UNICE discusses Lisbon 'implementation delivery gap' with Greek PM
The 'implementation delivery gap' in relation to the Lisbon goals was high on the agenda at a meeting between Philippe de Buck, Secretary General of EU union of industry, UNICE and the current President of the European Council, Costas Simitis on 28 January. Mr de Buck stressed that the Lisbon strategy, which aims to make Europe the most competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010, is the right path to take, but that little progress has yet been achieved. In March 2003 it will be three years since the Lisbon goals were adopted, and UNICE believes that no key measures have yet been implemented to achieve the objectives. The President of the Federation of Greek Industries and Vice-President of UNICE, Ulysses Kyriacopoulos, also present at the meeting, underlined what the EU must do to increase and maintain competitiveness. 'Europe has to undertake the following measures in order not to be outperformed by competitors at global level: remove excessive obstacles to the flexibility of the labour market with the participation of social partners, adapt educational and training systems to market needs and promote entrepreneurship through a simplification of the regulatory environment. Furthermore, we support the introduction of a European day of entrepreneurship.' Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis reiterated some of his country's priorities for its six month Presidency of the EU, which are intended to speed up the Lisbon process. The priorities include support for research and development and small and medium sized enterprises, improved access to funding and the establishment of a European patent. Meanwhile in a speech to alumni from the European University Institute of Florence, Italy, Commission President Romano Prodi was sure he was 'preaching to the converted', but warned that if Member States 'do not build bridges between research and innovation and their commercial applications, Europe will continue to fall behind its competitors.
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