Socialist MEPs want to revitalise Lisbon with ‘Europe of excellence’

The Socialist group in the European Parliament has presented a
report setting out 33 ideas to tackle the Commission’s proposals
for the mid-term review of the Lisbon reform agenda.

In a new report presented on 1 February 2005, the Socialist
Group in the European Parliament (PSE) is calling for a
“more sophisticated understanding of competitiveness, which
recognises the interdependence of economy, society and
environment”. The report, entitled ‘A Europe of
excellence’, was prepared by a team of policy experts led by
PSE vice-presidents Harlem Désir and Robert Goebbels. It sets
out 33 ‘new’ ideas to revitalise the Lisbon Strategy.

The report starts from the observation that “the essence of the
Lisbon Strategy is the interdependence of economic, social and
environmental progress”. It points to the ‘Nordic Route to
excellence” with countries like Finland, Sweden and Denmark
reaching top scores in the annual “Global Competitiveness Report”
of the World Economic Forum. The Socialists in the EP see “two
models” for answering the challenges of the 21st century. Europe
should base “its competitive strategy on excellence, on the
high quality of its infrastructure, its public services, its
environment, its welfare systems, its workforce, its labour
markets, its companies and much more”, states the report. 

Here are just some of the concrete
‘new’ proposals offered as alternatives to the Commission’s
plans:

• new and better use of financial resources;
• more investment in education, training and
  research (member states to quantify budget increases for education
  spending and national plans for raising R&D to 3% of national
  income, national strategies for lifelong learning);
• fast adoption of Community Patent;
• rapid establishment of European Research Council
  and European Innovation Area;
• more funding for research into environmental
  technologies;
• reform of the Stability and Growth Pact, with a
  common definition of ‘intelligent investment’;
• leaner and simpler reporting;
• naming and shaming of laggards in implementing
  Lisbon reforms;
• new action plan for gender equality;
• a European approach for managing migration;
• national timetables for implementation of the
  Environmental Technology Action Plan;
• timetable for Integrated Product Policy;
• by end of 2005 ambitious proposals for
  sustainable energy policies;
• smooth adoption of REACH;
• joint action for sustainable transport;
• member states’ plans for greening public
  procurement;
• fundamental reconsideration of liberalisation of
  services;
• new Internal Market Strategy 2007-2010;
• timetable for implementation of action plan on
  enterprise and charter for small business.

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