Taoiseach discusses taskforce report with EET chairman Wim Kok

The Taoiseach met this morning with Chairman of the European Employment Taskforce, and former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr. Wim Kok.

The meeting was to discuss the report of the taskforce, established last year, to review Europe's employment performance and to identify practical reform measures to boost employment in Europe in line with the Jobs and Competitiveness (Lisbon) Agenda.

Ahern said he was confident that the report would give renewed political impetus to the European Council in focusing on the employment targets set at Lisbon in 2000.

He indicated that the Presidency hoped that the Tripartite Social Summit - to be held on the eve of the Spring European Council and which the Taoiseach will co-Chair with President Prodi - could be used to develop support for a "European Partnership for Change" to help boost the Lisbon reform process.

The meeting, which took place with more than 50 participants in Farmleigh House this morning, was organised to discuss the Kok report, and will inform the Presidency approach to the issue of employment at the Spring European Council.

Kok took the opportunity to brief the Taoiseach on the outcome of similar national debates in other Member States.

As part of the chairman's visit to Ireland, he addressed a major conference hosted by the Irish Presidency in Dublin Castle on adaptability and adjustment to change, one of the key themes of the report.