Council Conclusions on the Annual Growth Survey and the Joint Employment Report in the context of the European Semester Priorities

The Council adopted conclusions on The Annual Growth Survey and the Joint Employment Report in the context of the European Semester, meaning the priorities for action in the areas of employment and social policies and political guidance in 2012.

This will be submitted to Spring European Council of 1-2 March.

It stress that the situation in Europe's labour markets is of major concern to our citizens with more than 23 million people  unemployed, and more than 115 million people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, almost a quarter of the EU population, and it underlines that the difficult situation for young people risks creating lasting damage to the labour market, with more than 5 million young people unemployed.