Director General Participates in the European Social and Plenary Session-Restructuring & Employment

The Director General of GRTU – Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises – attended the Plenary Session of the European Social Fund and the Employers Technical Forum of ESF held in Brussels on the 17th and 18th of May 2005. Vince Farrugia is a member of the Tripartite European Social Fund Committee in representation of Maltese employers.

The Director General of GRTU – Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises – attended the Plenary Session of the European Social Fund and the Employers Technical Forum of ESF held in Brussels on the 17th and 18th of May 2005. Vince Farrugia is a member of the Tripartite European Social Fund Committee in representation of Maltese employers.

The ESF is established under the Treaty of Rome. It is the main financial tool through which the European Union translates its strategic employment aims into action. It is the largest established Structural Fund and provides EU funding on a major scale geared towards the fulfillment of the EU’s Employment Strategy.

The May 2005 Plenary Session and the Technical Fora – one for Employers Representation, one for Worker Representation, and one for Government Representation discussed the new Employment Guidelines that now govern the EU’s Employment Strategy are redefined after the recent redrawing of the Lisbon Strategy.

The documents under discussion at the ESF Plenary Session included:
· The Communication from the Commission on Restructuring and Employment. The Commission firmly believes that restructuring must not be synonymous with social decline and a loss of economic substance. On the contrary, restructuring can underpin economic and social progress – but only if such measures are correctly anticipated and provided firms can manage the necessarily change quickly and effectively and provided public action helps ensure that the change is carried out in sound conditions.

· The Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs 2005- 2008 which includes the Commission Recommendations on the broad guidelines for the economic policies of the Member States and the Community as well as the proposed Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of member States which is the subject of discussion at the informed EU Council Meeting which is is being held tomorrow Friday 20th may 2005.