The Council, on the basis of the reports referred to in paragraph 3 and having received the views of the Employment Committee, shall each year carry out an examination of the implementation of the employment policies of the Member States in the light of the guidelines for employment.

Each Member State shall provide the Council and the Commission with an annual report on the principal measures taken to implement its employment policy in the light of the guidelines for employment as referred to in paragraph 2.

On the basis of the results of that examination, the Council and the Commission shall make a joint annual report to the European Council on the employment situation in the Union and on the implementation of the guidelines for employment.

Indicators for monitoring the European Employment Guidelines:

The Union shall take measures to ensure coordination of the employment policies of the Member States, in particular by defining guidelines for these policies.

(a) With respect to each contract for the employment of consulting firms estimated to cost the equivalent of $100,000 or more, the procedures set forth in paragraphs 1, 2 (other than the third subparagraph of paragraph 2(a)) and 5 of Appendix 1 to the Consultant Guidelines shall apply.

On the basis of the results of that examination, the Council and the Commission shall make a joint annual report to the European Council on the employment situation in the Community and on the implementation of the guidelines for employment.

There is a need for a comprehensive and comparable set of data on reconciliation between work and family life, as referred to in the EU gender policy objectives on employment indicated in the 2003 Employment Guidelines with the specific guideline on "Gender equality" as adopted by the Council on 22 July 2003(3).

Chapter V of the guidelines provides that, for the processing of notifications of plans to grant employment aid pursuant to Article 93 (3) of the EC Treaty, the Commission adopts an accelerated procedure and a standard notification form.

In accordance with Employment Guideline C for 2002, Member States should set national targets for an increase in investment in human resources as well as in participation in further education and training (whether formal or informal) and monitor regularly progress towards such targets.

Whereas the Commission shall be responsible for drawing up the guidelines for the management of the Fund so as to ensure a more effective concentration on operations in accordance with Community priorities and with related action programmes in the area of employment or vocational training;

Of the overall appropriations available for operations referred to in Article 3 (1), 40 % shall be available for eligible operations complying with the guidelines for the management of the Fund and aimed at promoting employment in Greenland, Greece, the French overseas departments, Ireland, the Mezzogiorno and Northern Ireland.

Conditions for compatibility under Article 87(3) have been laid down in frameworks or guidelines such as those for State aids for small and medium-sized enterprises(19) (SMEs), undertakings in deprived urban areas(20), employment(21) and training(22), national regional aid(23), environmental protection(24) and research and development(25).

The Commission shall adopt, before 1 May of each year and for the three following financial years, in accordance with this Decision, and taking into account the need to promote the harmonious development of the Community, the Fund-management guidelines for determining those operations which reflect Community priorities as defined by the Council and in particular the action programmes in the area of employment and vocational training.

The guidelines for Member States' employment policies ("employment guidelines"), annexed hereto, are hereby adopted.

on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States

Whereas the Conclusions of the Amsterdam European Council in June 1997 and its Resolution on growth and employment (9) initiated the implementation of the European employment strategy, the annual guidelines on employment and the process of establishing national action plans for employment;

Implement the national action plan for employment, taking into account the revised European employment guidelines and the priorities, commitments and recommendations identified in the joint assessment of employment policy priorities (JAP).

The Barcelona European Council also requested a streamlining of policy coordination processes, with synchronised calendars for the adoption of the broad economic policy guidelines and the employment guidelines.

Implement the adopted National Action Plan for Employment, taking into account the revised European Guidelines and the priorities, commitments and recommendations identified in the joint assessment of employment policy priorities.

Member States have responsibility for the effective implementation of the employment guidelines, including ensuring a balanced delivery at regional and local level.

Member States will ensure transparency and cost-effectiveness in the allocation of financial resources to the implementation of the Employment guidelines, while complying with the need for sound public finances in line with the Broad economic policy guidelines.

(6) The Brussels European Council of 20 and 21 March 2003 confirmed that the employment strategy has the leading role in the implementation of the employment and labour market objectives of the Lisbon strategy, and that the employment strategy and the broad economic policy guidelines, which provide the overarching economic policy coordination for the Community, should operate in a consistent way.

(3) There is a need for a comprehensive and comparable set of data on reconciliation between work and family life, as referred to in the EU gender policy objectives on employment indicated in the 2003 Employment Guidelines with the specific guideline on "Gender equality" as adopted by the Council on 22 July 2003 fn.

(9) On 6 December 2001 the Council adopted a series of indicators to measure 10 dimensions for investing in quality in work and called for these indicators to be used in monitoring the European employment guidelines and recommendations.

