The Programme for the Belgian EU Presidency has now been published, with a strong focus on employment and social affairs at the European level for the next 6 months.

Employment and Equality

Employment will be one of the central themes of the Belgian Presidency. The Belgian Presidency will focus in particular on the question of green jobs and white jobs. The consequences of economic restructuring, the fight against discrimination at work, as well as the promotion of equality of pay between men and women also call for renewed attention.

Industrial Policy

Further, the Belgian Presidency will promote the launch of “Industrial policy in the era of globalization” as a flagship initiative of the Europe 2020 Strategy, while ensuring the articulation of the horizontal approach and the dimensions associated with these sectors. In particular, this new industrial strategy seeks to ensure the development of a proactive consultation process concerning the transition of the European economy to a green economy which is competitive on the world stage, and to provide a response to the challenges and opportunities which this poses to European industry.

Research, development and innovation will also be highlighted as priorities during the second half of 2010 within the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy through the 'Innovation Union' flagship initiative.

Under the Belgian Presidency, the Council will adopt guidelines with a view to setting up a new work programme on the education and training of professionals until 2020. Draft conclusions on this matter will be submitted to the Council.

Within the framework of the Europe 2020 Strategy, and the need for a green, sustainable and skills-based economy, the Council will adopt conclusions on education in the field of sustainable development.

The Presidency will continue the work embarked upon by previous Presidencies concerning the strengthening of European cooperation in the domain of school education. In line with the conclusions of the European Council, the Presidency will pay particular attention to the problems associated with the failure to complete schooling, and to core skills, as well as to the role of education and training in social inclusion.

The Belgian Presidency will also work towards modernising higher education in Europe and on the interaction between higher education, research and innovation.

Internal Market

The Belgian Presidency will continue the work set in motion by the Monti report dedicated to identifying the bottlenecks, missing links and new frontiers of the internal market. Among other things, based on the evaluation by the Commission, the Presidency will review the state of progress on the transposition and implementation of the Services Directive.

Barriers to both the protection of innovative ideas and administrative simplification also remain a challenge that the Belgian Presidency intends to overcome.

For the full programme, please go to: http://www.eutrio.be/files/bveu/media/documents/Programme_EN.pdf