§ Maria EagleTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Social Affairs Council meeting on 20 November. [61787]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithI attended the Council of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers in Brussels on 20 November.
The Council discussed the Commission's draft European Employment Guidelines for 1999 and the draft Joint Report on member states' implementation of their National Employment Action Plans in 1998.
The Presidency circulated the first draft of its own revised version of the Guidelines and undertook to produce a further draft for discussion at the joint ECOFIN/Social Affairs Council on 1 December in the light of any comments by member states.
The Guidelines and Joint Report will be put to the European Council for agreement in Vienna on 11–12 December.