Italiaans actieplan voor "Lissabon" mist samenhang en gaat onvoldoende in op werkgelegenheid (en)
As part of its first Annual Progress Report on the new partnership with Member States for Growth and Jobs, the European Commission has published an analysis of the National Reform Programme drawn up by the Italian authorities. The Commission's overall view of the programme is that it identifies and responds to many of the main challenges facing Italy and includes many useful initiatives. However, wider coverage in the NRP of the Italian approach to increasing employment rates and reducing regional employment disparities would have allowed it to present a clearer strategy covering all policy areas and the links between them. It only partly addresses competition and regional issues.
The main challenges identified
The Italian National Reform Programme (NRP) highlights five priorities to boost output growth and employment: extending the area of free choice for citizens and companies (by opening up energy and services markets); granting incentives for scientific research and technological innovation; strengthening education and training; upgrading infrastructure; protecting the environment. A sixth priority, long-term fiscal sustainability, is addressed in a separate document and separate information was also provided on employment issues. The Commission shares the Italian analysis but also sees general enhancement of competition in all markets, including through deepening the internal market, as a major challenge for Italy.
Strong points of the NRP
The programme's strengths include measures to improve the regulatory environment for businesses, notably by reducing administrative costs and reforming bankruptcy legislation. Certain measures aimed at improving educational performance are also strong.
Areas to develop further
The Commission's Progress Report encourages the Italian authorities to reinforce their efforts to achieve fiscal sustainability and to take stronger and more specific measures to boost competition, particularly in network industries and services. The Commission's Report also calls for a more comprehensive approach in the NRP to increasing labour supply and raising employment rates, including tackling regional disparities.
Economic context
Italy's GDP per capita in 2004 was 103% of the EU average. Between 1995 and 2004, Italian GDP grew by 1.6% per year on average, compared to 2% for the euro area. During that period the growth of productivity per person employed was also below the euro area average. In spite of low growth, robust job creation in recent years has contributed to a fall in the unemployment rate to 8% in 2004, below the EU average. At the same time, the employment rate, at 57.6% (2004) remains far below the Lisbon target. Italy has faced a reduction of its international competitiveness and has a very large public debt.
Background to National Reform Programmes for Growth and Jobs
National Reform Programmes offer a succinct overview of planned macro-economic, micro-economic and employment reforms at national level for the period 2005-2008. They were drawn up by Member States for the first time in autumn 2005 on the basis of a set of 24 Integrated Guidelines proposed by the European Commission and agreed by heads of state and government. This is a key element in the redesigned arrangements under the EU's Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs. The new way of working has reinforced the partnership between the Commission and Member States and is beginning to give new impetus to the drive to increase prosperity and to allow more people to share in it. For example, the new system helps identify the many examples of successful and innovative policies which exist in every Member State, so that others can learn from, adapt and adopt them.
Next steps
The Commission will now work with Member States to enhance the above mutual learning process, to support their efforts to implement their NRPs and to discuss how programmes can be strengthened.
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