The European Union Open Method of Coordination Questionnaire
All the information available here should be read before completing the Questionnaire.
The General Information explains the background to the Questionnaire and how the exercise will be managed.
Responses to the Questionnaire should be prepared as a Word file, Office 2000 or earlier version, or a text document and emailed to the address shown below.
The Background Document includes guidance on the issues that should be covered by the answers to each question.
The Press Release was issued on 22 February to coincide with the launch of the Questionnaire.
If you have any queries regarding the Questionnaire you can contact:
Ben Archibald
Level 5C
Caxton House
6-12 Tothill Street
London SW1H 9NA
Phone: 020 7340 4395
Email: omc-evaluation@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Responses must be returned by 30 April 2005 in order to be taken into account in the UK response. Any responses received will be attached to the main UK response and will appear on the European Commission website. If you do not want your response published please say so in your response.
External Stakeholders to be consulted:
- House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee
- House of Lords European Scrutiny Committee
- Scottish Executive
- Welsh Assembly
- The Local Government Association (LGA)
- The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
- Confederation of British Industry (CBI)
- Trades Union Congress (TUC)
- Social Policy Task Force (this is a partnership of anti-poverty, Non-Governmental Organisations from the UK Coalition Against Poverty and the European Anti Poverty Network with a specific interest in the National Action Plan on Social Inclusion)
- National Partnership Team (the group which supports the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Older People which includes representation from National Pensioners' Convention; Help the Aged; Employers' Forum on Age; Older People Advisory Group; National Institute of Adult Continuing Education; Anchor Trust; Counsel and Care; Better Government for Older People; Centre for Policy on Ageing; Local Government Association (Older People's Champion); Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity; The Association of Retired and Persons Over 50; Abbeyfield Society; Age Concern Englan; and TUC)
Glossary
Open Method of Coordination (OMC) is a method of supporting EU Member States as they tackle common challenges. It provides a structure to make exchange of best practice more meaningful but is a flexible method that can be adapted to have different variations for different policy areas. In the area of social protection and inclusion, variants are based around the setting of common objectives, common indicators and national reports feeding into a EU report, with an element of peer review.
Social Protection Committee - An EU Committee set up in 2000 made up of two senior officials from each EU Member State and from the EU Commission with the purpose of looking at four aspects of social protection:
- Pensions
- Social inclusion
- Making work pay
- Healthcare
Further information on the Committee, its work and OMC is available at: