ESC roept lidstaten op om alle onderdelen van de Lissabon-strategie uit te voeren (en)

Met dank overgenomen van Europees Economisch en Sociaal Comité (EESC) i, gepubliceerd op vrijdag 10 september 2004, 14:05.

Three legs, not one or two...! EESC calls on EU Member States to ensure implementation of all three pillars of the Lisbon strategy

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls on EU Member States to ensure implementation of the Lisbon strategy:

  • - 
    FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LISBON STRATEGY'S THREE PILLARS VITAL (ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL)
  • - 
    REFORM OF EUROPE'S SYSTEM NECESSARY. BUT PRINCIPLE SOCIAL GUARANTEES MUST BE MAINTAINED
  • - 
    EXTRA FUNDING NEEDED PARTICULARLY IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGY
  • - 
    NOT JUST FOR POLITICIANS AND BUREAUCRATS: ORGANISED CIVIL SOCIETY MUST PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY


Summing up the two-day hearing and the variety of different contributions from representatives of Europe's National Economic and Social Councils, Mario Sepi (President of the European Economic and Social Committee's Group II, Employees) was keen to stress the global nature of the EU's Lisbon Strategy. There was still a tendency among member states, representatives of employers and employees to pick and choose between the three pillars of the Strategy rather than embrace its integral agenda, he said.


Mr Bruno Vever (Group I, Employers) added that the tendency for an à la carte approach must cease if Europe was to recover the growth and employment rates enjoyed at the Strategy's launch in 2000. It was also important for Europe to act within the context of globalisation and insist on a clear and agreed international framework within which to implement reform and thus avoid destructive cost cutting and unfair competition.


Communication with EU citizens


A successful communication of the Strategy and what it meant for European citizens was also essential for its successful implementation especially given the forthcoming series of national referenda on Europe's Constitution which, Mr Sepi suggested, would provide European citizens with the opportunity to express their views on what Europe was doing for them.


"Europeans would not be voting on the distribution of powers within the EU. They would be more interested in the social aspects of Europe and the Lisbon Strategy is key to this", he continued.


Other key points to come out of the two-day hearing:


  • - 
    Complimenting the EU's Single Market, by creating a "European Knowledge Area";
  • - 
    Use our biggest asset, the EU's Single Market, which is the biggest in the world;
  • - 
    Need to significantly increase funding for research and development;
  • - 
    Implementation of the Lisbon Strategy must take place at national, regional and local level, and be coordinated at European level;
  • - 
    Avoid further delay in implementation: public authorities as well as civil society must take real ownership of the strategy
  • - 
    "We must not kill the patient while trying to cure him": Competitiveness, yes but within an agreed international framework or there is the risk of destructive cost cutting;
  • - 
    The Lisbon Strategy must inspire and motivate European citizens and not make them fearful. A fundamental communication strategy needs to be developed.

Meer over ...