2022 guidelines on employment policies

SUMMARY OF:

Decision (EU) 2022/2296 on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION?

The decision provides guidance for European Union (EU) Member States when drafting their employment policies to ensure a coordinated strategy for employment in the EU.

KEY POINTS

The four employment guidelines (prescribed in Article 148 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) form part of the 10 integrated guidelines, which also feature six broad economic policy guidelines (Article 121 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), and are aligned with the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Boosting the demand for labour

Member States should take a number of steps, including:

• promoting a sustainable social market economy and investment in creating quality jobs, taking advantage of the digital and green transitions;
• modernising the economy, by means of well-designed short-time work schemes to support restructuring and preserve employment, and facilitate skills development;
• considering hiring and transition incentives and upskilling and reskilling throughout working life to address labour and skills shortages, in light of the digital and green transformations, demographic change and the impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;
• shifting taxation away from labour to other sources that are more supportive of employment and inclusive growth and in line with climate and environmental objectives;
• ensuring that all workers have adequate and fair wages by benefiting from collective agreements and adequate statutory minimum wages, ensuring the effective involvement of social partners and with a view to strengthening upward social convergence.

Enhancing labour supply, skills and competences

Member States should:

• promote sustainability, productivity, employability and human capital, fostering lifelong knowledge, skills and competences, in the context of the digital and green transitions, demographic change and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;
• pay attention to challenges faced by the teaching profession, including by investing in teachers’ digital competences;
• foster equal opportunities by addressing inequalities in education and training systems;
• provide unemployed and inactive people with effective, timely, coordinated and tailor-made assistance;
• remove barriers for labour market participation, for example by adapting work environments for people with disabilities;
• tackle the gender employment and pay gaps.

Enhancing the functioning of labour markets and effective social dialogue

Member States should:

• work with the social partners on fair, transparent and predictable working conditions, balancing rights and obligations;
• activate and enable those who can participate in the labour market, especially vulnerable groups and including in disadvantaged regions;
• provide adequate unemployment benefits accompanied by active labour market policies;
• support learners’ and workers’ mobility with the aim of enhancing skills and employability;
• strive to create appropriate conditions for new forms of work, delivering on their job-creation potential;
• involve social partners in employment, social and economic reforms and policies for better socioeconomic outcomes, including in times of crisis, as in the case of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the rising cost of living.

Promoting equal opportunities for all, fostering social inclusion and fighting poverty

Member States should:

• promote inclusive labour markets with measures to fight discrimination and promote equal opportunities;
• ensure equal treatment for under-represented groups regarding:
  • employment,
  • social protection,
  • healthcare, childcare and long-term care,
  • education, and
  • access to goods and services;
• develop and integrate the three strands of active inclusion:
  • adequate income support,
  • inclusive labour markets, and
  • access to quality enabling services;
• pay particular attention to fighting (child) poverty and social exclusion, including in-work poverty;
• ensure everyone has access to essential services;
• secure adequate and sustainable pension systems;
• offer protection to displaced persons from Ukraine and implement the necessary measures for unaccompanied minors, ensuring that children have access to education, care and essential services.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DECISION APPLY?

It has applied since 24 November 2022.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

• Employment, social affairs & inclusion (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Decision (EU) 2022/2296 of 21 November 2022 on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (OJ L 304, 24.11.2022, pp. 67–77).

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Council recommendation of 16 June 2022 on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality (OJ C 243, 27.6.2022, pp. 35–51).

Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/402 of 4 March 2021 on an effective active support to employment following the COVID-19 crisis (EASE) (OJ L 80, 8.3.2021, pp. 1–8).

Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility (OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, pp. 17–75).

Successive corrections to Regulation (EU) 2021/241 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Regulation (EU) 2020/2221 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 December 2020 amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards additional resources and implementing arrangements to provide assistance for fostering crisis repair in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and its social consequences and for preparing a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy (REACT-EU) (OJ L 437, 28.12.2020, pp. 30–42).

Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of Social Rights (OJ C 428, 13.12.2017, pp. 10–15).

Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – Part Three – Union policies and internal actions – Title IX – Employment – Article 148 (ex Article 128 TEC) (OJ C 202, 7.6.2016, pp. 112–113).

Council Recommendation (EU) 2015/1184 of 14 July 2015 on broad guidelines for the economic policies of the Member States and of the European Union (OJ L 192, 18.7.2015, pp. 27–31).

last update 02.05.2023