strategy statement03 - 05

Participate fully in the debate on the future of the Structural

Funds at national and EU levels and in the drafting of the post 2006 Regulatory Regime and Programmes.

Performance indicator: Future Structural Funds Regulations better meet the needs of the Member States’ Fund Authorities (i.e. that they are both clearer and more focussed).

Quality work and learning

Work constructively, within the Employment, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Council across the following headings:

More and Better Jobs

Participate in negotiations for the preparation of the EU

Employment Strategy 2003-2010 with particular emphasis on creating sustainable jobs, improving skills and improving the incentive to work and prepare annual National Employment Action Plans as required by the strategy;

Performance indicators: New EU Employment Strategy reflecting the Department’s goals and objectives agreed by June 2003. National Employment Action Plan to be completed annually, the first to be completed by October 2003.

Advance the development of cooperation at EU level in the

area of vocational training.

Performance indicator: Interim report on the Concrete Future Objectives of the Education process to be prepared by March 2004.

Advance Irish interests on key themes of the EU Social Policy

Agenda in the following key areas: Social Dialogue, Temporary Agency Workers, Anticipating and Managing Change, Data Protection of Workers, Review of European Works Council Directive.

Performance indicator: Irish interests developed and advanced in consultation with the social partners and sectoral interests.

Modernising the European Social Model

Contribute to the mid-term review of the Social Policy Agenda

during 2003.

Performance indicator: Irish interests developed and advanced in consultation with the social partners and sectoral interests.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Examine EU policy and promote the sharing of best practice

and transparency in CSR proposals and practices.

Performance indicator: The impact of CSR will be examined in conjunction with the social partners once the EU Multi- Stakeholder Forum on CSR reports to the Commission (expected to be mid-2004).

Making Markets and Regulation work better

Actively contribute to EU discussions and initiatives to

strengthen corporate governance systems in response to recent international corporate scandals and to the creation of a single market in financial services by 2005.

Performance indicator: Outcome of discussions on Modernising Company Law and Enhancing Corporate Governance, and on the proposed EU Directive on Market Abuse, Prospectus, Takeovers and Transparency to reflect Ireland’s interests to the greatest degree possible.

Follow-up the recent Report by the High Level Group on

Company Law and in particular the Commission Communication on Company Law and Corporate Governance;

Performance indicator: National response to Commission by end August 2004 on principles and actions proposed in the Communication.