Strasbourg, 30 June 1998

Restricted

CM(98)111

(15 September 1998, B level, item 6.6)

1. The 7th Conference of European Ministers responsible for Social Security was held in Valetta from 12 to 14 May 1998 at the invitation of the Maltese Government.

2. The general theme of the Conference was: "Social security and its transition into the 21st century".

3. The representatives of 35 Council of Europe member States took part in this Conference. 23 member states were represented by ministers or secretaries of state, the rest by senior officials.

4. The Committee of Ministers was represented by Ms M. Tovornik, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Slovenia to the Council of Europe and Chair of the Rapporteur Group on Social and Health Questions.

5. The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly was represented by a delegation headed by Mr C. Evin, a member of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee.

6. Representatives of the International Labour Office (ILO) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA) also took part in the Conference.

7. Canada and the Holy See were represented at the Conference as observers.

8. The complete list of participants is set out in Appendix I hereto.

9. The Conference was preceded by a hearing of representatives of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE), on which the Chairman gave a report to the Conference at the opening session.

10. The Conference was opened by the Council of Europe's Secretary General, who welcomed the participants before inviting Mr A. Sant, Prime Minister of Malta, to take the floor. In his address, Mr Sant set the Conference in the context of the follow-up to the Second Summit of Heads of State and Government and urged Ministers to find ways of ensuring the viability of social protection systems and, hence, social cohesion in the member States.

11. The Secretary General then gave a speech in which he urged member States to find a new balance and a new policy mix in two fields: firstly with regard to the respective roles of the public sector and the private sector in social protection, and secondly between systems of social protection on the one hand and the economy and the labour market on the other.

12. After stressing that the provision of basic social protection should remain a matter for national solidarity, he suggested that supplementary protection might very well be organised by private bodies, and the boundary between the notions of "basic" and "supplementary" might need to evolve.

13. With regard to his second point, he spoke of the need to find ways of making social protection more "employment-friendly", by promoting active measures favouring employment and encouraging people of working age to acquire new skills and update existing skills, as well as by increasing the interaction between social security systems and taxation systems in order to reduce financial disincentives to seek work.

14. The Secretary General also observed that the traditional pattern of full-time, continuous employment was increasingly giving way to atypical, part-time employment and various new forms of self-employment. Member States should therefore be prepared to adapt social protection systems and the means of financing them to meet these new requirements.

15. Professor Edwin Grech, the Maltese Minister for Social Welfare, was then elected Chairman of the Conference. Mr Judr.Vojtech Tkác Csc, the Slovak Minister for Labour, Social Affairs and the Family, was elected Vice-Chairman.

16. The Conference discussed the general theme on the basis of a report entitled "Current and future trends in the field of social protection", presented by Professor Grech and Mr Tkác.

17. The heads of delegation contributed to the theme of the Conference by making statements at the first four working sessions. At the fifth session, they were able to listen to contributions from the observer States and the representatives of the International Labour Office and the International Social Security Association.

18. The Secretary General held an informal meeting with the heads of delegation on the evening of 13 May. The topic discussed at this meeting was "Social security reform policy".

19. The Conference agreed that European social security systems will have to take up the new challenges as described by the Secretary General, without abandoning the basic philosophy that has inspired European social security and bearing in mind that preventive strategies will ensure the sustainability of social security systems. Social security should continue to play an important role in social cohesion and social peace.

20. Social protection should therefore have a role in any balanced shift from passive to active labour market policies, in order to combat unemployment more effectively and reduce dependence on social benefits. There is also a need for increased flexibility with regard to protection and financing for the various new forms of work.

21. The Conference also agreed on the need to address the problem of social exclusion in all its forms, not only be integrating the socially excluded into the workforce but also by developing initiatives to assist the most marginalised to participate fully in society.

22. The Final Communiqué, as set out in Appendix II, was adopted at the end of the Conference. It notes the many social, economic, technological, demographic, political and cultural challenges facing national social security systems and reflects the determination of the member States to undertake the necessary adjustments and reforms to meet these challenges, while restating the principle that ensuring an adequate level of social security benefits continues to be the responsibility of the State, in conformity with the standards set by international instruments in the social security field.

