Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - The European Interest: Succeeding in the age of globalisation - Contribution of the Commission to the October Meeting of Heads of State and Government
Date: 2007-10-03
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic and social cohesion, globalisation, summit meeting, the EU's international role

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 3.10.2007 
COM(2007) 581 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The European Interest: 
Succeeding in the age of globalisation 

Contribution of the Commission to the October Meeting of Heads of State and 
Government 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The European Interest: 
Succeeding in the age of globalisation 

Contribution of the Commission to the October Meeting of Heads of State and 
Government  

Introduction 

In recent years our response to globalisation has moved to the heart of the EU policy agenda. 
The relaunch of the Lisbon Strategy  in  Spring 2005 put Europe back on track to face up to 
competition as the touchstone for creating growth and jobs in the modern global economy. In 
their  informal  meeting  at  Hampton  Court  in  October  2005,  the  Heads  of  State  and 
Government  set  out  the  key  challenges  posed  by  globalisation  in  areas  like  innovation, 
energy,  migration,  education  and  demography1.  At  the  Spring  European  Council  in  2006,  it 
was agreed to move up a gear in the work of the renewed Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs 
to spearhead the response of the European economy. 2007 has seen agreement to put Europe 
in  the  forefront  of  global  efforts  to  tackle  climate  change  and  to  put  in  place  a  European 
policy  for  secure,  sustainable  and  competitive  energy  –  to  put  Europe  on  the  threshold  of  a 
third industrial revolution. 

At the same time, public awareness of globalisation has intensified. Globalisation is seen to 
touch every walk of life - opening doors, creating opportunities, raising apprehensions. It has 
called in question some of the basic assumptions about the world economy and the calculation 
of domestic economic interest. It has generated new expectations about how public authorities 
should help citizens to acclimatise to change. The European Union needs to draw together the 
threads of this debate and offer a coordinated response to this most demanding of challenges: 
to show citizens how the EU is the best tool to enable Europeans to shape globalisation. 

Fifty  years  of  European  integration  has  seen  the  economic  prospects  of  Member  States 
entwined as never before, bringing unprecedented social progress. This makes it essential for 
Europe  to  react  effectively  to  shifting  trends  in  the  global  economy.  It  can  only  do  this  by 
actively promoting the European interest as a specific objective, offering a coherence which 
national  action  alone  cannot  match.  The  European  interest  needs  to  be  specifically  defined, 
strongly articulated, stoutly defended, and vigorously promoted, if Europe is to offer the right 
platform for the future2. 

The purpose of this paper is to provide the basis for a strategic policy discussion between the 
Heads  of  State  and  Government  at  their  informal  meeting  on  18/19  October.  It  sets  out  the 
next steps on the path mapped out two years ago, and specifically describes how the Lisbon 

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Commission contribution: "European values in a globalised world" - COM(2005) 525, 20.10.2005. 
Commission Communication "Global Europe: competing in the world - COM(2006) 567, 4.10.2006. 

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strategy for growth and jobs can continue to provide the backbone for a European approach to 
globalisation. 

I. 

SHAPING UP TO GLOBALISATION  

At  Hampton  Court,  the  European  Union  outlined  the  range  of  issues  demanding  a  policy 
response  from  the  European  Union.  In  doing  so,  it  recognised  that  the  EU  of  27  Member 
States offers a route for Europe to act on a continental scale, with a critical mass and a reach 
which should be used to the greatest advantage. The European Union and its Member States 
could  offer  its  citizens  a  distinctive  European  response  to  a  series  of  complex  global 
challenges. 

This awareness of the unique potential offered by the European Union has come together with 
a  renewed  confidence  of  the  ability  of  the  Union  to  deliver  the  policy  agenda  in  practice. 
Concerns  about  the  EU's  ability  to  deliver  have  been  confounded  by  the  boldness  of  the 
decisions  taken  at  the  Spring  European  Council  of  2007,  and  by  the  progress  towards  the 
Reform Treaty. 

