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Europaudvalget 2002-03
EUU Alm.del Bilag 696
Offentligt

Medlemmerne af Folketingets Europaudvalg

og deres stedfortrædere

Bilag

Journalnummer

400.C.2-0

Kontor

EU-sekr.

11. marts 2003

Til underretning for Folketingets Europaudvalg vedlægges dansk positi-

onspapir vedr. Lissabon-processen til Det Europæiske Råds møde i Bru-

xelles den 21. marts 2003 vedr. ”One Europe: Reform, Implementation,

Growth”.

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One Europe:Reform, Implementation, Growth

Position of

the Government of Denmark onthe Lisbon Process in view of the

Spring European Council 2003

Enlargement presents a unique opportunity for prosperity

and long-term sustainable development in Europe. At the

Spring Council of 2003, the European Union must seize this

opportunity and set a clear agenda for utilizing the potential

in the enlarged European Union.

Urgent action is needed if the Lisbon process is to remain

viable. Delayed and insufficient reforms have contributed to

the widening of the productivity gap between the EU and

the US. Therefore, the Spring Council must focus on effec-

tively strengthening the reform process. Momentum from

recent decisions on energy liberalization and Single Euro-

pean Sky must be maintained.

We must promote the comprehensive reforms that are abso-

lutely necessary to close the delivery gap and meet existing

objectives. We must complete the internal market, promote

entrepreneurship, simplify and reduce the administrative

burden, strengthen innovation and improve access to financ-

ing. Focus must be on implementation of reforms and exist-

ing objectives and on promoting framework conditions.

Member States must implement directives relevant to Lis-

bon targets. For the acceding countries in particular, the

Lisbon process will be instrumental in drawing full advan-

tages from enlargement.

Implementation of structural reforms and sound public fi-

nances support each other, in generating growth and high

employment.

At the Spring Council, the European Union must heed the

call of Choosing to Grow by taking action in the following

priority areas:

Seizing the opportunity of an enlarged EU

to promote Lisbon objectives

Several acceding countries already have high economic

growth rates and perform well in areas such as conditions

for start-ups or telecommunications. A European Area of

Research and Innovation spanning 25 countries entails vast

possibilities for knowledge-based growth. Full participation

in the single market by acceding countries is dependent on

the elimination of both legal and non-legal barriers. Maxi-

mum economic gain for an EU of 25 can only be achieved if

structural reform is accelerated by all members and the Lis-

bon objectives are met.

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The Lisbon process is a framework well suited for exchang-

ing experience and best practices in the field of structural

economic reform. Specific initiatives should be encouraged,

including:

•

Extending the knowledge and information society to the

benefit of all in the EU of 25. Research and develop-

ment activities in acceding countries must be integrated

as part of the Sixth Framework Programme.

Undertaking a targeted effort towards increasing pro-

ductivity and raising the technological as well as Human

Capital level in the private sector.

Promoting cooperation in order to facilitate the smooth

functioning of cross-border labour markets, including

through sectoral programs for exchange and profes-

sional training.

Utilizing the growth potential in the service sector in

particular Business-to-Business by strengthening the

framework conditions.

Addressing bottlenecks and interoperability problems

between national energy systems and national transport

systems, thus removing barriers to the smooth function-

ing of the internal market.

Promoting cross-border cooperation in the field of envi-

ronmental protection and renewable energy.

•

Promoting labour market reform and creating inclusive

labour markets

The EU is challenged by a major delivery gap with respect

to labour market policies. Both announced and actual poli-

cies are far from agreed targets. Early retirement is among

the most pressing problems. The European Council must

meet the challenge of increasing labour supply and em-

ployment and making work pay by:

•

Promoting comprehensive changes in transfer sys-

tems taking into account interaction with tax sys-

tems.

•

Job protection rules should strike a proper balance

between flexibility and security. More flexible job

protection rules should be considered.

•

Promoting increases in the effective age of retirement

towards the Barcelona target, inter alia by improving

opportunities for elder workers to remain active.

