On the 12th December 2006, the Commission published the 2nd Annual Progress Report, based on the first implementation reports of the National Reform Programmes.The report included a synthesis report: “A Year of Delivery” assessing progress on the growth and jobs strategy and the 4 priorities, and country chapters on each member state’s progress. This was accompanied by a proposal to the Council for integrated recommendations to be made under articles 99 and 128 of the Treaty and an annex which provides a detailed analysis of delivery on the Integrated Guidelines. The employment part of the annex is the Draft joint Employment Report.
The EAPN response to the 1st Annual Progress Report: “A Future Worth Having ” voiced concern about the overall direction of the priorities given in the Progress Report,as largely “technocratic exhortations” focused on promoting supply side changes. EAPN was doubtful whether such an approach could provide the basis for a forward-looking strategy to inspire ordinary EU citizens and deliver the Lisbon commitment’s to eradication of poverty and social exclusion.
In this EAPN response to the Annual Progress Report and the Draft Joint Employment Report, we provide a brief assessment of how far the new Annual Progress Report and the Draft Joint Employment Report have acted on our concerns. By doing a joint reading of these two reports EAPN wants also to check the consistency between the Employment focused orientations and the general Lisbon political framework they are embedded in.
See also EAPN responses to Implementation Reports of the National Reform Programmes 2006 and the National Strategic Reports on Social Protection and Social Inclusion .
