forecasting section;

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(iv) the principle of a progressing horizon forthe forecasts (moving forecasts renewed eachyear),

Later on, the Social Budget will be extended tocaver vacational training for adults , and publicsector housing.

Action III

Extension of social indicators

Objective--To provide comprehensive and com.parative data on past and present developmentsin the social situation in the member countries .ofthe Community, as a means of facilitating andencauraging the progressive convergence ofsocial conditions in the Community, and ofproviding an essential basis for Community deci-sians concerning common targets in the socialfield.

Present situation-A first system of 'objectiveindicators was published in the appendix of the1972 Social Report of the European Commun-ities, These indicators were limited in scopebeing based largely on existing demographic andsocial statistics. At the Cammunity level, thereexists no systematic informatian on the maresubjective aspects .of the 'well-being' or thequality of life ' of the general population.

Means-The Cammission will shortly be settingup a working group camposed of representativesof the Social Partners and .of government, toexamine haw the existing system of social indica-tors can be improved and extended by:(i) adding other 'objective ' data from existingstatistics;(ii) develaping 'qualitative ' indicators (to reflectjob satisfaction, development of cultural her-itage, use of leisure, the environment, etc,) bymeans of special surveys and the coardination ofnatianal surveys.

The Commissian will present a proposal can-cerning the organization and financing of statisti-cal enquiries in connection with the establish-ment of a system of ' qualitative indicatarsbefore the end of 1974,

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The improved system of social indicatars will beworked out by the services of the Commissionand especially by the Statistical Office of theEuropean Communities,

Action III

Minimum wages

Objective-- To improve the situation of thosepeople or social categaries which have partic-ularly law wages and thereby help eliminate thepockets .of poverty that still exist in the produc-tive sector of the Community,

Present situation-Certain groups .of the popul-ation have remained an the fringe of the overallrise in prosperity in the Community. Apartfrom other proposals contained in this documentwhich aim to ensure an adequate standard ofliving far the non-productive sectors of theCommunity (see Actions II I~ II)' camplemen-tary action on behalf of the lowest paid wageearners should also be considered, Minimumwage guarantees exist .or are being cansidered invariaus Member States but as yet there is noconcerted policy planning in this field at Com-munity level.

Means~The Commission proposes to undertakea study of the lowest minimum or basic wageslaid down in Collective Agreements .or by wagecouncils in the main sectors and regians in theCommunity and of the level, development andmethods of fixing legally guaranteed minimumwages which exist in certain member countries(field of application, cost of living adjustmentpenalties, etc,). The results of the recent surveyon the structure of industrial wages in 1972 willalso be considered to make a realistic appraisalof regional and sectoral disparities in the lowestlevels of 'take hame ' pay.

On the basis of this study, the Commission willfarmulate a number .of conclusions for the Coun-cil. The aim will be to promote Communityconcertation between governments and SacialPartners ta bring abaut a selective .and progres-sively harmonized upgrading .of low wages.

Action Ill

Statistics on incomes and assets

Objective-To institute a system of objective andcomprehensive statistical . information on allforms of income and assets, to give a full pictureof the distribution .of wealth and the beneficiariesof rising prosperity in the Community, andthereby establish an essential base for policymaking in the social field (d, far example Actionon Asset Formation, III

Pre~ent situation-At both Cammunity andnatIOnal level, there is a serious lack of statisticalinformation on the structure and evolution ofdifferent categories .of self-employed incomesand on capital and assets, This is in sharpcontrast to the whole .series .of comparable Com-munity statistics on wages, which have beenavailable for years, A preliminary study ofinformatian on incomes and assets was submit.ted to the Council in November 1970, The

Committee for Medium-Term Economic Policyreiterated the need to improve information onnon-wage incomes in its Opinion of 19 July1972,

Means-Present activities will be continued onthe basis of the preliminary study aimed atsetting up a system of Statistical Information onprimary non-wage incomes.

In addition, the Commission will prepare thetransition to a system of statistics of the finallydisposable incomes of different categories ofhousehalds so that the amount of transfersresulting from social security and taxation can beexamined, thus clarifying the real extent of apossible 'redistribution of incames

Furthermore, a preparatary study will be under-taken in order to resolve the numeraus concep-tual and practical difficulties which still impedethe campilation of statistics and accounts ofassets, particularly those of households,

These schemes will be set up in canjunction withthe European Statistical Office and NatianalStatistical authorities,

Action IlI

Asset formation

Objective-To clarify the basic political optionsin relatian to asset formation and to examine thepossible impact of asset formation on the redis.tribution of income and wealth.

