Lisbon: Missed objectives and failed promises

Romano Prodi sees the Lisbon agenda as a “big failure” and lashes
out at EU members states for clinging stubbornly to their
right of veto.

The push to breathe new live into the Lisbon agenda has
taken on an almost self-flagellating tone. In an
interview with Financial Times, the outgoing Commission President
Romano Prodi, gives a scathing assessment of members states’
efforts to make the EU the world’s most competitive economy by
2010.

Less than two weeks before the EU summit that will debate the
Wim Kok report (which takes stock of progress on the Lisbon
agenda), Prodi said: “Lisbon is a big failure.” He offered the
explanation that member states have been sticking to
stubbornly to the unanimity rule that allows for one country
to veto proposals: “You can’t have unanimity in all economic
areas, or if you do, you must accept the failure of Lisbon,” Prodi
said.

Wim Kok, who has led the expert group reporting work, said that
Europe’s Lisbon agenda risks becoming “a synonym for missed
objectives and failed promises”. Kok added: “Progress to date
has been inadequate largely due to lack of commitment and political
will.” The report proposes that the EU should concentrate on 14
simple indicators instead of currently around 100.  

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