European Economic Community: Blueprint for a Social Program

Abstract

The first phase of the European Economic Community was characterized by positive results, among them a decrease in unemployment, higher standards of living, and mobility of the labor force. However, during that period, and until the 1971 meeting at the Hague, there was no express and stated policy on employment, and no deliberate effort was made to coordinate social benefits at the level of the European Community. The famous “summit” meeting at the Hague opened perspectives of a gradual implementation of economic and monetary unification and considerably modified this situation by recognizing the necessity to simultaneously realize economic and monetary goals on the one hand and social harmonization on the other hand. It is argued that economic and monetary unification can only reach their full significance if they contribute to the realization of the goals of society. As in the past, this change does not imply the transfer to the Community level of responsibilities that are properly functions of the national or regional levels. However, the Common Market authorities will have to assume certain tasks of coordination when indicated for reasons of efficiency. Within this perspective, the paper defines priority actions of the Community: renovation of the Social Fund in accordance with Community policies and in close collaboration with the European social partners, labor and industry; the creation of a Permanent Employment Committee as a coordinating agency at Community level between the Council of Ministers, the Commission, and the social partners; the extension of the European Committees for Collective Bargaining; an active employment policy, intensified professional training and reclassification; particular efforts on behalf of migrant labor and the handicapped; an active program of industrial safety and health; and last, but not least, environmental protection.