Present situation-Certain varying efforts havebeen made recently to encourage asset formatianamong workers and low income groups, Apurely descriptive inventory of national incen-

tives to promote asset formation amongst wor-kers in the six Member States has been com-pleted, in collaboration with Governmentexperts and the Social Partners, A supplemen-tary report on the three new Member States is inprogress. The list will include the schemeswhich are being applied or are planned asregards both the population as a whale, partic-ularly low income groups (house purchase assis-

tance, savings schemes, etc,) and also, moreparticularly, the special systems available towage-earners (profit sharing, share optionschemes, etc,), It is in this latter field, that therehas been a recent surge of interest and conse-quently many new developments.

Means- The Commission will present to theCouncil as soan as possible a non-country des-

criptive inventory and the conclusions arisingfrom discussions with the Governments and theSocial Partners.

Action LIl

Job eurichment

Objective- To change those patterns of workorganizatian which tend ta dehumanize the wor-ker and create working and living conditionswhich are no longer acceptable to ideas .of social

progress,

Present situation-Numerous workers areengaged in tasks which da not satisfy theircreative and intellectual ca acity, largely as aresult of certain methods 0 work organization

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and execution. While the main respansibilityrests with the Sacial Partners for improving thissituation, the Commission has already under-taken certain initiatives in the specific fields ofworker participatian (see Actions IV

3 4, and invocatianal training (see Actians IIz 3 'etc.) whichcan lead to greater jab satisfaction. ' It is how-ever necessary for the Community to take com-plementary measures to improve the patterns ofwork organization, particularly in thase jobswhich are no longer acceptable to the vastmajority .of the population and for whichmigrant or casual labour must be recruited (seeAction

Means- The Commission will be examining thehuman, social and economic effects of repetitivework. A symposium involving the Social Part-ners and experts from different organizations isplanned for Easter 1974 ta assist the Commis-sion .in its work. Pilot experiments may beinitiated as a result of discussions at the sympo-sium, The proposed Eurapean Foundation forthe improvement of the Environment and Livingand Working Conditions (see Action 1 ) will alsogive priority to this field of activity,

Action HI

Statistical surveys on industrial accidentsand safety

Objective- To contribute to a better assessmentof accident risks and the implementation of asafety policy by recent, reliable and completefacts,

Present situation-In general, .only data whichhas been collected for the purpase of campensat-ing social security schemes is available and cannot, therefore, be used easily on a camparativebasis, On the other hand, sectoral statisticshave been successfully .obtained on coal andsteel, fram data supplied by the professionalorganizations and drawn up by the CommunitiesStatistics Office, This practice could be extend-ed ta other sectors,

M~ans-Collaboration between undertakingsand professional organizations which are repre-

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sented an the Joint Cammittees and the Com-mission departments, on the basis of the meansat their disposal, and in accordance with thefollowing timetable:(i) definition of the general conditions and themethods far sectoral surveys, within the frame-work of the 'industrial safety' action pra-gramme;(ii) cansultation on this basis with the existing

Joint Committees and those which are to be setup; the drawing up of a phased programme forimplementing annual sectoral surveys;(iii) implementation of the statistical pro-gramme;(iv) assessment, after a certain period, .of thework which has been carried out. Conclusionsto be drawn in respect of the setting up of aunified system far reporting accidents and for a

statistical assessment of risks,

Action

Health protection against pollutionand environmental hazards

Objective-To draw up scientific criteria and tocollect adequate information which can serve ascommon reference data for the elaboratian ofhealth protection and ecology standards,Present situation-Exploratory studies arealready being carried out in collaboration with

laboratories and institutes in the MemberStates, The recently approved programme forthe environment, which proposed a commonmethodology far the evaluation of the riskswhich pollution canstitutes to public health andthe environment, has given an extra impetus tothis activity. It has opened the way for Com-munity initiatives in this field which has directrelevance to activities in social affairs as well asto strictly environmental concerns,Means- The Commission will undertake furtherconsultations with national experts during 1973and 1974 and present proposals to the Cauncilbefore the end of 1974 on:(i) the harmonization of sampling methods andmethods of analysis designed to cantral andsupervise enviranmental pollution;

(ii) the establishment of criteria for harmfuleffects and of common health standards forcertain types of pollutants in air and water, andfor tolerable naise levels.

Activities will be expanded in this field andfurther proposals presented in following years.

