Cooperation
Article 1
Open ↗Decision No 573/2014/EU is hereby amended as follows: (1) in Article 1, the first paragraph is replaced by the following: ‘A Union-wide network of Public Employment Services (PES) (the ‘Network’) is hereby established for the period from 1 January 2021 until 31 December 2027. The Network shall carry out the initiatives laid down in Article 4.’; (2) Article 3 is amended as follows: (a) the introductory wording is replaced by the following: ‘The aim of this Decision is to encourage cooperation between Member States through the Network in the field of employment, within the areas of PES responsibility, in order to contribute to the implementation of the Union’s employment policies. This will also help implement the principles in the European Pillar of Social Rights, contribute to the European Green Deal objectives and pursue the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, thereby supporting:’; (b) point (a) is replaced by the following: ‘(a) all vulnerable social groups with high unemployment rates, especially older workers and young persons not in employment, education or training (NEETs) as well as people with disabilities and people facing discrimination on multiple grounds;’; (c) points (c) and (d) are replaced by the following: ‘(c) the better functioning and inclusiveness of the labour markets; (ca) gender equality; (d) the identification of skills shortages and the provision of information on their extent and location, as well as the better matching of the skills of job-seekers with the needs of employers, including through the identification of needs for vocational training, as well as the employability of job-seekers and the prevention of unemployment, for example through career counselling and training;’; (3) Article 4(1) is amended as follows: (a) in point (a), point (i) is replaced by the following: ‘(i) contribution to reducing unemployment for all age, gender and vulnerable groups;’; (b) point (c) is replaced by the following: ‘(c) contribute to the modernisation and strengthening of PES in key areas, in view of the Union’s employment and social policies, and having in mind the European Pillar of Social Rights, the European Green Deal and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as challenges related to digitalisation, the changing world of work and work patterns as well as demographic changes;’; (c) points (f) and (g) are replaced by the following: ‘(f) the adoption and implementation of its annual work programme setting out its working methods, deliverables and the details related to the implementation of benchlearning as well as dissemination and cooperation strategies; (g) the promotion and sharing of best practices on the identification of NEETs, on the development of initiatives to ensure those young people gain the skills necessary to enter and remain in the labour market, and on the integration of the long-term unemployed and other vulnerable groups into the labour market.’; (4) Article 5 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 5 Cooperation The Network shall develop cooperation with relevant labour market stakeholders, including other providers of employment and social services and the social partners, and, where appropriate, Union agencies in the areas of employment, social policy, gender equality, and education and training, organisations representing unemployed persons or other vulnerable groups, equality bodies, vocational training organisations, NGOs working in the fields of employment and just transition, and regional and local authorities, by involving them in relevant activities and meetings of the Network and by exchanging information and data with them. Where appropriate, the Network may exchange best practices with relevant public employment services from third countries.’; (5) in Article 6, paragraph 5 is replaced by the following: ‘5. The Board shall be assisted by a Secretariat provided by and based within the Commission. The Secretariat, in cooperation with the Chair and the Vice-Chairs, shall prepare the Board meetings, the annual work programme and the annual report of the Network. The Secretariat shall closely cooperate with the EMCO Secretariat, in order to coordinate initiatives and step up cooperation between the Network and EMCO.’; (6) Article 7 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 7 Financial support The global resources necessary for the implementation of this Decision shall be made available in accordance with the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027, the annual appropriations of which shall be authorised by the European Parliament and by the Council within the limits of the financial framework.’; (7) in Article 9, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following: ‘2. The delegation of power referred to in Article 8 shall be conferred on the Commission until 31 December 2027.’; (8) Article 10 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 10 Review By 30 September 2026, the Commission shall submit an evaluation report on the application of this Decision to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. That report shall, inter alia, assess to what extent the Network has contributed to the achievement of the objectives set out in Article 3.’.