Sweden admits Lisbon Agenda 'failure'

In March 2000, EU heads of state and government agreed on an ambitious goal: making the EU "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion". 

In particular, it was agreed that to achieve this goal, an overall strategy should be applied aimed at: 

• Preparing the transition to a knowledge-based economy and society by better policies for the information society and R&D, as well as by stepping up the process of structural reform for competitiveness and innovation and by completing the internal market; 
• modernising the European social model, investing in people and combating social exclusion; 
• sustaining the healthy economic outlook and favourable growth prospects by applying an appropriate macro-economic policy mix. 

Although some progress was made on innovating Europe's economy, there is growing concern that the reform process is not proceeding quickly enough and that the ambitious targets cannot be reached. 

At their recent spring summit, EU leaders agreed to maintain the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs even during the hard times of the ongoing recession (EurActiv 24/03/09). But concrete discussions over how the European Commission's flagship reform agenda should be adapted to the crisis were postponed to a later date.