A(:tion lII

Extension of the programmefor radiation protection

Objective-To e4tend Community initiatives inthe field of radiation protection,

Present situation-Activities are already numer-ous in this field, The consultation procedure onthe proposed revision of the radiation protectionstandards, first approved in the form of aCouncil directive in 1958, is virtually com-plete. Studies in progress includ~ seyeral whichare directly related to. the apphcatIO.ns of t~ebasic standards at natlonallevel, particularly mthe field of medical radiological protection andprotection against certain electro-magneticrays, The multi-annual research programme setup in 1972 in the f~elds of bi?logy, an~ ,healthprotection also provIdes essential scIentIfIc sup-port for basic and derived radiation protectionstandards,

MeanS"- Various propasals are due to be submit-ted to the Cauncil in the next few years and maytherefore be considered as part .of the wholesocial action Pragramme:(i) draft directive for the revision of th~ bas~c

radiation protectian standards to be submItted mOctober 1973;

(ii) pro osals for improving the protection ~ndsafety a workers and the general papulationfrom electro-magnetic rays, to be submittedduring 1974;(iii) proposal for limiting the expasure of indi-viduals subjected to ionizing radiation in itsmedical application ta be submitted before the

end of 1974;(iv) preparation of proposals for more

adequate supervision of exposure to ionizing

radiation omitted by certain consumer goods, farprobable submission in 1976;

(v) propasal for a new five-year programme inbiology and health protection to be decided by

the end of 1975.

Proposals will be drawn up by the Commissionin conjunction with national experts and theBasic Norms' group, according to procedureslaid down in Article 31 of the Euratom Treaty,

A(:tion lII

Social Housing

Objective- To help solve the housing problemsof low income or under-privileged groups, suchas migrant warkers and handicapped people.

Present situation-As the Cammission of theEuropean Cammunities has acquired a wide

experience in promoting housing for miners andsteel workers (under the provisions of the ECSCTreaty), inter alia proj~cts involving th~ mo~e~-nizatian and recanverSIOn of old housmg, It envisaging particular schemes in favour of theabove-mentioned groups.

Means-The Cammission will undertake studiesand propose experimental projects in this field inorder to assist the special programmes for thehandicapped (see Action II ) and for migrant

workers (see Actian IIJ,

A(:tion lII

Workers ' participation

Objective-To promote an increased participa-tion by workers in industry,

Present situation- The representation of wor-kers' interests in industry is the subject ofdifferent regulations in the Member States of theCommunity. The different forms of the repre-sentation of workers' interests are under active

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discussion at the present time, In certain cases

distinct improvements have already beenachieved,

Means- The Commission will make a compar-ative study of the present systems of workers

representation in industry and also .of the experi-ments that have been carried out and the presenttrends in this field in the different MemberStates.

Action III

Extension of Joint Committees

Objective- To promote general improvementsand progressive harmonization of warking con-ditions, by further encauraging dialogue andagreement between the Social Partners at theEuropean level on ways to deal with problemsarising in specific industrial sectors in the courseof economic and social development,

Present situation-The Mixed Committees onharmonization .of terms of employment estab-lished by the High Authority of the ECSC for theCoal and Steel sectors, and the Jaint Commit-tees, set up by the EEC Commission over the lastdecade in the fields of agriculture, road trans-

port, inland waterways, sea fishing and railways,have all dane useful work in negotiatingimprovements in the working canditions in thesesectars, Negotiations are under way for thecreation .of other committees in sectors wherespecific problems will arise and for which theTreaties make no provision for a common pol-icy. The Commission is carrying out the man-date conferred upon it by the Council in Novem-ber 1972 concerning the setting up of a Euro-pean index of collective agreements , which formsan essential foundation for dial ague and negotia-tians at European level.

Means-Over the next few years, the Commis.sion hopes to set up new Jaint Committees invarious sectors invalving sea transport, textiles,construction, ship-building, the foad industry,ports and docks, air transport and commercialtravellers, During this time, further studies will

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be undertaken for the creation of new commit.tees in later years, The utility of this form ofcollaboration is assessed by the Commissionaccording to the attitudes expressed by the TradeUnion and Employers' Organizations in ques-tian,

: It is to be recalled that the Commission hasalready made proposals on this matter. They are in-cluded in the draft Statute on the European Company,which was submitted to the Council in June 1970 andin the draft fifth Directive on the Organization ofcompany law, which was submitted to the Council inOctober 1972.

Annex

List .of Actions for which Proposalsare already being discussed in the Council

Action

Draft regulation relating to the pravisions conflicting laws governing labour relations with-in the Community, submitted to the Council on23 February 1972.

Action

Draft regulation on the setting up of comparablestatistics on migrant workers, submitted to theCouncil on 6 June 1972.

Action

Draft regulation on European company lawsubmitted to the Council an 30 June 1970.

Action

Proposal for a third Cauncil directive to coordi-nate the safeguards which Member States requireof companies as defined in Article 58 , paragraph

, .

of the Treaty in .order to protect the interests.of members and other parties in mergers .of

jaint-stock companies, submitted ta the Councilon the 16 June 1970.

Action

Proposal for a fifth directive ta coordinate thesafeguards which, for the protection of the

interests of members and others, are required byMember States of companies within the meaning.of the secand paragraph of Article 58 of theTreaty, as regards the structure .of joint-stockcompanies and the powers and obligations oftheir organs, submitted to the Council on Octo-ber 1972,

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