23. Through its Final Communiqué, the Conference recommends to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe that it implement the Action Plan of the Second Summit of Heads of State and Government, in which the Heads of State and Government, having recognised in their Final Declaration that "social cohesion is one of the foremost needs of the wider Europe and should be pursued as an essential complement to the promotion of human rights and dignity", "undertake to promote social standards as embodied in the European Social Charter and in other Council of Europe instruments, and call for the widest possible adherence to these instruments; they resolve to improve the exchange of good practice and information between member States and to intensify their co-operation in this field", and in order to do this, to undertake or to continue those activities in the social security field which concern in particular:

- promotion of the standards laid down in the standard-setting instruments which recommend maintaining and guaranteeing the level of social security in Europe, in particular through information and promotion activities,

- promotion of better co-ordination of national social security legislation in accordance with the co-ordinating instruments drawn up within the Council of Europe,

- reinforcement of the monitoring role of, and the exchange of information on, social security systems in all Council of Europe member and observer States.

24. The Conference suggested that, in implementing these activities, the competent body might take into account the work done as part of the "Human dignity and social exclusion" project.

25. At the end of the Conference, the Ministers accepted an invitation from the government of the Slovak Republic to host their 8th Conference of European Ministers responsible for Social Security in 2001. The theme of the Conference will be determined subject to consultation among the officials responsible for its preparation and in accordance with the priorities and concerns of the Council of Europe member States.

ALBANIA / ALBANIE Mr Anastas ANGJELI, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs

Mr Alfred TOPI, Minister’s Adviser

Ms Alma LACI, Specialist, International Division

ANDORRA / ANDORRE Mr Josep Maria GOICOECHEA UTRILLO, Ministre de la Santé et du Bien-être

AUSTRIA / AUTRICHE Mr Helmut SIEDL, Head of International Social Insurance Section

BELGIUM / BELGIQUE Mr Arrigo ZANELLA, Conseiller-Représentant personnel de la Ministre des Affaires sociales, Cabinet de la Ministre des Affaires sociales

Mr Jacques DONIS, Conseiller au Service des Relations internationales de l'Administration de la Sécurité sociale

BULGARIA/BULGARIE Mr Ivan NEYKOV, Minister of Labour and Social Policy

Mr Ilian IGNATOV, Adviser, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, same address

Ms Diana CHEPISHEVA, journalist, Bulgarian National Radio

CROATIA / CROATIE Mr Marijan POKRAJCIC, Assistant Minister, Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs

Ms Sanja CRNKOVIC POZAIC, Director, Employment Office

Ms Sanja LOKNER, Interpreter

CYPRUS / CHYPRE Mr Andreas MOUSHOUTTAS, Minister, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance

Mrs Lenia SAMUEL, Director of Administration, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance

Mr Antonis PETASIS, Acting Director, Social Insurance Department

CZECH REPUBLIC / REPUBLIQUE TCHEQUE Ms Bela HEJNA, Vice-Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic

Ms Jana KLIMENTOVA, Chef de la Section des Actuaires, Département de la Sécurité Sociale, Ministère du Travail et des Affaires sociales

Ms Dagmar TOMKOVA, Chef de la Section de la Co-opération internationale, Département pour l’Intégration européenne et les Relations internationales, Ministère du Travail et des Affaires sociales

Ms Hana KOSTOHRYZOVA, Interpreter

DENMARK/DANEMARK Mr Thomas BÖRNER, Deputy Permanent Secretary

Mr Poul VORRE, Head of Division, Ministry of Social Affairs, International Relations Division

ESTONIA / ESTONIE apologies / excusé

FINLAND / FINLANDE Mr Jorma PERÄLÄ, Deputy Director, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Mr Markku WALLIN, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Ms Carin LINDQVIST-VIRTANEN, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Insurance Department

FRANCE M. Jean-Louis REY, Chef de la Division des Affaires européennes et internationales, Direction de la Sécurité sociale, Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité

