This document presents an overview of the principal labor market measures taken by the 15 member states of the European Union since the publication of the 1995 overview. In each section, individual countries' actions are discussed separately, with code letters indicating the country name. The following topics are among those discussed in the section on vocational training: improving education and training systems (development of policies, decentralization, social partners, private sector, quality, equal opportunities in vocational training); promotion of lifelong learning (promoting access to training, recognizing informal training or work experience); and adapting to change (identifying skill needs, orienting training toward the information society). Examined next are the following aspects of increasing the employment-intensiveness of growth: external flexibility (probationary periods, individual and mass redundancy, fixed-term contracts, retirement and early retirement); flexible work hours (work sharing, part-time contracts, short-time working, partial retirement, family and education leave); incomes policy (minimum wage, wage negotiation, wage restraints); and promotion of initiatives. General and targeted reductions of statutory contributions to lower labor costs and encourage recruitment are detailed along with active and passive measures to improve the effectiveness of labor market policy. Concluding the document is a section outlining measures to help the following groups particularly hard hit by unemployment: the young; the long-term unemployed; older workers; and women and minorities. (MN)