ECONOMIC POLICY: DRAFT SUMMARY REPORTS FROM COMMISSION TO EU SUMMIT.(Brief Article)

The Commission regards 2000 as a good year for the European economy. Almost 2.5 million new jobs were created with more than two-thirds of these posts being filled by women. However, in spite of robust growth and healthy public finances, the text warns that the EU cannot afford to rest on its laurels.The current good economic climate must be used to good effect to accelerate rather than slow down the implementation of difficult reforms.Evaluation.In evaluating the progress made since the Lisbon European Council, the Communication highlights the following fields:- opening to competition of local telecommunications through the unbundling of local loops since 1 January. This measure should contribute to reducing the cost of Internet access;- adoption of the European company statute after more than thirty years of negotiation;- political agreement on the fiscal package;- implementation of the first phase of rail liberalisation with the adoption of standards for the total opening to competition of freight transport from 2008;- adoption of an action plan for combating discrimination.However, the Communication also identifies certain delays in the adoption of measures announced:- discussions are still on-going on further deregulation of postal services;- disappointing progress in the adoption of new rules for public procurement and European brands;- the implementation of liberalisation in the gas and electricity sectors has still to be applied in a uniform fashion across the European Union;- in spite of progress in the opening to competition of the international transport of goods by rail, the challenges posed by domestic passenger and freight transport have yet to be tackled;- insufficient progress in the implementation of the lifelong learning strategy, notably through the setting of national targets.Training and mobility.In addition to setting intermediate targets, Romano Prodi also urges Member States to put in place national objectives, notably to increase the number of persons in the 55-64 age group who remain on the labour market. In 1999, only 37% of this population band was still active on the employment market. Member States should include these objectives in their national employment action plans.The European Commission proposes to establish a high-level Working Party on mobility and high-level qualifications. This group will present a report to the Council before Spring 2002. By June of this year, the Member States should adopt the recommendation on the mobility of students, persons undergoing training, voluntary workers, teachers and trainers. The Council should concurrently adopt proposals to modernise existing regulations on social security arrangements for migrant workers.The Commission pledges to present an action plan to the Council before spring 2002 to promote the development and opening of new European labour markets by 2005. Proposals will also be tabled next year concerning a more uniform, transparent and flexible system for the automatic mutual recognition of professions. The elimination of transboundary fiscal obstacles which currently prevent the "portability" of supplementary pensions is also on the agenda.Wider liberalisation.Regarding the services sector, which already generates 75% of EU GDP, the Member States should accept the full liberalisation of gas and electricity markets for business users in 2003 and 2004 respectively, and for private consumers in 2005. The implementation of the European single sky by 2004 should also be accepted. The European Commission pledges to bring forward concrete proposals in June to review the slot allocation system at Community airports, along with a second raft of measures to open up domestic rail-freight and passenger transport markets. In March, the Council will table necessary measures for the deregulation of the transport and energy sectors, along with framework provisions guaranteeing the effective development of transboundary energy markets.In the context of the development of the eEurope initiative, the Council and Parliament should pledge to adopt in June the proposal on copyright in the information society and, before the end of the year, provisions permitting the levying of VAT on electronic commerce activities. Measures concerning the introduction of a .eu top-level Internet domain name should available for the Laeken European Council in December.Social inclusion.Finally, among a raft of measures in the social field, Romano Prodi calls on the Council and Parliament to agree to the adoption of an action programme on social inclusion. Member States should redouble their efforts to combat social exclusion and agree before the end of the year to indicators in this area.