At the same time, the EU economy is performing well. The Lisbon strategy for growth and 
jobs  has  moved  to  the  centre  of  the  process  of  economic  reform.  Enlargement  has  given  an 
added  dynamism  to  European  growth.  Thanks  to  the  extension  of  the  internal  market  to 
twelve new Member States, the EU has achieved a smarter division of labour and economies 
of scale. Europe enjoyed strong growth and impressive job creation in 2006, with 3.5 million 
new  jobs.  And,  for  the  first  time  in  a  decade,  job  creation  has  gone  hand  in  hand  with 
productivity improvements. Growth is expected to remain around 2¾% this year on the back 
of a strong performance in the global economy. However, the recent financial turmoil and the 
likely slowdown in the US economy have substantially increased the risks for 2008. Against 
this  background,  the  EU  needs  a  consistent  and  assured  policy  response.  Sound 
macroeconomic policies are essential to reduce uncertainty. The euro has proved an anchor of 
stability  that  has  protected  the  EU  economy  as  a  whole,  not  only  the  euro  area.  Reforms 
carried  out  during  the  last  years  have  made  our  economies  more  resilient  and  will  help  us 
weather the storm. 

The  European  Union  has  to  build  on  these  strong  foundations.  Inside  the  EU,  this  means 
increasing  its  adaptability  in  order  to  provide  for  the  sustainable  well  being  of  its  citizens, 
young and old, in town or countryside, in all Member States. The freedoms which lie behind 
the Internal Market and the effectiveness of its dynamic competition policy have been married 
with  an  active  cohesion  policy  now  driven  by  the  growth  and  jobs  agenda,  spreading  and 
boosting  prosperity  across  all  Member  States  and all  regions,  in  recognition  of  the  need  for 
European principles of solidarity to be nurtured. 

Externally,  the  EU  is  prospering  from  its  openness  to  the  rest  of  the  world  –  in  economic 
terms, but also in terms of cultural and knowledge exchange, and in terms of the recognition 
given  to  European  values  worldwide.  As  the  world's  largest  exporter  of  goods  and  services 
and its largest importer of goods, the largest importer of energy, the second largest source and 
the second largest destination of foreign direct investment, the EU is a major beneficiary of an 
open  world  economic  system.  It  is  increasing  its  exports  of  high-quality,  high-value 
agricultural  products,  encouraging  farmers  to  respond  to  market  demands,  with  benefits  for 
our  environment  and  food  security.  It  has  an  obvious  stake  in  defining  the  rules  of  global 
governance in a way that reflects its interests and values. At the same time, it has a particular 

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responsibility  as  one  of  the  few  players  with  an  ability  to  tackle  global  issues:  security, 
climate  change,  poverty,  international  migration.  The  EU,  as  the  world's  largest  donor  of 
development  assistance  and  main  partner  for  a  large  number  of  third  countries,  takes  these 
responsibilities  seriously,  supporting  human  rights,  and  promoting  effective  multilateralism 
and sustainable development worldwide. The EU must use the available tools to the full if it is 
to strengthen its position in a globalised world. 

The EU is already working on many of the policy elements needed to equip it to take on the 
challenge of globalisation with confidence. As globalisation continues to accelerate the pace 
of change, these areas of work need to be stepped up to boost the capacity of the EU to shape 
the globalisation agenda. In the coming months, the Commission will be putting new ideas on 
the table to address these key challenges: fresh ideas built on the EU's commitment to open 
markets and fair competition. The EU remains committed to further breaking down barriers to 
trade and investment, while it will stand firm against unfair practises in trade, investment and 
distorted competition.  

Review  of  internal  policies  is  already  under  way,  aiming  to  reshape  Europe  to  face 
globalisation and give it the right platform to look beyond its borders: 

–  Getting the most from the Internal Market. The EU single market gives Europeans a solid 
foundation  on  which  to  adapt  to  globalisation  and  structural  change.  The  Commission  is 
finalising  its  work  on  the  ambitious  and  comprehensive  review  welcomed  by  the  2007 
Spring  European  Council3  which  must  ensure  that  the  Internal  Market  continues  to  drive 
European growth and jobs in the globalised world. The single market makes Europe more 
attractive for investors and companies from across the world and more influential in setting 
rules and standards worldwide. The goal is a Europe which can rely on a strong, innovative 
and  competitive  industrial  base,  which  realises  the  full  potential  of  services,  where 
consumers and entrepreneurs gain maximum benefits from the Internal Market, and where 
European standards can help build standards at the international level. 

