Facing the challenge. The Lisbon strategy for growth and employment. Report from the High Level Group chaired by Wim Kok, November 2004

In March 2000, the European Council in Lisbon set out a ten-year strategy to make the EU the world's most dynamic and competitive economy. Under the strategy, a stronger economy would drive job creation alongside social and environmental policies that ensure sustainable development and social inclusion.

Amidst a growing realisation that progress on implementing the strategy was faltering the European Council in March 2004 decided to set up a High-Level Group to compile a report for the European Commission on ways of giving renewed stimulus to the Lisbon Strategy and to improve actual delivery. In April the Group was established under the chairmanship of Wim Kok, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands and with leading figures representing the different stakeholders (trade unions, business, political authorities, academics).

In November 2004 the report from the High-Level Group was published. It was called 'Facing the challenge'. The report concluded that the disappointing delivery of the strategy has been due primarily to a lack of determined political action. The agenda had been overloaded, co-ordination poor and there had been conflicting priorities. In the future the priority must be on initiatives to boost Europe's economic growth rate and increase employment. These initiatives can be grouped under five key policy areas: the knowledge society, the internal market, the business climate, the labour market and environmental sustainability. While suggesting that the European Council take the lead in driving the strategy forward, the Report also called on each Member State to prepare National Action Plans on delivering the strategy, with the first plans suggested for submission to the European Commission at the end of 2005.

The European Council in Brussels on the 4 November 2004 welcomed the report.

Formally, the report of the High-Level Group was submitted as a contribution to the preparation of the European Commission's Mid-Term Review of the Lisbon Strategy due to be presented to the Spring European Council, 22-23 March 2005. The new 5-year European Commission under Jos�anuel Barroso, which began in November 2004, was said to want progress on the Lisbon Strategy as one of its key objectives.

This In Focus brings together the key information sources on the Lisbon Strategy, on the Wim Kok report of November 2004, commentary on the likelihood of the strategy being successful, and a predefined search allowing subsequent information sources to be traced.

EU: Legislation and Policy Making

European Council, 4-5 November 2004: Presidency Conclusions

EU: Report

European Commission: Lisbon Strategy: Report: Facing the challenge. The Lisbon strategy for growth and employment. Report from the High Level Group chaired by Wim Kok, November 2004

EU: Background

	Economic and Social Committee: Press Release: CES/04/141, November 2004
	European Commission: Press Release: IP/04/518: President Prodi and Mr Wim Kok announce the establishment of the High-level Group on the Lisbon Strategy, April 2004
	European Commission: Lisbon Strategy
	EIROnline: Kok group issues report on Lisbon strategy, November 2004
	European Commission: EUR-OP: CORDIS News, 5.11.04: Kok report draws praise and criticism from Lisbon stakeholders
	European Commission: Lisbon Strategy: Press Release, 3.11.04: Kok report calls for more determined political action to revitalise Lisbon strategy

Stakeholder organisation

	ETUC: Press Release, 3.11.04: Social Europe as a driving force for economic growth: ETUC supports the Kok report, but regrets that social cohesion and sustainable development are neglected
	AmCham EU: AmCham EU Response to the Kok report, December 2004
	World Economic Forum: (WEF): The Lisbon Review 2004 - An assessment of policies and reforms in Europe
	Eurochambres: Press Release, 3.11.04: Kok-Report: EUROCHAMBRES welcomes report, and demands Member States act to avoid 'Lisbon tragedy'
	EuroCommerce: Press Release, 3.11.04: The Kok report: A good step in the right direction, but concrete actions needed!
	Social Platform: Social Platform responds to Kok Report, November 2004
	Social Platform: The goals of 'more and better jobs' and 'greater social cohesion' are as important as 'competitiveness' and 'growth'. A Social NGOs' review of the Lisbon strategy. Adopted by the members of the Social Platform on the 20th of October 2004

Commercial publisher and media

	Financial Times, 6.11.04: Leaders reject 'shaming' punishment for failure over job creation
	The Economist, No.8400, 6.11.04: Charlemagne. The Lisbon lament
	European Voice, Vol.10, No.33, 30.9.04: Dutch predict delay on target to be the world's top economy
	European Voice, Vol.10, No.43, 9.12.04: Kok report 'ignores' family firms
	Financial Times, 5.11.04: Europe should unshackle its house market
	Financial Times, 25.10.04: Kok blames EU leaders for competitivity failure
	European Voice, Vol.10, No.36, 21.10.04: Lisbon Agenda reduced to 'nothing', declares Kok
	Financial Times, 5.11.04: The Kok and bull story of Lisbon (editorial)
	Financial Times, 4.11.04: Schr�der to urge economic rethink for Europe
	Financial Times, 25.10.04: European efforts to catch US 'a failure'
	Financial Times, 7.10.04: Europe works out what's best for employees
	BBC News, 4.11.04: EU summit seeks economic revival
	BBC News, 3.11.04: EU 'failing' on economic promises
	BBC News, 3.11.04: Why few targets are better than many
	EUobserver.com, 5.11.04: Kok: Europe should not 'copycat' US
	EUobserver.com, 5.11.04: Crucial economic report arouses mixed reactions
	EUobserver.com, 3.11.04: Member states face being 'named and shamed' over EU economic goals
	EUobserver.com, 18.10.04: Europe's society under strain, says leaked economic report
	Financial Times, 26.10.04: Reviving Lisbon

Related Topic Guides / In Focus

	Topic Guide: European Economic Data
	In Focus: 2004 Spring Report - European Commission sets priorities for catching up with Lisbon agenda, January 2004
	In Focus: European Commission urges Member States to intensify efforts to help Europe become the world's most competitive economy by 2010, January 2003

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