Lenarcic Calls for Speedy Lisbon Strategy Report
The State Secretary for European Affairs Janez Lenarcic on Monday called on the European Commission to draft by the end of the year a report on the implementation of the first three-year cycle of the overhauled Lisbon Strategy.
Taking part in Monday's session of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels, Lenarcic said the report would help Slovenia prepare for the EU summit in March 2008, as part of its stint as EU president in the first half of 2008.
The summit will coincide with the Commission's mid-term review of the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy. According to Lenarcic, an early report would help Slovenia prepare detailed analyses and conclusions that will be presented at the summit.
Voicing understanding for Slovenia's concerns, officials of the European Commission said today that the Commission would try to draft the report by the end of the year, said Lenarcic.
The main conclusions presented in the Commission's annual report indicate that the implementation of the strategy yielded first results as a result of concrete efforts by EU members to implement reforms.
The report focused on four priorities: investment in research and development, cutting red tape in a bid to promote entrepreneurship, increasing labour market flexibility through flexicurity, and energy and climate change.
Hailing the report that "examines the improvements in the implementation of the strategy", Lenarcic said that the Commission selected "the right priorities".
"Slovenia believes that the Commission pinpointed feasible tasks within the overhauled strategy, which presents a good foundation for advancement," said Lenarcic.
The Commission also suggested that Slovenia, which reached 82% of the EU's average GDP in 2006, should make additional efforts in pension and health reforms at the macro level.
Efforts at the micro level should include strengthening the support environment for small and mid-sized enterprises as well as bolstering the anti-trust watchdog, Lenarcic added.
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