–  Responding to Europe's new social realities. The ongoing stocktaking of Europe's social 
realities is looking at the big changes under way in employment patterns, family structures, 
lifestyles  and  in  traditional  support  structures,  reflecting  increasing  pressures  from 
demography  in  an  ageing  society.  This  will  require  a  new  approach  to  the  social  agenda 
with implications for both national and European level: we will need more effective means 
of  ensuring  citizens'  existing  rights  of  access  to  employment,  education,  social  services, 
health care and other forms of social protection across Europe. Globalisation is central to 
these new realities: in areas where the EU has a direct role, it must better adapt its existing 
instruments and policies, but also build on new policy responses such as the Globalisation 
Adjustment Fund and continue to respond to the legitimate concerns of people adversely 
affected by changes in trade patterns and by economic and social change. It must also be 
alive to the need to respond to new forms of poverty in our Member States. 

–  Migration  in  a  globalising  Europe  In  a  Europe  with  no  internal  borders,  the  changing 
demands of an ageing society and a labour market in constant evolution have challenged 
established  assumptions  about  migration  from  outside  the  EU.  A  new  global  approach  is 
needed  so  that  migration  strikes  the  right  balance  between  the  risk  of  labour  market 

3 

Presidency conclusions, European Council, 9 March 2007, paragraph 7. 

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shortages,  economic  impacts,  negative  social  consequences,  integration  policies  and 
external policy objectives. 

–  Sustainable energy policies for a low carbon future. The conclusions of the 2007 Spring 
European  Council  set  out  an  ambitious  EU  approach  to  energy  and  climate  change.  The 
goal is a radical new frontier for the European economy and European society. By the end 
of 2007 the Commission will have put forward the main legislative proposals to deliver on 
these  objectives  by  2020.  Putting  the  EU  on  the  path  to  a  low  carbon  future  demands  a 
huge commitment, but brings real opportunities: already, the eco-industry4 employs more 
than key sectors like car manufacturing or pharmaceuticals, and the EU's determination to 
act will give it a head start in developing new technologies and creating new jobs. 

–  Ensuring  financial  stability.  Recent  developments  have  brought  home  to  us  that  the 
stability of the increasingly globalised financial markets is vital for our economies and can 
by  no  means  be  taken  for  granted.  Financial  market  transparency,  effective  competition 
rules  and  appropriate  regulation  and  supervision  will  continue  to  be  crucial  to  both 
confidence and performance. The need for the euro to realise its potential as an important 
pole  of  stability  and  growth  in  the  global  economy  points  to  further  reflection  on  its 
representation in international financial institutions. 

At  the  same  time,  the  European  Union  needs  to  look  directly  at  the  external  dimension,  to 
consider  how  the  impact  of  the  collective  European  effort  can  be  maximised  and  how 
different internal and external policies can be harnessed to best effect. 

–  Mobilising the external dimension. An open global trading system is in the interest of the 
EU. Whilst the EU needs to protect its citizens, its interests and its values, protectionism 
cannot  be  the  solution.  As  the  world's  leading  trader  and  investor,  our  openness  allows 
lower  cost  inputs  for  industry,  lower  prices  for  consumers,  a  competitive  stimulus  for 
business,  and  new  investment.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  important  for  the  EU  to  use  its 
influence in international negotiations to seek openness from others: the political case for 
openness can only be sustained if others reciprocate in a positive manner. The EU needs to 
ensure  that  third  countries  offer  proportionate  levels  of  openness  to  EU  exporters  and 
investors  and  to  have  ground  rules  which  do  not  impinge  on  our  capacity  to  protect  our 
interests  and  to  safeguard  our  high  product  standards  relating  to  health,  safety,  the 
environment and consumer protection. Third country companies wishing to do business in 
the EU will not be allowed to by-pass the rules applied in the Internal Market. The same 
rules  must  apply  to  all  –  as  shown  in  the  recent  Commission  proposals  on  the  internal 
energy market. The confidence of consumers and market operators alike requires that third 
country investment respects accepted market principles. The way in which the EU applies 
its  rules  also  needs  to  reflect  the  changes  brought  by  globalisation  in  the  patterns  of 
ownership  and  interest  in  all  sectors.  We  should  build  on  the  comprehensive  agenda  for 
external  competitiveness  proposed  by  the  Commission  in  November  20065,  looking  at 
opening markets around the world and tackling the new barriers to trade and investment. 

