Barroso calls on European Council to adopt Lisbon 'turnaround plan'
The European institutions must agree on a 'turnaround plan' at the March European Council if they are to get the Lisbon agenda back on track, Commission President José Barroso told participants at the UNICE (union of European Community industries) Competitiveness Day on 9 December. 'This is the right moment [...] - with a new Commission and a new European Parliament to reignite the Lisbon vision,' he said. Commitment to a 'turnaround plan' will require courage by members of the European Council, but they must endorse a strategy against which they are ready to be judged by both their national and European electorates, he continued. Much remains to be done if Europe's economy is to become the most competitive in the world by 2010, Mr Barroso emphasised. The lack of a Community patent and the poor transposition of key reforms have meant that Europe's full potential is not being realised, he claimed. While 'the basic Lisbon approach remains valid', according to Mr Barroso, he called for the renewed focus to be driven by three principal aspirations: a more dynamic and innovative market place; improved access to the labour market; and a greater focus on skills and training. Mr Barroso added that 'Lisbon needs us to recognise the importance of 'knowledge-intensive policies' by building stronger links between education, research and industry, or between our environmental goals and clean technologies.' Mr Barroso welcomed calls for national Lisbon action plans, as suggested in the Kok report on Lisbon. 'This will allow the debate to be pursued in a language tailored to the national situations and markets that your businesses face. Lisbon is about change across the Union, but it does not mean there is a 'one size fits all' solution, he said. While this is a matter for politicians, business leaders also have a role to play as 'ambassadors for Lisbon', claimed the Commission President. 'I ask you to help to cut through short-sighted sectoral or national interests and fight for the bigger picture,' he said. '[Y]ou have a double responsibility,' he added, cautioning his audience: 'Yes, be critical when Europe, the Member States or our Parliament do not deliver or get it wrong, but you must also give more praise when Lisbon reforms are going in the right direction.' Mr Barroso concluded by announcing that the College of Commissioners had had its first orientation debate on the priorities for the Union over the next five years that morning, and that concrete proposals will be available early next year. 'I am convinced that our Commission will place a premium on growth and jobs, that we will [...] be truly the 'Lisbon Commission'.'