Post Lisbon Strategy

In a letter to Commission President José Manuel Barroso, acting EU Council President Fredrik Reinfeldt and incoming permanent EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy, Greens/EFA Co-Presidents Rebecca Harms and Daniel Cohn-Bendit have called for adoption of the Europe 2020 Agenda to be postponed to December 2010. Commenting on their letter, Rebecca Harms and Daniel Cohn-Bendit said:

'The Europe 2020 Agenda will be a cornerstone of EU policy for the next decade. It needs to reflect the lessons of the crisis and provide the springboard for the reconstruction of the European economy and society in times of climate change.

The revised Lisbon Strategy is currently scheduled to be adopted at the Spring EU Council of 2010. This rushed time schedule will simply not allow for a thorough evaluation of the failed Lisbon Strategy's weak points. It would be a huge mistake to revise the Lisbon Strategy without careful reflection, honest self-criticism and a genuine process of consultation. Barroso's current schedule leaves too little time for the public consultation process that he personally promised.

It will also be virtually impossible for the European Parliament to conduct a thorough debate and make detailed recommendations by March 2010. Furthermore, with his new Commission colleagues likely to take office in February, Barroso should allow them ample time to help shape this key strategy. It will after all set the framework of their task ahead for the next five years.

We therefore call upon EU leaders at the upcoming December summit to postpone the adoption of the Europe 2020 Agenda to December 2010."

See text of the letter (pdf)