M. François MOREL, Premier Secrétaire

M. Jean KLEINCLAUSS, Chargé de Mission,

GERMANY / ALLEMAGNE Mr Werner TEGTMEIER, Secretary of State, Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Sozialordnung

Mr Christoph SCHUMACHER, Regierungs direktor

GREECE / GRECE Dr Dimosthenis DASKALAKIS, Secretary General for Social Security

Mrs Evangelia BAGE, Chief of the Section for International Organisations address

HUNGARY / HONGRIE Mr István KAKUSZI, Deputy Secretary of State, Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Hungary

Mr János MÁTÉ, Deputy Head of Department, Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Hungary

ICELAND / ISLANDE Mr J.S. SIGURJÓNSSON, Chief of Division, Ministry of Health and Social Security

IRELAND/IRLANDE Mr Dermot AHERN, Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs

Mr Aongus HORGAN, Private Secretary to the Minister, Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs

Mr Gerry MANGAN, Principal Officer, EU/International Unit, Department of Social Welfare

Mr Mel COUSINS, Advisor, Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs,

Mr Tony FALLON, Social Affairs Attaché, Permanent Representation of Ireland to the E.U.

Mr Thomas MULHERIN, Assistant Secretary, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs,

ITALY / ITALIE Mr CASCINO, INPS, Manager of the International Relations Office

Mr Roberto PIANIGIANI, INAIL (Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione Inforturi sul Lavoro), Dirigente

LATVIA / LETTONIE Mr Vladimir MAKAROVS, Minister of Welfare, Ministry of Welfare

Mrs Daina FROMHOLDE, International Agreements and Relations Division, Department of Social Insurance

LIECHTENSTEIN Mr Walter KAUFMANN, Deputy Director, Head of the Legal Department, Old Age and Survivor’s Insurance, Family Allowance Fund, Invalidity Insurance

LITHUANIA / LITUANIE Ms Irena DEGUTIENE, Minister of Social Security and Labour, Ministry of Social Security and Labour

Ms Rita ZEMAITYTE, Head of the Division for International Cooperation, Ministry of Social Security and Labour

LUXEMBOURG Mr Georges SCHROEDER, Directeur, Inspection Générale de la Sécurité Sociale

M. Claude EWEN, Inspecteur de la Sécurité sociale 1ère classe, Inspection Générale de la Sécurité Sociale

MALTA/MALTE Mr Alfred SANT, Prime Minister

Mr Edwin GRECH , Chairman of the Conference, Minister for Social Welfare, Ministry for Social Welfare

Mr Joe SCICLUNA, Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Social Welfare, same address

Mr Edward GATT, Director for Social Security, Ministry for Social Welfare

Mr Joe Camilleri, Senior Principal Officer

MOLDOVA Apologies / excusé

NETHERLANDS / PAYS-BAS Apologies / excusé

NORWAY / NORVEGE Ms Rita ROALDSEN, Secretary of State, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Mr Alfred KVALHEIM, Director General, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Mr Odd Helge ASKEVOLD, Deputy Director, Social Insurance Department, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Ms Kari TOVE VIKEN, Adviser, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

POLAND / POLOGNE Mr Janusz GALEZIAK, Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy

Ms Janina SZUMLICZ, Expert, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy

PORTUGAL Mr Fernando RIBEIRO MENDES, Secretary of State for Social Security, Ministry of Labour and Solidarity

Ms Luisa GUIMARAES, Consultant to the Secretary of State for Social Security

Mr Manuel Antunes PINTO, Directeur adjoint, Département de Relations Internationales de Sécurité Sociale

ROMANIA / ROUMANIE M. Petru Radu PAUN-JURA, Secrétaire d’Etat, Ministère du Travail et de la Protection sociale

Mr Razvan CIRICA, Director General, DG for International relations and European Integration, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection

RUSSIAN FEDERATION / FEDERATION DE RUSSIE Mr Yourie LUBLIN, First Deputy Minister, Ministry of Labour and Social Development