–  Shaping global regulation. The global marketplace can work most effectively when there 
are common ground rules. The EU has a well developed regulatory regime based on years 

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OECD and Eurostat define as economic activities that produce goods and services to measure, prevent, 
limit, minimise or correct environmental damage to water, air and soil, as well as problems related to 
waste, noise and eco-systems. 
Global Europe: Competing in the world - COM(2006) 567, 4.10.2006. 

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of experience in helping its Member States to reconcile their different approaches and find 
the right mix to allow trade to flourish while respecting a minimum set of standards for its 
goods in areas like health and safety. A new international approach focusing on regulatory 
cooperation, convergence of standards and equivalence of rules is emerging as a result of 
sectoral  bilateral  discussions  with  third  countries.  This  approach  should  be  further 
developed in the mutual interests of the EU and its partners. 

Key  to  the  realisation  and  implementation  of  all  these  measures  is  the  Lisbon  Strategy  for 
growth  and  jobs.  The  goal  of  making  the  EU  a  dynamic,  competitive,  knowledge  based 
society  remains  essential.  The  Lisbon  toolbox  is  already  bringing  the  different  strands  of 
policy together to offer a more comprehensive vision of how the EU and Member States can 
work  in  harness  to  tackle  the  complex  issues  facing  Europe  today.  The  next  section  of  this 
paper sets out a vision of how the Lisbon Strategy should be developed in its next cycle, to 
take account of the challenges and opportunities of globalisation and to offer the foundations 
for the European response. 

II. 

DEEPENING THE REFORMS IN THE LISBON STRATEGY FOR GROWTH AND JOBS 

The Commission considers that the re-launch of the Lisbon Growth and Jobs Strategy in 2005 
has been a success. Viewed as a whole, it has helped to speed up the pace of reform, helping 
Member  States  to  implement  difficult  but  necessary  change.  Commission  assessments 
indicate that it has contributed to the recent improvement in the EU's economic performance.  

(i)  More growth and jobs through improved co-ordination 

The  new  governance  of  the  Lisbon  Strategy  for  growth  and  jobs,  with  its  emphasis  on 
partnership  between  the  European  and  the  Member  States  level,  has  proved  its  worth.  The 
integrated guidelines are fulfilling their role; they do not require major revision. However, the 
pace  of  implementation  is  uneven.  Member  States  obviously  have  very  different  starting 
points. But, even taking this into account, some Member States have proved more willing than 
others  to  take  up  the  challenge  to  "move  up  a  gear".  The  "implementation  gap"  cannot  be 
ignored. 

Member  States'  economies  have  become  highly  interdependent.  There  are  significant  spill-
over effects between them. Prosperity in one creates prosperity in the others; sluggishness in 
one  holds  the  others  back.  In  this  context,  sound  fiscal  policies  and  high-quality  public 
finances are of crucial importance: they pave the way for higher and sustainable growth, not 
only  because  they  free  up  resources  for  essential  investment,  but  because  they  improve  the 
stability of the European economy and society as a whole. 

It is essential to press on with reform. The adoption of country-specific recommendations this 
year represents a major step forward; Member States have agreed collectively what individual 
Member States should be doing to reform their economies. This is a first step towards the kind 
of stronger economic policy co-ordination needed to reap the full benefits. 

Strong policy co-ordination must fully respect the role and mandate of the Member States and 
the institutions, and it could be particularly beneficial to build on the Lisbon approach in the 
euro  area,  where  spill-over  effects  are  most  powerful  and  where  the  need  for  a  common 
agenda  is  strongest.  Sharing  a  common  currency  and  a  common  monetary  policy  offers  an 
extra dimension to coordination which could strengthen the role of the euro area in delivering 

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growth and jobs for the whole EU. The Commission will present a comprehensive review of 
the  functioning  of  EMU  to  mark  its  tenth  anniversary,  with  ideas  on  how  policies, 
coordination and governance can help the euro area to work to best effect. 

