Gap between Lisbon goals and achievements must be closed, says Pat Cox
President of the European Parliament Pat Cox called for an end to the gap between aspirations and achievements with regard to the Lisbon agenda, in an address to the European Council on 20 March. Against the background of war in Iraq, Mr Cox urged EU Heads of State to think ahead to the economic consequences of the conflict and to take concrete action. 'It is time to stop passing the buck between governments and institutions, and to move decisively from rhetoric to practical form,' said Mr Cox. He also criticised Member States for failing to ensure that policies which have been agreed are effectively implemented and applied, and said that those that have pushed ahead with implementation have seen a drop in unemployment rates and above average growth. The Parliament's President called for 'much more' to be invested in research, and asserted that the Parliament fully backs the 3 per cent of GDP target for research expenditure. 'Private investments should account for the bulk, but let us not forget that a third of the required expenditure is supposed to come from public investments,' he said. 'Whether on Iraq or foreign policy, or on economic reform and the Lisbon agenda, my key message to you from Parliament tonight is to make a determined effort to close the gap between what we promise, hope for and what we deliver,' concluded Mr Cox.