MEPs want environment included in Commission’s economic and employment policy

The own-initiative report of the economic and monetary affairs committee on the EU economy and employment policy notes that economic policy remains essentially a national responsibility, resulting in restraints on achieving a genuine EU approach. The committee welcomes the Commission's proposed push for streamlining the annual economic and employment policy co-ordination cycles, but it regrets the neglect of the environmental dimension and a long term strategy to achieve sustainable development. The report therefore asks the Commission to set targets in this field, with an emphasis on achieving goals over the medium term. MEPs from the committee would also like to see a specific debate on the Commission's Spring report, where the social partners, the Parliament and the candidate countries should be involved.

A day earlier, on 3 December, the ministers of the ECOFIN Council adopted a report on enhancing co-ordination of broad economic policy guidelines (BEPGs) and employment guidelines. In its report, the Council recommends, in particular, that:

• the processes should focus on medium and longer-term challenges, as well as on implementation;
• the Commission's Spring Report and other relevant implementation reports should be presented in January of each year;
• Member States' reporting obligations should be streamlined;
• overlaps and duplications should be avoided by increased co-ordination and complementarity.