The European Commission yesterday adopted its Work Programme for 2015, setting out the actions it intends to take over the next 12 months to make a real difference for jobs, growth, and investment.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “This Commission was elected on the basis of a clear political mandate: the ten priorities set out in our Political Guidelines. Today’s Work Programme is the translation of those ten priorities into concrete first deliverables. Citizens expect the EU to make a difference on the big economic and social challenges and they want less interference where Member States are better equipped to give the right response. That is why we committed to driving change and to leading an EU that is bigger and more ambitious on big things, and smaller and more modest on small things.”

First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: "What we are presenting… is a roadmap for getting Europe back to work, based on clear priorities. 2015 will be the year for delivering the announced Investment Plan to boost our economy, opening up the opportunities of the Digital Single Market for citizens and business, launching European Energy Union, and putting forward a new, balanced European Agenda on Migration.”

In Mr Juncker’s Political Guidelines for the next European Commission report, published in July, entitled “A New Start for Europe: My Agency for Jobs, Growth, Fairness and Democratic Change", he stated: “My first priority as Commission President will be to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and to stimulate investment for the purpose of job creation. I intend to present, within the first three months of my mandate and in the context of the Europe 2020 review, an ambitious Jobs, Growth, and Investment Package.” 

In response to the announcement, Denis Pennel, Managing Director of Eurociett, the European Confederation of Private Employment Agencies, commented: "We applaud the Commission’s 2015 Work Programme and its initiatives to prevent and fight abuses in the labour market. With its focus on jobs, growth and investment - in particular the work mobility package and initiative to promote labour market integration and employability – it will support the delivery of decent work and decent pay within a level playing field. The employment and recruitment industry is ready to play its role in helping to make this a reality on the ground across the EU28."

For more information of the 2015 Work Programme, click here.