Mr Victor DUBROVSKIY, Deputy Director

Ms Maria TKACH, Deputy Director

SAN MARINO / SAINT-MARIN Apologies / excusé

SLOVAK REPUBLIC / REPUBLIQUE SLOVAQUE Mr Vojtech TKÁC, Vice-Chairman of the Conference, Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family

Ms Daniela BACÍKOVÁ, Director, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family

Mr Anton BLAJSKO, Director General, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family

Ms Jana BURDOVA, Spokeswoman, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family

SLOVENIA / SLOVENIE Mr Anton ROP, Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs

Mrs Lidija APOHAL VUCHOVIC, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs

Ms Marjana KANDUTI, Head of Cabinet

SPAIN / ESPAGNE Mr Juan Carlos APARICIO PEREZ, Secretary of State, Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs

M Francisco GÓMEZ FERREIRO, Director, Private office of the Secretary of State

M Luis LOBÓN MARTÍN, Adviser

SWEDEN / SUEDE Ms Maj-Inger KLINGVALL, Minister of Social Affairs, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Ms Gunn FRANZÉN LJUNG, Under Secretary for Coordination and Planning, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Mr Hakan Martin RAHM, Director, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Mr Per TILLANDER, Senior Administrative Officer, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

SWITZERLAND / SUISSE Mme M. V. BROMBACHER STEINER, Sous-directrice, Cheffe de la Division des affaires internationales, Office fédéral des assurances sociales

Mr Cyril MALHERBE, Adjoint à la Division des Affaires internationales, Office fédéral des assurances sociales, Département Fédéral de l'Intérieur

UKRAINE apologies / excusé

UNITED KINGDOM / ROYAUME-UNI Mr Peter CLEASBY, Head of International and European Union Relations, Department of Social Security

Mr Tudor ROBERTS, International and European Union Relations, Department of Social Security

apologies / excusé

HOLY SEE / SAINT-SIEGE Mgr Joseph MERCIECA , Archevèque de Malte

R.P. GONZAGUE CALLIES, s.j.

Mr Edgar GALEA CURMI, Université de Malte

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) / Organisation de co-operation et développement économique (OCDE)

apologies / excusé

Mme SNELLERS, Vereniging VNO-NCW

Ambassador Magdalena TOVORNIK, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the Council of Europe, Chair of the Rapporteur Group on Social and Health Questions

Mr Claude EVIN Member of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly

Hon. Alex SCIBERRAS TRIGONA, M.P. Member of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly

Mr Daniel TARSCHYS Secretary General

Mr Muammer TOPALOGLU Head of Protocol

Mme Christine MEUNIER Administrator, Office of the Clerk of the Parliamentary Assembly

Mrs Marja RUOTANEN Administrator, Private Office of the Secretary General

Mr Matthew BARR Assistant Administrator, Committee of Ministers

Mrs Anne KENNEWELL-MAILLE Assistant to the Head of Protocol

Mrs Gabriella BATTAINI-DRAGONI Deputy Director of Social and Economic Affairs

Mrs Maria OCHOA-LLIDÓ Head of Social Security

Mr Michael REMMERT Administrator

Mrs Pilar MORALES FERNANDEZ-SHAW Administrator

Mrs Danièle GASTL Assistant

Ms Siobhán MONTGOMERY Assistant

Robert SZYMANSKI Head Interpreter

Caterina CORSINI

Mbwaz DIUR

Johanna FACCO BONETTI

Marilena FOLADORE

Elisabeth HEINISCH

Tatiana JAUVERT

Jacqueline KAPP

Anne MILES

Manuela PAEFFGEN-CERRETO

Isabella ROMINI RODA

Nelly SIDERIS

Amadeo SOLE-LERIS

Press

Christiane DENNEMEYER Press Officer

1. At the invitation of the Maltese Government, the 7th Conference of European Ministers responsible for Social Security took place in Valletta from 12 to 14 May 1998, with Professor Edwin Grech, Minister for Social Welfare of Malta as Chairman.

2. The Conference elected Mr Judr. Vojtech Tkác CSc, Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic, as Vice-Chairman.

