The presiding state of the European Union (further - presidency) leads the work of the Council of the European Union. The presidency, in coordinatiaon with the European Commission, organizes the agenda of the European Council and Council of Ministers, according to the priorities set out by the presidency. The presidency is changed every 6 months in accord with the principle of rotation.
Priorities of the Latvian Presidency in the area of employment and social policy (the 1st 6 months of 2015 /
Latvia took over the duties of the presidency of the European Union from Italy for the 1st 6 months of 2015. During the period of the Latvian Presidency (1 January – 30 June 2015), within the area of employment and social policy, most attention focused on inclusive and sustainable participation in the labour market, by paying attention to the situation of long-term unemployed persons, as well as young persons and persons with disability on the labour market. With the contribution by the Employment Committee and the Social Protection Committee, the Latvian Presidency drafted the Council Conclusions regarding inclusive labour markets in the European Union.
Within the context of the mid-term review of the Europe 2020 Strategy, over the period of the 1st six months of 2015, considerable attention focused on the implementation of structural reforms for securing the attainment of the goals of the employment and social policy. As regards the social dimension of the Economic and Monetary Union, the Latvian Presidency emphasised the role of the social dialogue.
At the same time, in the area of labour legislation the Presidency started negotiations with the European Parliament on establishment of the Undeclared Work Platform and handed the proposal over to the Luxembourg Presidency to reach the final agreement. The Presidency reached an agreement with the European Parliament on seafarers Directive. In the area of labour protection the Council conclusions in relation to the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work (2014-2020) were adopted.
Also focused on the monitoring and development of social protection policies. Within this context a conference on deinstitutionalisation practices in the Member States of the European Union took place.
In the area of equal treatment, the Latvian Presidency looked into challenges regarding disability by organising a high level conference on disability issues where major attention focused on the rights of children with disabilities and participation on the labour market by persons with disability.
In the area of gender equality, the Presidency drafted the Council Conclusions on the gender gap in pensions and continued the work for the development of the Directive to improve the gender balance on management boards of companies.
The Program of the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council: https://eu2015.lv/images/LV_PRES_prog_2015_LV-final.pdf
The website of the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council: https://eu2015.lv/
Results of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Results achieved in the welfare sector during the Latvian Presidency
- The presidency of Irish (the first 6 months of 2013)
- The presidency of Cyprus (second half of the year 2012)
- The presidency of Danish(first half of the year 2012)
- The presidency of Polish (second half of the year 2011)
- The preseidency of Hungarian (first half of the year 2011)
- The preseidency of Belgian (second half of the year 2010)
- The preseidency of Spanish (first half of the year 2010)