Joelle MILQUET, Belgian Minister for Employment and equality, presents the Programme of the Belgian presidency to MEPs during the meeting of the Committee on Employement and Social Affairs (EMPL) of the European Parliament, in Brussels.

Brussels

statement

meeting

Employment policy (T2)

Public health (T2)

MILQUET, Joëlle (BE)

Belgian Presidency of the EU (T)

Programme of the Belgian presidency: extracts from the presentation by Joelle MILQUET, Belgian Minister for Employment and equality

SOUNDBITE (French), Jo&#235;lle MILQUET, Belgian Presidency, What we wanted to do is to have employment's mainstream into the heart of strategies in Europe in implmenting the 2020 and the adoption and then the implementation of guidelines for employment and also make employment policy and have that mainstream and also into the heart of economic governance.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jo&#235;lle MILQUET, Belgian Presidency, It is not just growth that we need but growth that generates jobs. and not any jobs but quality jobs.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jo&#235;lle MILQUET, Belgian Presidency, What we never did enough about was the fundamental macro economic role of Employment policy and the need for pro active upstream approach as far as job creation is concerned. That is why I say we should be dealing with employment not just in macro economic debate but also in economic governance decision making and the new economic supervision cycle.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jo&#235;lle MILQUET, Belgian Presidency, We have asked to monitor the anti crisis measures and dee how effective they really are and there is going to be an EMCO report , it's going to be one of the topics in the formal October Council.that is something we need to bear very carefully in mind , we talk abour post crisis in the next 5 to 10 years as far as employment policy goes but we are still in a situation with 23 million people unemployed and an unemployemnt level in Europe around 10%.it is still too fragile situation. we can't focus only on the long term , we need to look at the short term too

SOUNDBITE (French), Jo&#235;lle MILQUET, Belgian Presidency, The first thing in October we will have to do is to adopt guidelines for employment...

SOUNDBITE (French), Jo&#235;lle MILQUET, Belgian Presidency, Our ambition is to prepare a detailed conclusion on a strategy to be adopted at European level. Second major priority on the legnthening of life span, we've got the green book about pension, as far as emplyment is concerned we decided ot devote a signinficant conference to it. and dealing with people working longer but that also means discussing organised changing work organisation; quality of jobs, career structures organisation.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jo&#235;lle MILQUET, Belgian Presidency, The 4th priority of our 5 in terms of long term policy is the whole question of transition and flexsecurity, employment of young people it is a priority during the crisis, . we are waiting for the %Commission communication on this.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jo&#235;lle MILQUET, Belgian Presidency, We also have looked at the battle against discrimnation in the labor market, that is going to be a priority for the Equality Summit on November 15th-16th. We will also be working on diversity and related matters.