(Special legislative procedure – consultation)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Council draft (05126/2015),

–  having regard to Article 160 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C8‑0025/2015),

–  having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (A8-0066/2015),

1.  Approves the Council draft as amended;

2.  Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

3.  Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to substantially amend its draft;

4.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

Council draft   Amendment Amendment 1 Draft decision Recital 3 (3)  In its Conclusions of 17 December 1999 on the strengthening of cooperation for modernising and improving social protection2, the Council supported the Commission's proposal to establish a mechanism for enhanced cooperation, brought about by the work of the group of high-level officials, for the implementation of this action. The Council stressed that this kind of cooperation should cover all forms of social protection and, where necessary, help the Member States to improve and strengthen their social protection systems in accordance with their national priorities. It also recalled the competence of the Member States for the organisation and financing of social protection and endorsed the four broad objectives within the overall challenge of modernising social protection systems as identified by the Commission: namely to make work pay and provide secure income, to make pensions safe and pension systems sustainable, to promote social inclusion and to ensure high quality and sustainable health care; it also underlined that equality between women and men must be mainstreamed in all activities aiming at these four objectives. Finally, the Council recognised that the aspects relating to finance are common to all the objectives. (3)  In its Conclusions of 17 December 1999 on the strengthening of cooperation for modernising and improving social protection2, the Council supported the Commission's proposal to establish a mechanism for enhanced cooperation, brought about by the work of the group of high-level officials, for the implementation of this action. The Council stressed that this kind of cooperation should cover all forms of social protection and, where necessary, help the Member States to improve and strengthen their social protection systems in accordance with their national priorities. It also recalled the competence of the Member States for the organisation and financing of social protection and endorsed the four broad objectives within the overall challenge of modernising social protection systems as identified by the Commission: namely to make work pay and provide secure income, to make pensions safe and pension systems sustainable, to promote social inclusion and to ensure high quality and sustainable health care for all; it also underlined that equality between women and men must be mainstreamed in all activities aiming at these four objectives. Finally, the Council recognised that the aspects relating to finance are common to all the objectives. __________________ __________________ 2 OJ C 8, 12.1.2000, p. 7. 2 OJ C 8, 12.1.2000, p. 7. Amendment 2 Draft decision Recital 7 (7)  In its Conclusions of June 2013, the European Council stated that the social dimension of the EMU should be strengthened. As a first step, it is important to better monitor and take into account the social and labour market situation within EMU, notably by using appropriate social and employment indicators within the European semester. It is also important to ensure better coordination of employment and social policies, while fully respecting national competences. (7)  In its Conclusions of June 2013, the European Council stated that the social dimension of the EMU should be strengthened. As a first step, it is important to better monitor and take into account the social and labour market situation within EMU, notably by using appropriate social and employment indicators within the European semester. It is also important to ensure better coordination of employment, social and socio-economic policies, while fully respecting national competences.