L 63/26 Official Journal of the European Communities 4.3.98 COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 23 February 1998 on Community activities concerning analysis, research and cooperation in the field of employment and the labour market (98/171/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (), (1) Whereas the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions delivered their Opinions on 26 October 1995 (}) and 8 November 1995 respectively; (2) Whereas, in accordance with Article 118 of the Treaty, the Commission has the task of promoting close cooperation between Member States in the social field, particularly in matters relating to employment and vocational training; (3) Whereas the Commission, in its medium —term social action programme, announced its intention to propose a new approach to its activities of analysis, research, cooperation and action in order to foster closer and more effective collaboration between itself and the Member States in the area of policy on employment and the labour market and to promote the rationalisation of its research work and other activities in the area of employment policies; (4) Whereas the Amsterdam European Council on 16 and 17 June 1997 noted the agreement reached on incorporation in the Treaty, without prejudice to the ratification procedures, of a new title on employment; whereas it indicated that the Council should seek to make the relevant provisions of this Title immediately effective; whereas in its Resolu- tion on growth and employment, recalling the conclusions of the Essen European Council, the Commission’s initiative for ‘Action on employ- () OJ () OJ C 166, 10. 6. 1996, p. 179. () OJ C 18, 22. 1. 1996, p. 109. C 235, 9. 9. 1995, p. 8 and OJ C 342, 14. 11. 1996, p. 6. ment — a confidence pact’ and the Dublin declaration on employment of 13 and 14 December 1996, it reaffirmed that it was impera- tive to give a new impulse for keeping employ- ment firmly at the top of the political agenda of the European Union; Whereas the Council, in the field of Labour and Social Affairs and Economic and Financial Affairs, and the Commission, have been invited to keep a close track of employment trends and to examine the relevant policies of the Member States; Whereas, therefore, Community activities with the aim of analysis, research and cooperation in the tield of employment and the labour market should be promoted; whereas the activities set out in this Decision have the effect of renewing and rational- ising Community action in this area; whereas it is important that statistics in the field of employment and the labour market should be collected, analysed and presented by sex; Whereas the appropriate powers for the imple- mentation of these policies should be conferred upon the Commission; Whereas, in accordance with the conclusions of the Amsterdam European Council, this approach can, without prejudice to the Member States’ responsibilities in  promoting  employment, produce Community added value by pinpointing and encouraging best practices and policies, promoting innovation and exchanging relevant experience; whereas those policies must be backed by an active information policy; Whereas, within this framework, the European Council called upon the Member States to inter- vene actively in the labour market, underlining the vitally important link between job creation, employability and social cohesion;