28.11.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 32821 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 26 November 2012 implementing Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the clearance of vacancies and applications for employment and the re-establishment of EURES (notified under document C(2012) 8548) (Text with EEA relevance) (2012/733[EV) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2011 on freedom of movement for workers within the Union ('), and in particular Article 38 thereof, Whereas: Much progress has been made since the initial launch of the EURES network established by Commission Decision 93/569/EEC of 22 October 1993 on the implementing of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 on freedom of movement for workers within the Community as regards, in particular, a network entitled Eures (European Employment Services) (%), in order to implement Regu- lation (EEC) No 1612/68 of the Council (}). The network was reformed and re-established in order to consolidate and strengthen it by Commission Decision 2003/8/EC (¥). The European Council of 17 June 2010 endorsed the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth while calling for the full mobilisation of the appropriate EU instruments and policies to support achievement of the common objectives and invited the Member States to step up coordinated action. The European Council of 28 and 29 June 2012 decided on a ‘Compact for Growth and Jobs’ and on the basis of the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘Towards a job-rich recovery’ of 18 April 2012, indicated that the EURES Portal should be developed into a true European placement and recruitment tool. 141, 27.5.2011, p. 1. 274, 6.11.1993, p. 32. 257, 19.10.1968, p. 2. L L L L 5, 10.1.2003, p. 16. ) EURES should promote better functioning of the labour markets and satisfaction of economic needs by facili- tating transnational and cross-border geographical mobility of workers, while ensuring mobility under fair conditions and respect of applicable labour standards. It should provide greater transparency on the labour markets, ensuring the exchange and processing of vacancies and applications for employment (ie. the ‘clearance’ or ‘matching’ within the meaning of the Regu- lation) and supporting activities in the areas of recruitment, advice and guidance at national and cross- border level, thereby contributing to the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy. In the light of the experience gained since the initial launch in 1993 and the reform in 2003, and taking into account the needs to further reinforce and extend the network in order for it to fully support the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy, the current composition of the network, the division of responsibilities and the decision-making procedures, as well as the catalogue of services provided must now be redesigned. To this end EURES should be given a stronger orien- tation on management by objectives and results in terms of matching, placement and recruitment. Within this context, placement can be understood as the provision of services by an intermediary between the supply and demand on the labour market with the objective of a recruitment taking place, where recruitment is the filling of a job vacancy. The abolishment of monopolies together with other developments has led to the emergence of a wide variety of employment service providers on the labour market. To reach its full potential, EURES needs to be opened to the participation of these operators, committed to fully respect applicable labour standards and legal requirements, and other EURES quality stan- dards. EURES services need to be clearly defined in order to ensure that the obligations put on the Member States by the Regulation, namely to undertake a clearance of vacancies and applications for employment, as well as the exchange and provision of labour market related information, is fulfilled in an efficient and effective manner. This would entail the involvement of various actors, including social partners, where appropriate.