Report on social developments

Directorate-General For Translation European Commission

Description

Year 1979
Social policy

Sujets

• Housing
• Work
• Member state of the European Union
• Family (May J. album)
• Income
• Public health
• Social security

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION
• Nombre de lectures: 8
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

European Coal and Steel Community
European Economicy
European Atomic Energy Community
Commission
Report on
Social Developments
Year 1979
(Published in conjunction with the 'Thirteenth General Report
on the Activities of the European Communities'
in accordance with Article 122 of the EEC Treaty)
Brussels Luxembourg April 1980 Every April the Commission publishes its annual Social Report, which gives an outline
of the main developments in the social field during the past year which have taken place
in the nine countries of the European Community.
In January the preliminary draft of the publication is the subject of two meetings for
consultation: one with Government experts and one with experts from the two sides of
industry at European level.
The introduction (Section A), of a general and political nature, outlines the prospects for
the near future on the basis of an analysis of the present social situation and provides a
summary of Community activities in the social field in 1979.
An analytical outline (Section B), follows, giving details of these activities which cover a
wide range at European level: they include collaboration with both sides of industry,
employment policy, the functioning of the European Social Fund, policies concerned
with improving living and working conditions, the extension of social protection, and
health protection policies.
The development of the social situation (Section C) in the nine Member States is con­
tained in eleven chapters which constitute the main substance of the Social Report.
Each chapter is divided into two sections; the first, which is of a political nature, marks
out the trends within the Community as a whole, whilst the second, which is of a des­
criptive nature, outlines the specific developments in the social field during 1979.
A list of tables and a summary of contents provide for easy consultation of the volume. EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY N ECONOMIC COMMUNITY N ATOMIC ENERGYY
COMMISSION
Report on
Social Developments
Year 1979
(Published in conjunction with the
Thirteenth General Report
on the Activities
of the European Communities'
in accordance with Article 122
of the EEC Treaty)
BRUSSELS LUXEMBOURG April 1980 This publication is also available in the following languages:
DA ISBN 92-825-1618-0
DE ISBN 92-825-1619-9
FR ISBN 92-825-1621-0
IT ISBN 92-825-1622-9
NL ISBN 92-825-1623-7
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication
Manuscript finished: 31 January 1980
© Copyright ECSC/EEC/EAEC, Brussels and Luxembourg, 1980
Printed in Belgium
Reproduction authorized, in whole or in part, provided the source is acknowledged
ISBN 92-825-1620-2 Catalogue number : CB-29-79-506-EN-C Contents
A — Political and general introduction 5
I — Present situation and prospects 7
II — Summary of the social actions of the Community in 1979 11
Β — Outline of activities by the institutions of the European Communities in the
social field in 1979 17
C — Social developments in 1979 3
Chapter I — Employment (including migrant workers) 39
Chapter II — Vocational training 61
Chapter III — Industrial relations 75
Chapter IV — Working conditions and labour law 93
Chapter V — Wages, incomes and asset formation 107
Chapter VI — Housing 12
Chapter VII — Family affairs 13
Chapter VIII — Social welfare services 145
Chapter IX — Social security 15
Chapter X — Safety, hygiene and health protection at work 16
Chapter XI — Health protection 177
List of tables 183
Summary of contents
SOCIAL REP. 1979 The following currency abbreviations are being usee in all language versions of the
General Report and of the other reports published in conjunction with it.
BFR = Belgische frank / franc belge
DKR = Dansk krone
DM = Deutsche Mark
FF = Franc français
IRL = Irish pound
LIT = Lira italiana
LFR = Franc luxembourgeois
HFL = Nederlandse gulden (Hollandse florijn)
UKL = Pound sterling
EUA = European unit of account
USD = United States dollar
SOCIAL REP. 1979 A — Political and general introduction I — Present situation and prospects
1. The employment situation continues to be adversely affected by the economic prob­
lems, which for more than five years have beset the Community : there were over 6 million
registered unemployed at the end of 1979 and there is little prospect of any significant
improvement in the near future.
The Commission's main goal will therefore remain the improvement of the employment
situation. That's why action will be needed to stimulate investment and the restructuring of
undertakings if recruitment is to be encouraged and redundancies prevented. One other
priority in this connection is the short-term introduction of measures designed to promote
the reorganization of working time and other measures supporting the labour market.
Special efforts must be made on behalf of certain groups of workers, industries and regions
which are particularly affected by the crisis. As a matter of fact it has been observed that
unemployment in 1979 has more particularly affected not only young people—whose t was a matter of everyday concern during the year—but also women and
workers in the steel, textile and clothing and shipbuilding industries.
However, the improvement of levels of employment is not an aim which can be attained by
the Community and national governments acting alone: it is vital that the two sides of
industry develop their relationships with a view to reaching a consensus at both national and
Community level.
2. The Commission is pursuing its work in connection with the reorganization of working
time on the basis of the Council Resolution of 22 November 1979. It is proposed that after
meetings with the two sides of industry, the Commission will put before the Council of
Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs its conclusions as regards the scope for
Community guidelines concerning:
(i) restrictions on systematic overtime work ;
(ii) reducing effective annual working time.
In addition, the Commission will present special memoranda to the Standing Committee on
Employment on the following subjects :
(i) the promotion of part-time work ;
SOCIAL REP. 1979