1. Local authorities’ role in implementing European Employment Strategy - case Finland Mr. Lauri Lamminmäki, Senior Adviser Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities

2. Challenges in the Finnish Labour Market persistently high unemployment structural problems increasing regional disparities ageing labour

3. The European Employment Strategy Based on new employment provisions in the Amsterdam - EU Treaty (1997) : ã Art. 126 : employment, a matter of common concern; call for developing a coordinated EU employment strategy ã Art. 128: framework for policy coordination, based on a management by objectives approach Annual Employment Guidelines proposed by the Commission, decided by the Council Annual National Action Plans (NAPs) in response to Employment Guidelines Annual Assessment through the Joint Employment Report from the Commission and the Council and Recommendations to Member States

4. The European Employment Strategy The Lisbon European Council (March 2000) set full employment as an essential long-term goal for the new European economy (2010) The Nice European Council (December 2000) introduced the issue of quality in work The Barcelona European Council (March 2002) called for strengthening the EES and claimed for “more and better jobs” Evaluation of the EES (2002) based on five years experience Communication on the review of EES (1/2003) New guidelines will be proposed in April 2003

5. European Employment Strategy - three levels Community level National level Regional and local level  guidelines  recommendations  evaluation reports  ESF, EQUAL  other community policies  National Action Plans (NAPs)  ESF-programmes  Local Action Plans for Employment (LAPs)

6. The local dimension in the EES "Partnership at all levels should be encouraged, including with the social partners, regional and local authorities and representatives of civil society so that they can contribute, in their respective fields of responsibility, to promoting a high level of employment" Employment Guidelines for 2002

7. Regional and local action for employment (GL 11) “All actors at the regional and local levels, including the social partners, must be mobilised to implement the European Employment Strategy by identifying the potential for job creation at local level and strengthening partnerships to this end. Member States will: l take into account, where appropriate, in their overall employment policy the regional development dimension, l encourage local and regional authorities to develop strategies for employment in order to exploit fully the possibilities offered by job creation at local level and promote partnerships to this end with all the actors concerned, including the representatives of civil society, l promote measures to enhance the competitive development and the capacity of the social economy to create more jobs and to enhance their quality, especially the provision of goods and services linked to needs not yet satisfied by the market, and examine, with the aim of reducing any obstacles to such measures, l strengthen the role of the public employment services at all levels in identifying local employment opportunities and improving the functioning of local labour markets."

8. The roles of local authorities The overall management of local employment strategy process Translating EES to local language, tailoring of guidelines to local circumstances Creating and supporting local partnership networks Managing the networks, effective implementation of strategies Effective use of existing financial instruments (EU, national, local) Applying the indicators, evaluation Connecting the local dimension to national employment strategies

9. Impact of EU on local authorities’ role role recognised on all levels wider perspective, more integrated and strategic approach, Better awareness of the European dimension, new channels and forums for the exchange of information and expertise Better professional skills, new contact networks

10. Challenges for local authorities More open and active, less bureaucratic and administrative closer to the citizens, closer to local needs and resources new forums for discussion and participation common language and understanding new working methods, experimentalism and risk- taking more external expertise, better local analysis strong local leadership and personal commitment