Abstract

Presentation and background paper by Graham Lowe to the European Commission's Mid-Term Review of the Social Policy Agenda: Achievements and Perspectives. Brussels, 19-20 March 2003. From the vantage point of North America, the European Union's Employment Strategy signalled a major step forward when launched in 1997 at the Luxembourg Jobs Summit. When coupled with the Green Paper on 'Partnership for a new organisation of work', the stage appeared to be set for significant progress on both job creation and job quality goals. Indeed, since the 2000 Lisbon Summit, there has been considerable emphasis on demonstrating that good quality jobs are compatible with employment creation goals.1 While investments in work quality are important for all stakeholders, forging broad support for this policy direction is a formidable challenge. One of the largest hurdles facing the European Employment Strategy (EES) is convincing employers that improving the quality of work serves their interests.

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