3. The Conference was attended by the Ministers, or their representatives, of member States of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as observers from Canada and the Holy See. The International Labour Office (ILO) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA) also attended the Conference as observers.

4. The general theme of the Conference was:

"Social Security and its transition into the 21st century".

The Conference discussed this theme on the basis of a report entitled "Current and future trends in the field of Social Protection". The report was presented by Mr Grech and Mr Tkác.

5. The Conference was preceded by a hearing of representatives of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE).

6. The Ministers also heard a number of statements and speeches including those by representatives of the International Labour Office and the International Social Security Association.

THE CONFERENCE

AWARE

1. that social security policy in Europe in the 20th century has achieved a high level of protection of the members of society against the effects of social and economic risks, contributed to political, economic and social stability and has adapted to a number of social, demographic, national and international economic and technological developments;

2. of the commitment of all Council of Europe member States to preserve the principles and basic elements of European social security systems, to guarantee their citizens social peace and cohesion and an adequate level of social protection based on common European standards, which recognise the diversity of national systems;

3. that, during almost 50 years, the Council of Europe, whose objective it is "to achieve greater unity between its members for the purposes of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress", has contributed a great deal to the setting of standards, the co-ordination of national systems and the monitoring of developments in the social security field;

4. that the previous Conferences of European Ministers responsible for Social Security have made important contributions concerning social security financing and the cost of medical care (Strasbourg, 1979), the general availability of social security benefits (Madrid, 1982), the role of social security in periods of economic difficulties (Athens, 1985), social security and the family (Lugano, 1989), the employment-related aspects of social security (Limerick, 1992), and social security and dependence (Lisbon, 1995);

5. that the Heads of State and Government of the member states of the Council of Europe, meeting in Strasbourg on 10 and 11 October 1997 for the Organisation's Second Summit, recognised that social cohesion is one of the foremost needs of the wider Europe and should be pursued as an essential complement to the promotion of human rights and dignity;

6. that, on the eve of the 21st century, there are a number of social, economic, technological, demographic, political and cultural challenges which face the national social security systems, in particular:

- unemployment;

- developments in the concept of work and in the traditional long-term

- employer/employee relationship;

- the ageing of the population;

- the increasing instance of early retirement;

- changing family structures;

- the increasing occurrence of various forms of social exclusion;

- the search for new ways of financing social security and the relationship between pay-as-you-go and capital funding systems;

- the changing roles of actors in the social field, both public and private.

OBSERVES THAT

1. social security plays an important role in employment creation by directly or indirectly fostering the general level of economic activity, and in the effect which the grant of benefits has on the creation of employment;

2. the nature of employment is changing profoundly: employment is becoming more flexible, and there are more part-time and temporary jobs. To a growing number of people, job security will no longer depend on a job for life, but on the opportunity to maintain and update their vocational skills in order to stay employable, probably with different employers and in different jobs;

3. atypical, part-time and various new forms of employment and self-employment might be a less stable basis for social security and its financing. This is especially the case when those systems are based on the existing link between social protection (especially in the form of social insurance) and employment;

4. in some countries, there is a growing dependence on social protection among the economically active age groups as a result not only of higher unemployment – and in particular long term unemployment – but also of an increasing instance of lone parenthood and early retirement;

5. a proportion of the population in many countries is socially excluded and experiences multiple deprivation. A number of countries have introduced a co-ordinated approach across many policy areas, including employment and health care access, in order to improve the integration of the socially excluded;

6. there is a tendency in some countries for a shift of responsibilities for the implementation of social security from state-run and -organised institutions to employers and private companies as well as for co-operation between the public sector and the private sector to perform common or parallel functions, or the introduction of competition by allowing the insured to choose between several public or private institutions and non-profit-oriented providers;

7. the ageing of the population in Europe and the trend towards early retirement increase the dependency ratio, i.e. the number of pensioners to workers, and increases significantly the numbers of elderly persons in retirement who need an income as well as health and social care provision. A number of countries have reacted by introducing new social security schemes or benefits to cover the risk of old-age dependence.

