THE COUNCIL,

Having regard to Articles 1, 2, 5 b) of the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of 14 December 1960;

Having regard to the Recommendation of the Council of 21 May 1964 on Manpower Policy as a Means for the Promotion of Economic Growth [C(64)48(Final)];

Having regard to the Report of 11 June 1975 of the Manpower and Social Affairs Committee on Future Orientation of OECD Activity in the Field of International Migration and, in particular, the Annex thereto [C(75)104];

Having regard to the Report of the Manpower and Social Affairs Committee on a General Employment and Manpower Policy of 3 March 1976 (hereinafter called the "Report of the Manpower and Social Affairs Committee") [MAS/MIN(76)6 Annex and Corrigendum];

On the proposal of the Manpower and Social Affairs Committee at Ministerial Level of 4 and 5 March 1976;

I. ENDORSES the views expressed in the Report of the Manpower and Social Affairs Committee

II. RECOMMENDS that Member countries periodically examine, in the light of the Report of the Manpower and Social Affairs Committee, their general employment and manpower policy so as to attain the objective of full employment, in particular by:

a) Continuing implementation of the principles of an active manpower policy contained in the Recommendation of the Council of 21 May 1964, referred to above, reinforced by a general and positive strategy for creating and maintaining employment and improved conditions of working life for all those who are able and want to work, with the support of relevant economic, employment, manpower and social policies;

b) The close linking of employment and manpower policy and general economic policy, with the aim of achieving full employment objectives and improved quality of working life in the context of social and economic progress;

c) Systematic use and evaluation as appropriate of selective employment and manpower measures, with the objective of achieving and maintaining high levels of employment and balance between the supply and demand of labour in ways which contribute as much as possible to the struggle against inflation;

d) Special assistance to disadvantaged groups to enter, remain in or return to employment, thereby promoting more equity in the distribution of employment opportunities and income;

e) Balanced development of income maintenance, and of positive manpower utilisation measures which ensure the earliest possible return to employment, on the basis that it is preferable to spend money on activities which contribute to the expansion of employment;

f) International co-operation in order that national employment and manpower policies and free international trade and investment are mutually consistent, so as to minimise the social costs of adjusting workers to structural changes which result from changing patterns of international trade;

g) Implementation between the OECD countries concerned of the guiding principles¹ for facilitating the orientation of migration policies and their concertation at international level;

h) Organisational arrangements within national administrations for the co-ordination of all elements of policy affecting employment and manpower, in particular so that manpower authorities may help to ensure that the various elements of an employment strategy are taken into account in all fields of social and economic life;

i) Continuing co-operation and involvement of workers, employers and their representatives as an important aspect of total manpower and employment policy.

II. INVITES Member countries to report to the Organisation on steps taken by them to implement this Recommendation, not later than the 31 March 1977 and subsequently at intervals to be determined by the Manpower and Social Affairs Committee.