Evaluating our performance
ore than one-third of the way towards the 2010 deadline for reaching the Lisbon target, set by the EU’s leaders in March 2000, overall progress still appears far too slow. Yes, there have been significant improvements in certain areas, but the target will not be met without concerted action across the spectrum of economic activity. An independent report delivered to the Commission this summer contains some radical remedies for the Union’s economic ills, and attaches considerable importance to innovation as a means of improving our performance (see "Recipe for growth").
Of course, not only governments have to act to address the target: the private sector needs to be on board too. An annual survey of investment in technology (see "Money for technology") appears to cast a favourable light on the situation in Europe. On closer examination, however, despite high overall levels of investment, investors are more than ever favouring a safe bet, rather than taking a chance on new unproven technologies.
Our dossier this month looks at the aerospace industry in Europe (see "Sustainable flight to the future"). In the past 20 to 30 years, the establishment and consolidation of Airbus has shown that Europe can be a global force in aerospace. But Airbus is not, in reality, one company. Hundreds of suppliers and sub-contractors contribute to each and every aircraft, and this is the same in other aerospace sectors. European industry and policy-makers are now working together to ensure Europe maintains its strong position in this field, building on our technological competence.
September 2003
