Time to move up a gear - Commission President Barroso presents Annual Progress Report on Growth and Jobs
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/71&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en Time to move up a gear - Commission President Barroso presents Annual Progress Report on Growth and Jobs The European Commission has today published its new Annual Progress Report on the Lisbon Strategy, the partnership between the EU and Member States for growth and more and better jobs. The Annual Progress Report is designed to reinforce momentum and force the pace of delivery. There are three main elements in the Progress Report. First, the Report provides an analysis of the 25 new National Reform Programmes submitted by Member States in October 2005. Second, it identifies the strengths in different national programmes with a view to promoting the exchange of good ideas. Third, it highlights areas where there are shortcomings and proposes concrete action at EU and national level to deal with them. Four priority action areas are identified: investment in education, research and innovation; freeing up SMEs; employment policies to get people into work; and guaranteeing a secure and sustainable energy supply. For each of these areas, the Commissions Spring Report makes clear proposals for European leaders to commit to when they meet at the March Summit in Brussels and to implement by 2007 (see below). Commission President José Manuel Barroso said: My overall message is clear, it is time to move up a gear. There has been a wind of change moving though the corridors of Brussels and national capitals since we re-launched the Lisbon Strategy last year. There has been a step change in activity. Weve come a long way since last year and the right foundations are now in place. The fact that there are 25 national reform programmes on the table speaks volumes about a new level of national commitment. Now the spotlight moves to delivery. Now Member States must get in the driving seat and speed up reforms. 95 percent of what is in these reports is common sense, Member States must make it common practice. They must find the political will to match words with deeds its time to move up a gear." Our ambition is clear. We are aiming for top-class universities, highly trained and educated workforces, strong social security and pensions systems, the most competitive industries and the cleanest environment. To those who say that it cannot be done I say, a decade or so ago who would have thought that Ireland would have become one the most prosperous countries of the European Union, or that productivity in Poland would be higher than in South Korea? We can and must go the extra mile for growth and jobs. The four Priority Action Areas where European Leaders are being asked to commit to additional measures (national and European) at the March EU Summit 1. Investing in education and research - Investment in higher education should by 2010 be stepped up to 2% of GDP from the current 1.28%, including by removing barriers to universities seeking complementary private funding. - Already this March, every Member State should set a clear target for overall R&D expenditure for 2010. - A greater share of state aids (25%) and structural funding should be spent on R&D. - There should be a European Institute for Technology by the end of 2007. - To raise the marketable skills base of all citizens, the teaching of mathematics and foreign languages should be given greater priority in schools. 2. Freeing up SMEs and unlocking business potential - By 2007, Member States should each set up a one-stop shop to assist future entrepreneurs and so that businesses can fulfil all administrative requirements in one place. - The average time for setting up a business should be cut by half by the end of 2007 and then to one week or less. - Entrepreneurship education should be provided as part of the school curriculum for all pupils. - Every Member State should set up a system to properly measure administrative burdens. The Commission will launch a major exercise of its own to identify and propose how to reduce costs arising from EU rules or their implementation at national level. - The Commission will remove the obligation to notify certain categories of small state aids, which should help SMEs. 3. Getting people into work - To help increase employment rates and to finance pensions and health care for an ageing population, Member States should adopt a lifecycle approach to employment, with people of all ages offered the support they need. - Every young person who has left school or university should be offered a job, apprenticeship or additional training within six months of becoming unemployed by the end of 2007, and within 100 days by 2010. - There should be stronger efforts to meet national targets for the provision of affordable high-quality childcare and measures to achieve greater gender equality at work and to promote a work-life balance. - Active ageing should be implemented, with more training for those over 45, financial incentives for prolonging working lives and use of part-time work. - The Commission will organise an extraordinary social summit and present a report by the end of 2007 on the balance between flexibility and employment security (flexicurity). 4. Efficient, secure and sustainable energy The Commission pledges in the Report to galvanise Europe to meet the challenges of rising oil and gas prices and of cutting pollution. It delivers a blunt message to EU leaders: energy is a global issue that needs a European response. That means: - Better coordination between Europes electricity grids and gas pipeline systems, better regulation of energy markets and more competition. - More tax and other incentives to promote sustainable energy use and boost research into energy efficiency, clean energy and renewables. - Europe speaking with one voice in negotiations with the external suppliers who will supply more and more of our energy. - The Commission will publish a Green Paper with detailed proposals in early spring 2006. _________________________________________________________________________ Revista studenteasca INFORMIS este prima publicatie de informare si opinie din cadrul Universitatii Politehnica din Bucuresti, o revista realizata exclusiv de studenti si destinata acestora http://www.informis.ro _________________________________________________________________________ Nu poti merge in America oricand! Mergi ACUM! Prin Work&Travel 2006! http://www.ziptravel.ro Work and Travel USA este un program de munca si calatorii reglementat de Guvernul SUA, administrat de Departamentul de Stat _________________________________________________________________________ http://www.e-scoala.ro http://www.e-scoala.ro http://www.e-scoala.ro http://www.e-scoala.ro http://www.e-scoala.ro http://www.e-scoala.ro http://www.e-scoala.ro http://www.e-scoala.ro http://www.e-scoala.ro Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/infoupb/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
