{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2005-600/annex/division-THE/division-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2005-600/annex/division-THE/division-1.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2005/600",
  "legislation_title": "Council Decision of 12 July 2005 on Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (2005/600/EC)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2005-600",
  "path": "annex/division/THE/division/1",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States",
  "text": "Member States, in cooperation with the social partners, shall conduct their policies with a view to implementing the objectives and priorities for action specified below. Reflecting the Lisbon strategy, the Member States' policies shall foster in a balanced manner:\n— Full employment Achieving full employment, and reducing unemployment and inactivity, by increasing the demand for and supply of labour, is vital to sustain economic growth and reinforce social cohesion;\n— Improving quality and productivity at work Efforts to raise employment rates go hand in hand with improving the attractiveness of jobs, quality at work and labour productivity growth, and reducing the share of working poor. Synergies between quality at work, productivity and employment should be fully exploited;\n— Strengthening social and territorial cohesion Determined action is needed to strengthen social inclusion, prevent exclusion from the labour market and support integration in employment of people at a disadvantage, and to reduce regional disparities in terms of employment, unemployment and labour productivity, especially in regions lagging behind.\nEqual opportunities and combating discrimination are essential for progress. Gender mainstreaming and the promotion of gender equality should be ensured in all action taken. As part of a new intergenerational approach, particular attention should be paid to the situation of young people, implementing the European Youth Pact, and to promoting access to employment throughout working life. Particular attention must also be paid to significantly reducing employment gaps for people at a disadvantage, including disabled people, as well as between third-country nationals and EU citizens, in line with any national targets.\nIn taking action, Member States should ensure good governance of employment policies. They should establish a broad partnership for change by involving parliamentary bodies and stakeholders, including those at regional and local levels. European and national social partners should play a central role. A number of targets and benchmarks which have been set at EU level in the framework of the European Employment Strategy in the context of the 2003 guidelines are included at the end of this Annex and should continue to be followed up with indicators and scoreboards. Member States are also encouraged to define their own commitments and targets, for which they should take these into account, as well as the 2004 recommendations agreed at EU level.\nGood governance also requires greater efficiency in the allocation of administrative and financial resources. In agreement with the Commission, Member States should target the resources of the Structural Funds, in particular the European Social Fund, on the implementation of the European Employment Strategy and report on the action taken. Particular attention should be paid to strengthening institutional and administrative capacity in the Member States.\nIn addressing these objectives, action should concentrate on the following priorities:\nattract and retain more people in employment, increase labour supply and modernise social protection systems,\nimprove adaptability of workers and enterprises,\nincrease investment in human capital through better education and skills.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2005/600/annex/division/THE/division/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:17:50.462314+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}