Europe's progress on the road to unification is taking place against the background of the globalisation of the world economy. The search for sustainable growth is only possible by establishing the necessary regulations for international trade. Europe has a crucial part to play in influencing decision-making processes in this direction worldwide. In every country, in every sector and in every occupation, professional and managerial staff is involved in the European project in its political, social and economic aspects. Working through the Council of European Professional and Managerial Staff - EUROCADRES - they seek to play an active role in enterprise and administration and in society itself, knowing that there can be no progress without economic and social innovation.

On the basis of the general report submitted to it, the EUROCADRES Congress has established the following guidelines:

1. Deepening and enlarging the European Union

The Treaty, which was signed in Nice, lays the basis for negotiations with the applicant countries with a view to them becoming members of the European Union. If these negotiations are to reach a rapid and satisfactory conclusion, the social partners must be closely involved at every level, guaranteeing membership without the risk of social dumping and a "skills drain".

EUROCADRES should play an active and supportive role in the process of E.U. Enlargement by :

• developing EUROCADRES activities in candidate countries including a network of P&Ms organisations to focus on training, competences, recognition of qualifications and employee mobility ;
• establishing regular joint information meetings with P&Ms trade unions with new support programmes using Commission budgets where possible;
• facilitating the involvement of P&Ms organisations in candidate countries at the different levels of E.U. social dialogue

Unfortunately, the Treaty of Nice does not resolve many of the institutional problems, which are handicapping the effective running of the Union. The deepening of the Union should go hand in hand with the enlargement. To achieve this, there must be an in-depth debate on the future of the Union.

EUROCADRES will take part in this debate along with the ETUC to achieve a constitutional pact, which sets out the objectives, powers and architecture of the Union, and which includes an improved and legally binding charter of fundamental rights.

2. Maintaining the pressure for full employment

Employment has become one of the objectives of the Union. Professional and managerial staff have been hit hard by unemployment, though not as severely as other groups of employees. The improving economic situation has led to the creation of many jobs, but unemployment remains at much too high a level. Recently, the economic situation has become more uncertain. Efforts to achieve full employment must not be deflected.

EUROCADRES welcomes the Luxembourg process and Lisbon strategy, focussing together on the crucial objective of full employment together with the action to make Europe a global front-runner as to competitiveness and high levels of skills and competencies .

It is essential that with the Lisbon strategy the development of knowledge and innovation are recognised as vital factors in economic growth and employment. Basic and lifelong training must contribute to personal development, strengthen the potential of qualifications and overcome the shortages of highly qualified staff, which have arisen in certain areas.

It is equally essential helpful that the importance of removing obstacles to mobility has been recognised. For this, we need not deregulation but the introduction of appropriate rules. A "skills drain" must also be avoided.

European policies as a whole should be carried out in a coordinated fashion to support employment. To this end, EUROCADRES considers the following aspects to be of particular importance:

• Efforts to improve the anticipation of change,  in employment both in terms of quantity (numbers of jobs) and quality (necessary qualifications and skills);
• Stepping up training policies to meet individual expectations and to overcome shortages of qualified staff;
• A wide range of approaches depending on the sectors and qualification levels concerned. In particular more precise statistical knowledge and relevant economic indicators are )   necessary and the Observatory for industrial change must be established;
• Building a European employment area, removing obstacles to mobility, particularly in the field of mutual recognition of qualifications and diplomas, and improving access to jobs in other European countries (not least through the development of EURES);
• Measures to encourage women's access to all professional and managerial positions;
• A global focus on long term unemployment ;
• Developing human resources policies which reflect the increasing need for mature P&MS to develop their competencies in a fast changing world ;
• Emphasis on sustainable development in regions developing more slowly ;
• Increased efforts in research and development.

These aspects must guide EUROCADRES actions at the European level, particularly within the Standing Committee on Employment and the active measures taken by national member organisations, in contributing to the national employment action plans. This has proved to be a very useful method, but there is some need for simplifying the process

3. Encouraging exchanges between European professional and managerial staff and strengthening the European management model

P&MS represents an increasing proportion of European employees. However the proportion of women in managerial position remains particularly low. The ways in which P&MS is organised and take part in collective bargaining varies greatly.

• EUROCADRES must continue to develop the sharing of information and experience between EUROCADRES member organisations, to improve mutual knowledge, identify changes and encourage convergent initiatives.

