Commission Communication on the European Confidence Pact for Employment

The European Commission today adopted a Communication outlining the framework and objectives of the European Confidence Pact for Employment, an idea initiated by Commission President Jacques Santer on January 31 of last year. This Communication, intended for the Florence European Council, takes into account the views expressed by Mr. Santer during his tour of capitals and at the round table of social partners organized by the Commission on April 28 and 29. The Pact aims to launch a collective action involving public authorities and social partners, defining the commitments of each side in an integrated and coordinated strategy. This strategy encompasses the macroeconomic framework, the internal market, employment systems, and European structural policies. “Faced with the terrible unemployment statistics, the greatest danger is not having the courage to do anything”, Jacques Santer stated when presenting the Pact. “The Union must truly address employment as a matter of common interest”