Lisbon strategy: competitiveness and knowledge economy
The strategic goal for 2010 is to make the European economy the world's mostcompetitive and dynamic knowledge economy. This, it is argued, will producesustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater socialcohesion.
Description
European Commission document to enhance public access to information aboutthe European Regional Development Fund. In fact, the European Union's regionaland social policies are its principal instruments for delivering the Lisbon andGothenburg agendas.
The strategy initially consisted of economic and social ambitions, butenvironmental goals were added during the European council's meeting inGothenburg in 2001. The aim is to encourage sustainable development through theconcerted exercise of economic, social and environmental policy.
The principal themes of this integrated strategy are:
- permanent education;
- social inclusion;
- environmental protection;
- information and communication technology, ICT;
- employment;
- innovation and business climate.
Implementation of the strategy is by the open coordination method. This'soft' way of developing, implementing and monitoring policy entails EU memberstates comparing their progress in the areas of the Lisbon strategy, exchanginggood practices, and together evaluating the implementation. Every spring, theEuropean Council meets to discuss overall progress and set out guidelines forthe realisation of the strategic goals.
Publication date
24/3/2000By: Bart Nijhof,