The role of P&MS is undergoing important change. The European Company Statute should now be established in the near future, with arrangements for employee representation. The Directive on the information and consultation of employees must be adopted as a matter of urgency especially as the EU is enlarging ). , and the European Works Council Directive must be improved.

• EUROCADRES is committed to developing the European management model and will work to promote it with the partners concerned, inter alia in debates on the role of public services and the social responsibilities of enterprise. This means in particular promoting social auditing, the involvement of the PMS in the process of social-ethical debate in companies, public sector organisations and society at large, community awareness and stakeholder management. These areas must not be given up to employer organisations and EUROCADRES has to play a prominent role.

Although P&Ms are required in their managerial capacity to implement the increasingly frequent mergers and acquisitions in Europe today, as managers and employees they are rarely informed or involved in good time. Their right to information and consultation must be respected as much as the rights of the workforce as a whole).

EUROCADRES' aim is that:

• European Works Councils and the European Industry Federations should be consulted;
• negotiations should lead to guarantees regarding training, mobility, working conditions etc. ;
• European procedures for regulating mergers should no longer be restricted to the examination of impact in terms of competition law, but should also include the effects on jobs and economic and social conditions.

4. Developing investment in training for all and improve professional and managerial training

It is generally recognised that the education and training, including lifelong learning, are key policy instruments achieving economic growth, high employment and social cohesion ) . The EUROCADRES symposium held in November 1999 demonstrated that it was important both to make good the lack of qualifications from which too many workers suffer, and to develop the higher qualifications which boost economic development and social progress. In doing so, we must be particularly careful not to create new sources of inequality and exclusion, particularly those arising from information technologies or rapid changes in the qualifications required. In addition EUROCADRES was involved in the recent discussions of the European Social Dialogue to advocate more active policies for life-long learning. 

In this respect, EUROCADRES will continue to work to:

• have the right to training for all recognized throughout Europe;
• promote the exercise of this right through collective bargaining at local, national and sectoral levels, continuing its involvement in European negotiations to stimulate and support this trend;
• improve training for professional and managerial staff, providing opportunities for access to systems of skills evaluation and calling for recognition of the need to devote at least 5% of their working time to training;
• encourage the recognition of continuing training as an investment;
• give special attention to the needs of women and their access to life-long learning.

5. Ensuring the right to free movement: towards a new open European Employment area

Despite the Treaties and a number of initiatives there are still many obstacles for free movement of people. EUROCADRES has actively taken part in the process linked to mobility of employees.  For EUROCADRES it is essential that P&MS have the opportunity to exercise their right to a chosen mobility under favourable conditions anywhere in the European Economic Area. The free circulation of P&MS allows them to develop their competence, enhances their capacity to ease the bottlenecks and thus contributes to strengthen European competitiveness and growth.

However, periods of working abroad must not have a detrimental effect on peoples' career and working conditions. This requires the removal of persistent obstacles not by deregulation but by introducing appropriate rules to create satisfactory conditions.

• EUROCADRES welcomes the fact that mobility is now higher up at the EU agenda;
• EUROCADRES will actively take part in the High-level Skills and Mobility Task force and try to influence and follow up the 2002 Action plan for mobility

The mutual recognition of qualifications and diplomas is essential. Many obstacles still remain. EUROCADRES welcomes the

Commission's announcement that new initiatives are in preparation. We will play our part in achieving results.

• There is a need for a revision of the implementation and functioning of the directives on mutual recognition of diplomas and qualifications in order to identify obstacles;
• For the sake of consistency and transparency, EUROCADRES will work for arrangements made for information and follow up of changes in the field of qualifications and diplomas which prepare and implement recognition processes, drawing on the different national and professional experience and supported by a European platform involving the various interested partners.

Some supplementary pension schemes cause mobility problems. Some of these difficulties were resolved by a Directive of June 1998. We take part in a "forum" designed to examine its shortcomings. The "forum" has identified a list of remaining obstacles and made proposals to overcome them.

• EUROCADRES will continue to be actively involved in this process to ensure that the measures proposed are finalised and adopted.

Access to information on employment in the different European countries must be improved.

• To this end, the EURES service must be further developed, with the involvement of the social partners, and brought closer to the people concerned, not least professional and managerial staff.

Many other initiatives linked to mobility are on the EU agenda.

