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On 9 February 2005, the Minister for Labour and Employment, François Biltgen, took part in the plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), where he submitted the priorities of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council for the first six months of 2005.
During his speech, François Biltgen drew particular attention to the Luxembourg Presidency’s main objectives with regard to the mid-term review of the Lisbon Process during the European Council of 22 and 23 March 2005, which will be held under the presidency of the Prime Minister.
Addressing the plenary session, François Biltgen stated that "the Luxembourg Presidency is committed to injecting fresh impetus into this process, one of the main sources of which was the Employment Summit held in November 1997 under the most recent Luxembourg Presidency (…). During this mid-term review, the Luxembourg Presidency will seek to ensure above all that the initial spirit of this development model based on the three economic, social and environmental dimensions is maintained. (…) the involvement of national parliaments, the business world, civil society, social partners and the media must work towards genuine national "ownership" and the assumption of greater responsibility at the level of each Member State (in relation to the Lisbon Process)."
The Lisbon Process was launched in June 2000 by the European Council, which had met in the Portuguese capital to determine a new European development model based on the three economic, social and environmental dimensions. Beyond the clearly defined and often-cited aim of making "the European Union the world’s most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy by 2010", the Lisbon Process is a European response to the reform requirements of our economies against a background of major changes in the world economy.
Instituted by the treaties of Rome of 1957, the EESC is the body of the European Union within which the various economic and social components of organised civil society are represented. Luxembourg holds 6 seats there. The EESC delivers opinions in an advisory capacity.
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