In 2005 the European Union will be halfway the Lisbon Strategy's 10-year period. The 2005 Spring Council is therefore an excellent opportunity to conduct a mid-term review of the Strategy. Framework and focus of the mid-term review will need to be clearly established by the upcoming Spring Council.
Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg wish to express their support for the approach of the mid-term review by the President of the European Council. The mid-term review should be carried out, with the contribution of the new Members States, to take stock of the progress made in reaching the Lisbon objectives and targets, to evaluate the methods (open method of coordination,….), the instruments (structural indicators,…) and the initiatives (initiative for growth,….) of the Lisbon-strategy with regard to the achieved results. Furthermore, the mid-tem review should consider how the Lisbon targets can best be met and make recommendations with regard to more effective methods of implementation and monitoring, including a timetable for the period 2005 - 2010. The mid-term review should also consider how to make optimal use of the community instruments to reach the Lisbon goals.
The mid-term review should focus on a more efficient implementation of the Lisbon-strategy at all levels, especially in the Member States. It should not lead to diluting the Lisbon-agenda by adding new objectives or changing the Lisbon-targets. Their validity is not in doubt. The European Union and its Member Sates should take up the results of the mid-term review to strengthen their commitment to the economic reform agenda, to increase the ability of their economies to compete and to develop their capabilities of innovation, fostering synergy between the economic, social and environmental pillars of the Lisbon-strategy.
The lead-up to the mid-term review should not distract us from our efforts to implement the Lisbon-strategy today. We cannot afford a wait-and-see attitude.
The Benelux strongly supports the establishment by the Commission of an independent high-level group to carry out the review of the Lisbon-strategy. The group should be composed of a limited number of experts. Its President, to be nominated by the Spring Council, should be able to reflect the views of all stakeholders, notably the business and scientific community and the social partners, who play an important role in implementing change. The high level group should report to the Commission by 1 November 2004.
The ability to achieve the Lisbon objectives in 2010 depends on the political will to accelerate the implementation of structural growth policies. The Benelux judges the mid-term review to be an important instrument to re-engage the commitment of the Union and its Member States, both current and new, as well as the social partners.
(communiqué par le Service Information et Presse du gouvernement)