Date of release : 09-03-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : European Parliament plenary session

Nicolas Schmit, Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, spoke to the European Parliament at its plenary session of 9 March 2005 on the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy and on the preparations for the European Council of 22 and 23 March in Brussels.

On the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy, in the presence of the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and the Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, Guenter Verheugen, Minister Schmit stated that "the objective of growth and employment should be pursued using synergies to be developed between the three dimensions of the strategy: economic, social and environmental."

As regards the economic dimension, Nicolas Schmit emphasised that "Europe needs structural reform, just as it needs a macroeconomic framework that establishes a good balance between stability, growth and employment."

On the social dimension, the Minister stated that the "Social Agenda should complement and support the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy, especially as regards the promotion of the social dimension of economic growth (…) The relaunch of economic growth is certainly not synonymous with dismantling the European social model. Social exclusion does not produce more growth or more jobs. Growth should serve to improve social cohesion."

Regarding the environmental dimension, Nicolas Schmit confirmed the need to integrate these considerations into the Lisbon process and stated the importance of the "accelerated development of environmental technologies that will enable Europe to affirm its leadership in these activities in the future."

On managing the Lisbon Strategy, the Presidency stated that the Commission should now present guideline proposals comprising broad economic policy guidelines and guidelines for employment integrated into a single coherent text. The introduction of three-year national action programmes will provide each Member State with greater latitude in the choice of priorities and means for its implementation of the strategy, within a framework defined by integrated guidelines. On the basis of these integrated guidelines, it was proposed that the Member States prepare National Action Programmes to ensure as much harmony as possible among the actors involved. In order to facilitate the consultation and coordination, each Member State will be able to name a person responsible for the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy.

On the subject of the follow-up and regular evaluation of the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, the Presidency suggests that "the Member States individually present (beginning in 2006) a single report on the implementation of their National Action Programme. On this basis, the Commission would release an evaluation report in January of each year, possibly accompanied by certain adjustment proposals, but not such that would lead to a complete reform of the integrated guidelines, which will be valid for three years. The European Council would then decide on these adjustments."

Concerning the preparations for the European Council of 22 and 23 March, the Minister stated that "it has been agreed that the agenda of the European Council will focus on the Stability and Growth Pact and the Lisbon Strategy, and that it will also address the sustainable development strategy and the Kyoto Protocol."

On the Stability and Growth Pact, Minister Schmit informed the European Parliament that "the Presidency will continue its consultations to find a universally acceptable solution that can be submitted to the Heads of State and Government." Nicolas Schmit emphasised that "the lack of an agreement will not strengthen the credibility of the Pact. Nor is a compromise at any price a good solution. Europe is being keenly observed, and its citizens expect their decision-makers to be able to find policies that do not sacrifice growth to stability or stability to ephemeral growth. We have not reached a stalemate. A balanced and credible solution is possible."

On the sustainable development strategy, Minister Schmit stated that "sustainable development should inspire all policies. It is a global concept, whose guiding principles could be made more concrete in a charter with a series of relevant indicators."

On the Kyoto Protocol, Nicolas Schmit welcomed its entry into force. "We all agree that climate change is one of the greatest challenges humanity faces, with serious consequences for the environmental, economic and social plans." He informed the Parliament that the Environment Council this week will focus on the options for a post-2012 regime within the framework of the United Nations process, ensuring the cooperation of the largest possible number of countries.