(ii) 

The policy orientations 

The four priority areas agreed by the 2006 Spring European Council provide the right frame 
for  the  Strategy  at  both  EU  and  national  level:  R&D  and  innovation,  the  right  business 
environment, investment in people, and energy and climate change. But in all four areas, there 
is a need to deepen the reform agenda if the real potential for growth and jobs is to be met. 

–  More R&D and innovation 

Globalisation has stepped up the pace of change – for technology, for ideas, for the way we 
work and live our lives. If Europe can unlock its potential for innovation and creativity, it can 
shape  the  direction  of  change  with  the  distinctive  European  values  and  cultural  diversity  so 
central  to  European  society6.  The  emphasis  in  this  area  has  been  on  increasing  R&D 
expenditure and Member States are making progress towards the 3% GDP target. All Member 
States have set national targets; the challenge for public and in particular the private sector is 
to meet them.  

But investment alone will not guarantee an improved R&D performance. We need a market 
which  cuts  the  lead  time  to  transform  innovation  into  new  products  and  services.  Europe 
needs the right conditions for research and innovation to flourish – such as attractive careers 
for  researchers,  a  modern  IPR  system  and  interoperable  standards.  A  knowledge  economy 
needs free movement for ideas and researchers, adding a "fifth freedom" to the four freedoms 
of the Internal Market and creating a genuine European Research Area.  

Work  needs  to  be  driven  forward  to  tackle  the  problems  of  fragmented  resources  and 
insufficient  scale,  and  to  develop  the  "knowledge  triangle"  of  research,  education  and 
innovation. This means helping Member States to pool resources in strategic research areas, 
modernising higher education, and creating innovative new infrastructures, to complement the 
European  Institute  of  Technology.  This  will  attract  the  best  researchers  and  promote 
breakthrough technologies.  

–  A more dynamic business environment 

SME and entrepreneurship has been put high on the reform agenda. The task now is to fully 
unlock  the  growth  and  jobs  potential  of  SMEs  and  make  full  use  of  their  innovative 
capacities.  The  Commission  will  seek  the  views  of  SMEs  and  their  representatives  to  help 
design a "Small Business Act" for Europe with a view to making a wide range of proposals to 
support SMEs by the end of 2008. 

The better regulation "culture" has begun to take root across the EU: the institutions need to 
lead the way. The Commission has made major changes in the way it develops new proposals 
and monitors implementation of the existing acquis. The European Parliament has also begun 
to use impact assessments but the Council has yet to begin to use it as a working tool. 

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An innovation-friendly, modern Europe - COM(2006) 589. 

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But  the  benefits  of  better  regulation  need  to  be  felt  at  all  levels.  All  Member  States  have 
agreed  to  set  targets  to  reduce  administrative  burdens  by  25%  by  2012.  As  well  as  cutting 
existing  burdens,  special  consideration  should  be  given  to  whether  all  the  administrative 
requirements  of  EU  legislation  need  to  be  applied  in  full  to  SMEs.  The  next  stage  is  to 
modernise public administrations so that they provide a transparent, predictable service and an 
effective means of redress. 

–  Greater employability and investment in people 

Both  globalisation  and  technological  change  risk  increased  inequality,  opening  up  the  gap 
between the skilled and the unskilled. The best solution is to help each individual to adapt, by 
improving the quality and availability of education and training for all ages. As recent studies 
have  underlined7,  this  is  not  only  a  matter  of  increasing  investment:  the  key  to  increased 
performance  lies  in  modernising  education  and  training  policies.  One  in  six  young  people 
leave school with no qualifications – without targeted support, they could be excluded from 
the knowledge economy, and vulnerable to the changes sparked by globalisation. 

There  is  a  growing  interest  in  "flexicurity."  This  can  help  people  to  manage  employment 
transitions  more  successfully  in  times  of  accelerating  economic  change.  By  upgrading  their 
skills,  and  protecting  people  rather  than  particular  jobs,  it  helps  people  to  move  into  better 
paid, more satisfying jobs, or even start their own businesses.  