EUROCADRES will particularly follow up

• the implementation of the recommendation of the Council and the European Parliament on mobility for students, young volunteers, teachers and trainers;
• the result of the work of the High-Level Expert Group on Improving mobility of researchers;
• the coming Communication on free movement of workers in the public sector;
• the develoment of the European project for Tuning structures in higher education )
• the development of a common European format for a CV.

The "EUROCADRES mobil-net" Charter has been adopted enabling member organisations to provide information and support for members on the move. It offers back up to "mobil-net", the network of trade union advisers based in every country of the European Union, which we have set up. During the year 2000 these advisers were provided with training and a working tool in form of an electronic handbook on mobility (in several languages).

• Through "mobil-net" EUROCADRES will work for facilitating mobility of professional and managerial staff by:
• updating and developing the handbook;
• exchanging current information on legal, employment and social issues linked to mobility;
• creating a database of frequently asked questions and their solutions developing contacts to other networks;
• developing national complementary networks;
• arranging meetings for the advisors to update the material, exchange information and experience and integrate new advisors in the network;
• using the "mobil-net" advisors as a reference group for policy initiatives on European level.

This will call for support from the participating organisations and European coordination

6. Promoting equal opportunities and encouraging women's access to professional and managerial positions

A just working life and women's economic independence depend on equal treatment both in payment systems and promotion opportunities. EUROCADRES attaches great importance to this and to developing systems and networks to share best practice between unions and member organisations.

During the next years, EUROCADRES intends to build on the activities of "FEMANET", the network for female managers to support initiatives in this area, to support its members in achieving a more gender balanced representation in the structures of their organisations and to take action vis-à-vis the European institutions. This is developed in a separate policy document called "FEMANET: the way forward".

7. Modernising the organisation of work and bringing workload under control

The changes in the organisation of work and working conditions brought about by the new information and communication technologies must be examined, discussed and negotiated at every level. This was the conclusion of our Symposium held in Velm near Wien at the end of October 1998 which followed our seminars on mobile technologies and telework and the symposium on working time held in Brussels in December 1997.

We should maintain the momentum of this work. In particular EUROCADRES:

• will play a part in ensuring that changes in the organisation of work are negotiated collectively at every level, and that employees and their representative organisations ) are given the right to use communications technologies at work, with guaranteed data protection and confidentiality;
• will call for a revision of the Working Time Directive to bring an end to excessive workloads, not least by ending the too broad exemptions under Articles 17 and 18;
• will back member organisations in their efforts to control working time and reduce excessive workloads. Management of this working time is essential for PMS to control their quality of life and well-being at work, including mental health and safety,
• will set up a network to share information and experience, supported by the arrangements which have been made for coordinated surveys

When the Treaty of Maastricht came into force in 1993, EUROCADRES was recognised as a European social partner by the European Commission; when the Standing Committee on Employment was reformed into 1999, we were included - by a Council decision - on the list of social partners entitled to take part.

This recognition of our representative nature reflects the reality of our member organisations and the five million professional and managerial members whom they bring together. This is the basis of our actions, coordinated with the ETUC, not least in the social dialogue with European institutions and with employers' organisations.

We have also entered into relations with other, mostly professional, organisations, with whom we have some common interests. We should use these joint approaches in order to have the position of professional and managerial staff taken more into account, including the social dialogue at national, local and sectoral level throughout the European Economic Area and in candidate countries.

8. Increasing EUROCADRES' capacity for action

The rather unusual organisational approach adopted by EUROCADRES aims to avoid clumsy structures and encourages flexibility and networking. This trend should be continued, building on the networks we have established such as "mobil-net" and "FEMANET". We should strengthen our direct links with national member organisations and, at the European level, strengthen cooperation with the European Industry Federations and develop their involvement in EUROCADRES' activities. The reform of our constitution should encourage the active involvement of all member organisations. It is also important that we reinforce our material resources.

We have a close relationship of trust with the ETUC. We should pursue our fruitful collaboration with its related institutes.

In the future, it will be particularly important to:

• strengthen our capacity for exchanges and discussions, in order better to anticipate developments and prepare appropriate proposals;
• strengthen liaison and co-ordination of our initiatives with member organisations in order to be more effective;
• enhance our visibility, publicising our activities and achievements more effectively to make our work more consistent.

In adopting these conclusions the EUROCADRES Congress is well aware that success will only come through the involvement of all. Therefore:

• Congress mandates the Executive Committee to identify ways and means for implementing these guidelines and decisions;
• Congress calls on member organisations to play an active part in this process and take on their share in the coordination which will be required.