AGREES THAT

1. social security systems in Europe will have to adapt, as they have done successfully in the past, to the new challenges that have emerged in recent years without abandoning the basic philosophy that has inspired European social security and bearing in mind that preventive strategies could ensure the sustainability of social security systems. Social security should continue to play an important role in social cohesion and social peace;

2. with regard to the changes in the nature of employment, many social security systems are still predominantly geared towards patterns of full-time, continuous employment. There may therefore be a need for increased flexibility with regard to protection and financing for the various new forms of work;

3. despite the importance of income maintenance programmes, these sometimes do not promote the employability of those who are excluded from the labour market. Social protection should therefore have a role in any balanced shift from passive to active labour market policies. Consequently, a proportion of available social assistance and unemployment funds could be invested in the promotion of employability and re-integration into working life through the acquisition of new skills and the updating of existing skills in order to combat unemployment more effectively and reduce dependency on social benefits;

4. there is a need to address the problem of social exclusion in all its forms. This requires not only the integration of the socially excluded into the workforce but also the development of initiatives to assist the most marginalised to participate fully in society;

5. there is a need to make both social protection and taxation systems more employment-friendly. The taxation and social protection systems should interact in order to avoid financial disincentives to work;

6. in order to ensure social cohesion, there is also a need to support civil society initiatives (voluntary organisations, self-help groups, etc.), particularly on the local level;

7. member states privatising social services should set up appropriate regulatory frameworks, in particular with regard to the legal and social protection of the citizens concerned;

8. ensuring an adequate level of social security benefits continues to be the responsibility of the State, in conformity with the standards set by international instruments in the social security field;

9. member States should ensure the continuity and adaptation to demographic developments of both pension schemes and the sickness branch, and should draw up legislation concerning the risk of dependence, based in particular on the outcome of the Lisbon Conference and its follow-up.

RECOMMENDS

to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to implement the Action Plan of the second Council of Europe Summit, where the Heads of State and Government, having recognised in their Final Declaration that "social cohesion is one of the foremost needs of the wider Europe and should be pursued as an essential complement to the promotion of human rights and dignity", "undertake to promote social standards as embodied in the European Social Charter and in other Council of Europe instruments, and call for the widest possible adherence to these instruments; they resolve to improve the exchange of good practice and information between member States and to intensify their co-operation in this field", and in order to do this, to undertake or to continue those activities in the social security field which concern in particular:

- promotion of the standards laid down in the standard-setting instruments, which advocate the maintenance and guarantee of the level of social security in Europe, in particular through information and promotion activities (colloquies, seminars, etc.);

- promotion of a better co-ordination of national social security legislation in accordance with the co-ordinating instruments of the Council of Europe, in particular by:

. drafting the Explanatory Memorandum of the European Interim Agreements on social security, with a view to facilitating their signature and ratification by the countries of Central and Eastern Europe;

. supporting countries to conclude bilateral and multilateral agreements by, inter alia, publishing and regularly up-dating tables on bilateral and multilateral instruments in the field of social security;

- reinforcement of the monitoring role of, and the exchange of information on, social security systems in all member and observer states, in particular by:

. initiating comparative analysis, thereby helping states to solve current problems in national social security systems;

. improved flows of information on current or planned reforms by, inter alia, the publication of the report on developments in national social security legislation;

. the publication of comparative tables of social security schemes and improving the necessary co-ordination of this document with the MISSOC tables (published by the European Union);

. monitoring the application of the different recommendations adopted by the member States of the Council of Europe in the social security field;

- organisation of training courses in order to allow civil servants working in the field of social security to have a better understanding of Council of Europe instruments in this field.

In implementing these activities, the competent body might take into account the work done in the framework of the Project on "Human Dignity and Social Exclusion".

At the end of their deliberations, the Ministers thanked the Maltese authorities for the excellent organisation of the Conference and their warm hospitality. They accepted with gratitude an invitation from the Government of Slovak Republic to hold their Eighth Conference of European Ministers responsible for Social Security in 2001. The theme of the Conference will be determined subject to consultation among those responsible for its preparation and in accordance with priorities and concerns of member States of the Council of Europe.