Resolution of the European Economic and Social Committee to the "Spring European Council of 21 March 2003"
Date: 2003-02-27
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: economic and social cohesion, environmental policy, sustainable development

23.4.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 95/59

7.3.
The EESC calls on the Commission to produce an
annual or bi-annual scoreboard on progress in sustainable
in connection with the annual or bi-annual
development,

Stakeholder Forum that has been envisaged in cooperation
between the Commission and the EESC.

Brussels, 27 February 2003.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Roger BRIESCH

Resolution of the European Economic and Social Committee to the ‘Spring European Council of
21 March 2003’

(2003/C 95/15)

At its 397th plenary session on 26 and 27 February 2003 (meeting of 27 February), the European
Economic and Social Committee adopted the following Resolution by 126 votes, with 1 abstention: ‘The
Lisbon strategy is in trouble’.

The Commission Report to the Spring European Council on
the Lisbon strategy of economic, social and environmental
renewal makes it evident that although some progress has
been made, implementation of the strategy is falling seriously
behind schedule. With the Lisbon strategy (and its objective
for the EU to become the most competitive and dynamic
knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable
economic growth with more and better jobs and greater
social cohesion) in trouble, the EU strategy for sustainable
development based on the interdependence of economic,
social and environmental considerations is also falling behind.
The Report indicates growing disparities between Member
States in the implementation of the strategy as a whole.

The EESC calls for efforts to be made to implement the Lisbon
strategy (as completed by the Göteborg European Council)
comparable to those deployed to bring about the single
market and the single currency. It calls for a much stronger
commitment by Member States, but also by European insti-
tutions, regions, social partners and civil society as a whole to
work towards the Lisbon objectives, including presentation of
detailed progress reports.

vision for the future, based on citizens’ involvement, ensuring
a more balanced distribution of the wealth produced and the
surplus created by modern technology.

The Göteborg European Summit established a new approach
to policy-making, stipulating that the economic, social and
environmental effects of all policies should be examined in a
coordinated way and taken into account in decision-making.
The integration of sustainable development into the Lisbon
strategy presents a particular challenge not yet met by the
European institutions or by Member States.

The EESC considers that in the present political and economic
climate it is all the more important that the EU gives a stronger
message on the importance of pushing ahead with the Lisbon
objectives and with sustainable development.

The EESC strongly believes that the Lisbon objectives remain
relevant and necessary. Efforts need to be made to rebuild
confidence among European citizens and to create a positive

The new Member States will automatically be partners in the
Lisbon strategy and the EU sustainable development strategy,
although neither were included in the discussion of the acquis
communautaire. The EESC considers it is essential to facilitate
efforts by the accession countries to speed up implementation
of the strategy.

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Official Journal of the European Union

23.4.2003

The economic situation

The economic situation has worsened in the last two years and
current international tensions are not favourable to an up-
turn. Without strong and sustainable economic growth it will
be difficult to reach the other objectives agreed in Lisbon. The
EESC therefore recommends:

— better targeting,

in the current circumstances, of the
Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and of the application
of the Stability and Growth Pact, stressing the growth
element, to favour sustainable economic activity, the
preservation of individual purchasing power and employ-
ment;

— assuring in particular a more efficient co-ordination in
the euro-group and on that basis a strengthening of its
role in European bodies and institutions;

— balancing the system for taxes and social security charges
to ensure both better investment and adequate and
sustainable social protection;

objectives and be followed up by the European Commission.
Actions taken within the employment strategy should be
adapted and differentiated to the needs of the individuals and
enterprises. This calls for partnerships between actors at all
levels.

The EESC calls for particular focus on actions to implement
guidelines on

— Basic education and life long learning

— Entrepreneurship

— Management of migratory flows

— An inclusive society for disabled and other disadvantaged

groups

— Gender balance.

— relaunching the single market in key sectors such as
the Community Patent, and a fully simplified, quality
regulation;

Sustainable development

— encouraging business innovation, competitiveness and
entrepreneurship, including an optimal use of the oppor-
tunities offered by the Sixth Framework Programme for
Research.

Employment

The EESC regrets that sustainable development is still not fully
integrated in the Lisbon strategy and recognised as one of the
EU’s most important and wide-ranging challenges.

The EESC calls on the Spring European Council to firmly re-
establish sustainable development as an overarching priority
for the European Union, underlining the interdependence
between sustainable development and economic growth and
employment as emphasised in the Göteborg Summit con-
clusions.
It emphasises the crucial role of research and
development for sustainable development and the implemen-
tation of the Lisbon strategy.

The EESC supports the three objectives (full employment,
quality and productivity at work, cohesion and an inclusive
labour market) in the proposal on the future of the European
Employment Strategy and fewer, more stable and better
targeted employment guidelines. The Committee reiterates its
demands for improved coordination between the Economic
Guidelines and the Employment Strategy in order to achieve
these three objectives.

The EESC emphasises that it
is of high importance that
sustainable development be integrated in practical and concrete
terms in the Lisbon strategy. It emphasises some of the issues
where integration is particularly essential: more vigorous
support for private and public investments in new and clean
technology and equipment, new efforts for improving quality
of work, and a new wide consultation on setting prices on the
use of natural resources.

The EESC calls for the Member States to involve the social
partners and other civil society organisations to draw up more
precise objectives and measures at national and regional level.
These should contribute to the fulfilment of the European

In a longer-term perspective, the EU will have to find new
strategies for energy supply and conservation. The EESC calls
on the European Council to signal the start of a coherent
action to lower dependence on fossil fuels.

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 95/61

In conclusion, the EESC recalls that the Lisbon Summit called
upon enterprises, social partners and civil society in general to
in the implementation of the Lisbon
take an active part

strategy. The EESC will pay particular attention to ensuring
that this happens.

Brussels, 27 February 2003.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Roger BRIESCH