Council focuses on employment and social dimensions of the Information Society
Member States should maximise the job potential of the Information Society, particularly in the learning and research areas, the Council has agreed. A resolution, on the employment and social dimension of the Information Society, is now set out in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Member States should also promote 'learning to learn' with technology and learning to use information, to communicate and innovate by giving all students access to the Internet by the end of 2002, Ministers agreed. The Council also calls on the Member States to increase collaboration between education institutions and research institutes in the fields of education, training and research, 'to increase collaboration between them and the world of work, social partners and governments'. Additionally, Member States are asked to exploit fully the potential of the Information Society in promoting life-long learning and to focus efforts on: - Setting up new human resources policies, to prepare employees to meet the challenges of the Information Society; - Preparing people to use information and telecommunications technology; - Developing new, flexible working arrangements suited for the Information Society, which promote innovation and productivity; - Helping organisations and their workers, especially SMEs facing major changes in their business environment, to enter the Information Society. The Council is now calling on the European Commission to: '- Favour the social and labour market dimension of the Information Society across all priorities of the European Social Fund; - Use information and communication technologies to increase transparency in services such as European employment services (EURES) and information at the European level, - Support innovation through the Fifth RTD Framework Programme particularly in the application of new technologies and innovative forms of work organisation in the creation of new products and services thus leading to new jobs; - In collaboration with the forum of high-level representatives of Member States, and working together with social partners, Information Society industries and other groups, to report on strategies for maximising jobs in the Information Society, in advance of the extraordinary meeting of the European Council in Lisbon, which will focus on this subject by putting high on the European agenda the goal 'Employment, economic reforms and social cohesion - for a Europe of innovation and knowledge'; - Inform the Council on the consultations with the social partners at European level concerning telework.'