•

Promoting an inclusive labour market through an ef-

fective active labour market policy targeted at real

jobs for the unemployed and inactive, avoiding social

exclusion.

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•

Promoting integration of all groups in the labour

markets as part of effective integration policies.

•

Stopping the trend towards shorter working hours in

high employment member states.

•

Promoting cost-effective measures in labour market

reform with a view to the sustainability of public fi-

nances.

Improving framework conditions for enterprises including

SME's: A motor for growth in the EU of 25

•

Maintaining the target of 98,5 per cent and 100 per

cent implementation of directives for next spring

summit.

•

Formulating EU’s operative business policy that fo-

cuses on competitiveness and framework conditions

for enterprises, the completion of the single market

as well as the integration of SME’s from acceding

countries.

•

Ensuring an improved international allocation of

economic resources through a successful Doha-round

enhancing international trade thereby achieving im-

proved competitiveness and economic growth.

•

Creating better and simpler regulation: Implement

The Action Plan effectively, including the rolling

programme for simplification. Adopt the IIA as soon

as possible.

•

Adopting the action plan on company law and corpo-

rate governance by the end of 2004.

•

Reducing state aid levels, in particular the most dis-

torting measures for specific firms or sectors. Com-

mitting to a reduction of 10 per cent of overall state

aid levels from 2003 to 2004.

•

Maintaining momentum in the creation of an internal

market for financial services through agreement on

the application of the Lamfalussy procedure on bank-

ing, insurance and financial conglomerates and final

adoption of the directives on prospectuses and pen-

sion funds before July 2003 and final adoption of the

investment services directive before March 2004.

Implement The Risk Capital Action plan by 2003.

•

Inviting the Commission to present a framework di-

rective on the removal and monitoring of both legal

and non-legal barriers to the internal market for ser-

vices with a view to adoption during 2004.

Strengthening knowledge, research and innovation and

promoting clean technologies

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The right framework conditions and effective use of funds

available are particularly important with respect to the pro-

motion of innovation and private sector research in order to

ensure maximum return on investment.

•

Promoting public – private interaction.

•

Establishing innovative environments linking knowl-

edge and capital. Facilitation of Risk Capital.

•

Orienting research programmes towards sectors of

high potential growth and increase the commerciali-

sation of research results.

•

Education and training programs must continue to

foster transparency, recognition of qualifications and

quality assurance and build upon the Detailed Work

Programme on the Objectives, the Copenhagen Dec-

laration on vocational education and training and the

Bologna process in higher education.

•

Giving special attention to the development of new

content and services in the areas of the four main pil-

lars of eEurope2005; eGovernment, eLearning,

eHealth and eBusiness. Promote participation by ac-

ceding countries with a view to creating an inclusive

information society.

•

Biotechnology for the future: speedily implementing

the Commission Action Plan on Biotechnology ac-

cording to the road map adopted by the Competitive-

ness Council in November 2002.

•

Utilizing the growth potential in Clean Technologies,

including environmental technologies, not least with

a view to capturing and sequestering CO2.

Leading The Sustainable Development Agenda Beyond

Doha, Monterrey and Johannesburg

•

Maintaining global leadership for sustainable devel-

opment by ensuring coherence between internal and

external policies and commitments. This includes ag-

riculture and fisheries policies and the Cardiff Proc-

ess on the integration of environmental objectives in

other sectors.

•

Promoting sustainable production and consumption,

including encouraging that developed countries

should take the lead in decoupling economic growth

from unsustainable natural resource use and envi-

ronmental degradation. This objective should be

achieved in the most cost effective way.

•

Supporting the alleviation of global poverty by in-

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creasing development assistance in line with the in-

ternationally agreed goal of 0.7% of GDP, including,

as a first step, the timely delivery of the increase of

development assistance to an EU average of

ODA/GNI 0.39 % by 2006.

•

Ensuring a joint follow-up to Johannesburg including

further development and implementation of the EU

water and energy initiatives.