601st meeting – 17 September 1997
APPENDIX 10
(item 9.2)
REPLY
TO RECOMMENDATION 25 (1996)
ON "UNEMPLOYMENT/EMPLOYMENT: NEW ACTIVITIES AND OCCUPATIONS" OF THE CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES OF EUROPE (CLRAE)
The Committee of Ministers studied with much attention the above-mentioned Recommendation by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE).
The Committee of Ministers, concerned with the aggravation of unemployment in most countries of Europe entailing a considerable decline of living conditions of the population, fully shares the opinion of the Congress that this situation and its consequences contradict the principles laid down in fundamental national and international texts, and jeopardise the future of European democracies. The whole issue of the role of the Council of Europe in the field of social policy, including labour/employment policies is currently under examination by the Deputies.
The Committee of Ministers will bear in mind this Recommendation when implementing the CLRAE Recommendation 19 (1996) on "Aspects of Urban Policies in Europe". The Committee of Ministers also transmitted Recommendation 25 (1996) to the Governments of member States, to the Committee of Independent Experts of the Social Charter, to the Council for Cultural Co-operation (CDCC), to the European Steering Committee for Intergovernmental Co-operation in the Youth Field (CDEJ), to the Committee of Senior Officials of the Conference of European Ministers of Labour (the date of which is not yet fixed) and to the European Commission for them to bear it in mind when implementing their relevant activities.