EU2020 strategy: jobs and growth need the Single Market
Brussels, 3rd March 2010
Brussels, 3rd March 2010 -- The widely anticipated EU2020 strategy published today will take the European economy in the right direction, but only if national governments take the plans off of the drawing board and deliver them, the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament, said today.
The 2020 strategy, the successor to the defunct Lisbon Agenda for jobs and growth, sets out a series of flagship initiatives and targets for the next decade, based around three 'drivers for growth' - smart growth, sustainable growth and inclusive growth.
The strategy sets out clear objectives for encouraging innovation, employment, the digital agenda, green growth, up-skilling and combating poverty.
The ECR group is pleased that the Single Market features more prominently than in the commission's consultation paper published at the end of 2009. However, it should be promoted as the foundation of the EU's economic growth, not an auxiliary actor. The ECR submitted its own response to the consultation with a number of deliverable Single Market proposals.
The ECR also restated its opposition to a model of European economic governance today after Commission President Barroso said that "The current economic crisis makes the case for stronger economic governance in the EU."
ECR chairman Michal Kaminski MEP said:
"President Barroso is generally taking the agenda in the right direction, and this paper sets out some clear objectives for how the EU and member states can help boost economic performance. The EU must embrace the sentiment of this strategy, which puts innovation at the heart of economic recovery and clearly rejects protectionism.
"If we provide the right environment for our businesses, and especially entrepreneurs, they will do the hard work of dragging Europe out of its economic woes."
Malcolm Harbour MEP, ECR chairman of the parliament's internal market committee, said:
"My main disappointment was the relegation of the Single Market to the position of 'missing link'. The Single Market is the foundation of all other aspects of this strategy and we need to bring it into the 21st century in order to take advantage of the digital age.
"We made progress on the Single Market under the first Barroso commission. The centre-right political make-up of the commission and the parliament provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to place the single market at the heart of all we do. The Single Market should be our raison d'etre here.
"For this strategy to succeed, we need to understand why the Lisbon Strategy failed. Lisbon meant all things to all men, whilst this strategy sets out much clearer objectives for encouraging enterprise, competition and innovation.
"If this agenda is to be delivered, national governments must take ownership of this strategy. Lisbon was left on the drawing board in many national capitals and it was unknown in town halls. This programme must be turned from rhetoric into reality.
"So many of these objectives can be met without adding burdens onto the taxpayer. Without spending a penny, we can cut red tape, encourage closer cooperation between businesses and universities, and better direct money spent on public procurement to encourage innovation. It's not rocket science but it will take the political will to achieve our objectives.
On President Barroso's comments on European economic governance today, Mr Harbour said:
"The EU's focus should be on encouraging national governments to take up much of this agenda, but there is no case for European economic governance. There needs to be the maximum amount of cooperation, but ultimately economic governance must remain the preserve of national governments, especially outside the Euro zone."
Notes:
1) The ECR's consultation response is available here: http://www.ecrgroup.eu/publications.asp
2) The document can be downloaded here: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/225&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
3) The ECR group contains 54 MEPs from eight member states. The group's founding principles can be found in the Prague Declaration: http://www.ecrgroup.eu/policy.asp . The first principle in the declaration is: "Free enterprise, free and fair trade and competition, minimal regulation, lower taxation, and small government as the ultimate catalysts for individual freedom and personal and national prosperity."
Contact
James Holtum on +32 473 861762
