Lisbon mid-term review: Commission to mobilise member states

The Commission wants to broaden ownership of a refocused
Lisbon agenda to member states, social partners and civil society
in the form of a partnership for growth and jobs.

The Commission is to present its long-awaited review of the
Lisbon agenda on 2 February. In line with the report prepared last
year by the high-level group of experts, chaired by Wim Kok,
the Commission wants to refocus the Lisbon agenda on
growth and jobs through fewer and clearer
priorities.

In the introduction to the communication, the Commission states
that sustainable development is the general
framework for the Lisbon strategy: “The Commission proposes to
refocus the Lisbon agenda on actions that promote jobs and growth
in a manner that is fully consistent with the objective of
sustainable development”.  

The Commission also thinks it is essential that member states
and social partners take ownership of the
Lisbon agenda. It therefore proposes to build a
“partnership for growth and jobs“. This
partnership should lead to a Lisbon Action Programme focussing on
three main areas:

• making Europe a more attractive place to invest and
  work;
• knowledge and innovation for growth;
• creating jobs.

The Commission wants to streamline the reporting procedures and
mobilise other actors (member state governments and parliaments,
social partners and citizens). Member states will be asked to
define national Lisbon action plans and to
nominate a ‘Mr or Mrs Lisbon’. The European
Parliament will also be able to play its role in the definition of
the community reforms needed.

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