{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2008-618/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2008-618/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2008/618",
  "legislation_title": "Council Decision of 15 July 2008 on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (2008/618/EC)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2008-618",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Council Decision\nof 15 July 2008\non guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States\n(2008/618/EC)\nTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,\nHaving regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 128(2) thereof,\nHaving regard to the proposal from the Commission,\nHaving regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament,\nHaving regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee,\nAfter consulting the Committee of the Regions,\nHaving regard to the Opinion of the Employment Committee,\nWhereas:\n(1)\nThe reform of the Lisbon Strategy in 2005 has placed the emphasis on growth and jobs. The Employment Guidelines of the European Employment Strategy and the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines have been adopted as an integrated package, whereby the European Employment Strategy has the leading role in the implementation of the employment and labour market objectives of the Lisbon Strategy.\n(2)\nThe examination of the Member States’ National Reform Programmes contained in the Commission’s Annual Progress Report and in the draft Joint Employment Report shows that Member States should continue to make every effort to address the priority areas of:\nattracting and retaining more people in employment, increasing labour supply and modernising social protection systems,\nimproving adaptability of workers and enterprises, and\nincreasing investment in human capital through better education and skills.\n(3)\nIn the light of both the Commission’s examination of the National Reform Programmes and the European Council’s conclusions, the focus should be on effective and timely implementation in line with the conclusions of the European Council, thereby also strengthening the social dimension of the Lisbon Strategy. Special attention should be paid to the agreed targets and benchmarks.\n(4)\nThe Employment Guidelines are valid for three years, while in the intermediate years until the end of 2010 their updating should remain strictly limited.\n(5)\nMember States should take the Employment Guidelines into account when implementing programmed Community funding, in particular of the European Social Fund.\n(6)\nIn view of the integrated nature of the guideline package, Member States should fully implement the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines,\nHAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Opinion of 13 February 2008 (not yet published in the Official Journal)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "Opinion of 20 May 2008 (not yet published in the Official Journal)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "Opinion of 13 February 2008 (not yet published in the Official Journal)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "OJ L 205, 6.8.2005, p. 21."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "OJ L 205, 6.8.2005, p. 28."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2008/618/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:16:45.397501+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."
}