Chapter V of the guidelines provides that, for the processing of notifications of plans to grant employment aid pursuant to Article 93 (3) of the EC Treaty, the Commission adopts an accelerated procedure and a standard notification form.

a quantified description of the current situation in the tobacco sector, of the guidelines for measures to promote a switch of production and the holdings involved, and of the socio-economic situation in the production areas, in particular as regards employment and development potential;

The Employment Guidelines 2000 agreed by the European Council in Helsinki, on 10 and 11 December 1999, stress the need to foster conditions for a socially inclusive labour market by formulating a coherent set of policies aimed at combating discrimination against groups such as ethnic minorities.

a statement of the strategy and priorities for joint Community and national action; their specific objectives, quantified where they lend themselves to quantification; an evaluation of the expected impact, including on the environmental situation, in accordance with Article 41(2); an indication of how this strategy and these priorities have taken account of the indicative guidelines referred to in Article 10(3), the economic policies, the strategy for developing employment through improving the adaptability and skills of people and, where appropriate, the regional policies of the Member State concerned;

concerning the guidelines on State aid for employment

whereas the 1998 employment guidelines (9), and the 1999 employment guidelines, ask Member States to improve the employment prospects for young people by equipping them with skills relevant to market requirements;

Council Decision of 22 July 2003 on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States

Whereas the Conclusions of the Amsterdam European Council in June 1997 and its Resolution on growth and employment(10) initiated the implementation of the European employment strategy, the annual guidelines on employment and the process of establishing national action plans for employment;

The Commission and the Member States shall ensure that the measures of this programme have regard to the employment guidelines adopted by the Council as part of a coordinated strategy for employment.

bringing together and exchanging experience in the Member States, including the peer review process, in terms of both the pillars and individual guidelines, as defined in the annual Employment Policy Guidelines for the Member States.

The Extraordinary European Council Meeting on Employment in Luxembourg on 20 and 21 November 1997 launched an overall strategy for employment, the European Employment Strategy, encompassing the coordination of Member States' employment policies on the basis of commonly-agreed employment guidelines (the Luxembourg process), the continuation and development of a coordinated macroeconomic policy and of an efficient internal market, with a view to laying the foundations for sustainable growth, new dynamism and a climate of confidence conducive to boosting employment.

The Commission will continue to assess employment aid schemes against the criteria set out in the existing guidelines(1), which will therefore remain in force, until the entry into force of revised guidelines on aid for employment or of an exemption regulation on aid for employment under Council Regulation (EC) No 994/98 of 7 May 1998(2) on the application of Articles 92 and 93 (now 87 and 88) of the Treaty to certain categories of horizontal State aid.

The guidelines on State aid for employment(7) cease to apply from the date of entry into force of this Regulation, as do the notice on monitoring of State aid and reduction of labour costs and the notice on an accelerated procedure for processing notifications of employment aid(8).

The Brussels European Council of 20 and 21 March 2003 confirmed that the employment strategy has the leading role in the implementation of the employment and labour market objectives of the Lisbon strategy, and that the employment strategy and the broad economic policy guidelines, which provide the overarching economic policy coordination for the Community, should operate in a consistent way.

There is a need for a comprehensive and comparable set of data on reconciliation between work and family life, as referred to in the EU gender policy objectives on employment indicated in the 2003 Employment Guidelines with the specific guideline on "Gender equality" as adopted by the Council on 22 July 2003(3).

On 6 December 2001 the Council adopted a series of indicators to measure 10 dimensions for investing in quality in work and called for these indicators to be used in monitoring the European employment guidelines and recommendations.

The extraordinary European Council on employment held in Luxembourg on 20 and 21 November 1997 adopted a coordinated employment strategy in which lifelong education and training have a fundamental role to play in implementing the guidelines set out in the Council resolution of 15 December 1997(6) for the Member States' employment policies in order to enhance employability, adaptability and the culture of entrepreneurship and to promote equal opportunities.

In its Recommendation 86/379/EEC of 24 July 1986 on the employment of disabled people in the Community(7), the Council established a guideline framework setting out examples of positive action to promote the employment and training of disabled people, and in its Resolution of 17 June 1999 on equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities(8), affirmed the importance of giving specific attention inter alia to recruitment, retention, training and lifelong learning with regard to disabled persons.

The Employment Guidelines for 2000 agreed by the European Council at Helsinki on 10 and 11 December 1999 stress the need to foster a labour market favourable to social integration by formulating a coherent set of policies aimed at combating discrimination against groups such as persons with disability.

According to the European social policy agenda adopted by the Nice European Council in December 2000, Council Decision 2002/177/EC of 18 February 2002 on guidelines for Member States' employment policies for the year 2002(3) and Council Recommendation 2002/549/EC of 21 June 2002 on the broad guidelines of the economic policies of the Member States and the Community(4), the way in which work is organised must be adapted to the needs of both businesses and individuals.

Conditions for compatibility under Article 87(3) have been laid down in frameworks or guidelines such as those for State aids for small and medium-sized enterprises(19) (SMEs), undertakings in deprived urban areas(20), employment(21) and training(22), national regional aid(23), environmental protection(24) and research and development(25).

an indication of how this strategy and these priorities have taken account of the indicative guidelines referred to in Article 10(3), the economic policies, the strategy for developing employment through improving the adaptability and skills of people and, where appropriate, the regional policies of the Member State concerned;

This Regulation should not exempt aid for the creation of employment where this is cumulated with other State aid, including aid granted by national, regional or local authorities, or with Community assistance, in relation to the same eligible costs or to the costs of investments to which the employment concerned is linked, when such cumulation exceeds the thresholds fixed in this Regulation or in the Community rules on State aid for investment, in particular the Guidelines on national regional aid and Regulation (EC) No 70/2001.