The  Commission  has  proposed  common  principles  for  consideration  at  the  December 
European Council. These would offer Member States a basis to draw on as they work with the 
national  social  partners  to  adapt  flexicurity  to  national  circumstances  and  mainstream  this 
approach into their National Reform Programmes.  

More attention will also be given to active inclusion and equal opportunities. Adequate social 
protection should be promoted and the fight against poverty reinforced.  

–  Energy and climate change 

The ambitious targets set by the European Union to cut greenhouse gas emissions and drive 
low-carbon energy are based on two key foundations: a conviction that, with mechanisms like 
trading to let the market lead the process, fundamental change is within our economic reach; 
and confidence that there has been a real sea change in citizens' commitment to reform. The 
two legislative packages coming forward this autumn – on the internal energy market and on 
meeting the agreed targets – seek to provide an ambitious and effective framework to achieve 
secure, sustainable and competitive energy and to usher in a new generation of EU measures 
to cut emissions in areas from power generation to transport. At the same time, this ambitious 
approach  provides  the  best  possible  platform  for  international  negotiations  to  tackle  climate 
change worldwide. 

The  Lisbon  strategy  offers  a  framework  to  develop  national  measures  to  stimulate  the  low-
carbon economy, such as fiscal measures and incentives, and to see how effective measures in 
one Member State could be taken up by others. At the same time, the Strategy can promote a 
new  ecological  approach  to  industrial  and  innovation  policy  –  to  stimulate  and  mainstream 
sustainable and environmentally-friendly technologies. 

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"Education at a glance", OECD, 2007. 

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III. 

SETTING THE PACE FOR GLOBAL EUROPE 

The EU must be in a position to present to citizens with a compelling vision of how a global 
Europe is adapting to new needs while protecting their interests, reforming its economic and 
social  governance  to  ensure  continuing  prosperity,  solidarity  and  security  for  the  next 
generation  as  well  as  today's  citizens.  Meeting  challenges  of  this  scale  can  only  be  done 
effectively by making the most of the partnership between Member States and the EU level. 
Active  involvement  and  a  sense  of  stronger  ownership  by  all  actors  are  prerequisites  for  a 
successful Lisbon strategy. It will require a concerted commitment to engage in a capable and 
responsive communication strategy with EU citizens. 

The EU is in the process of deciding many different EU policy initiatives, each of which has 
its  own  logic  and  supporters.  The  particular  challenge  for  the  European  Council,  both  in 
October  2007  and  in  Spring  2008,  is  to  bring  these  different  initiatives  together  to  respond 
coherently to the internal and external challenges faced by the EU in this era of globalisation. 
It is clearer than ever that the EU can only achieve its objectives at home by being active and 
united  on  the  global  stage:  and  that  its  internal  policies  must  be  harnessed  and  sometimes 
adjusted to achieve external goals. EU and national measures need to work together to gear up 
European action. 

This  puts  the  onus  on  each  Member  State  to  take  up  the  challenge  of  economic  and  social 
reform and to help Europe – at both the EU and the national level – to prepare to benefit from 
globalisation. At the same time, the Commission will bring forward detailed initiatives as set 
out in this paper, bringing out how the European dimension can offer a long term vision and a 
reach beyond the capacity of individual Member States. 

The  Informal  European  Council  provides  an  opportunity  to  bring  a  comprehensive 
perspective, and to confirm that the areas of work described in this paper represent the right 
range of measures. European leaders need to have a clear vision of the key building blocks for 
European action: 

•  On the key messages to communicate to citizens about Europe's response to globalisation 

•  On how the different elements of internal and external EU action should be drawn together 

•  On how national and EU efforts can be coordinated to offer the greatest benefits to citizens 

and consumers 

This  should  be  the  platform  for  the  2008  Spring  European  Council  as  the  key  annual 
rendezvous for the Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs, to draw the threads together: to show 
how  our  new  policy  agenda,  matched  by  a  renewed  political  impetus,  will  make  Europe  a 
confident and successful player in the age of globalisation. 

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