Europe 2020

Europe 2020 is an applied ten-year economic program of the European Union, which was officially proposed on 3 March 2010 by the European Commission and adopted in June 2010 by the European Council. The goal is " smart, sustainable and inclusive growth " with a better coordination of national and European economy. Europe 2020 is the successor to the Lisbon Strategy, which was followed from 2000 to 2010.

Focus

The priorities of the program are to foster research and development (R & D ) as well as higher education and lifelong learning in order to increase economic growth, on a better social integration, and a promotion of environmentally friendly technologies. These goals are very similar to the main objectives of the Lisbon strategy.

Objectives and initiatives

The formulated in detail for the year 2020 objectives of the proposed strategy include:

• Increasing the employment rate of the population between 20 and 64 years from the current 69 % to at least 75 %,
• Increasing investment in R & D to at least 3 % of gross domestic product, in particular by improving the conditions for R & D investment in the private sector,
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% compared to 1990, increasing the share of renewable energy to 20 % and increase energy efficiency by 20 %,
• The reduction in the proportion of early school leavers from the current 15 % to 10% and the increase of college graduates aged 30 to 34 from the current 31 % to at least 40 %,
• The reduction in the proportion of citizens below the respective national poverty line by 25 %, lifting 20 million citizens to escape from poverty.

These objectives will be achieved in particular by seven flagship initiatives:

• Innovation Union: improving conditions and financial support for R & D investment in the private sector,
• Youth on the Move: improving education systems and promote international attractiveness of higher education in Europe,
• Digital Agenda: expansion of broadband Internet and promotion of a common market for Internet -related services, as well as universal access to faster network access,
• Resource-efficient Europe: decoupling of economic growth from the consumption of natural resources by promoting renewable energy sources, modernize the transport sector and promote energy efficiency,
• Industrial policy for the globalization era: improving the business environment, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, development of a globally competitive and sustainable industrial sector,
• Agenda for new skills and jobs: modernization of the labor market by promoting labor mobility and lifelong learning, so that labor demand and supply better match,
• European Platform against Poverty: ensuring social and territorial cohesion, so that benefits of growth are shared widely and people living in poverty have the opportunity to live in dignity and take an active part in society.

Development and political debate

A first draft of the Europe 2020 Strategy was published by the Commission for Citizens' Consultation in November 2009, the official proposal took place in early March 2010. 's Strategy is one of the priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the EU in 2010 and was on 17 June 2010 by the European Council approved. The Commission's proposals received in advance from various sites on Criticism: So they were accused of being too long-term view and to provide little short-term approaches to overcome the international financial crisis.

In addition, it was criticized that Europe 2020 no significant differences among the priorities of the Lisbon Strategy set, which was, however, been little success in implementing its goals. Controversy was, therefore, how better compliance of the objectives could be achieved by the nation states. The Spanish Presidency of the EU was therefore the beginning of 2010 the introduction of sanctions against Member States requires that did not meet the objectives of the strategy. This proposal met with strong opposition in particular the German Federal Government. She stresses that it on the Lisbon Strategy would be no fundamental change, but a " consistent application and monitoring of the existing regulatory framework ." In February 2010, the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, suggested that instead of sanctions for countries that did not meet the objectives of introducing financial rewards for the successful states.

In the German civil society Europe was discussed in 2020 as an old wine in new bottles. The German Confederation of Trade Unions emphasized: " Not competitiveness and the market should be the focus, but sustainability, solidarity, cohesion and equality. "

The Federal Association of German Industry criticized in its opinion, inadequate focus on issues of energy policy. But youth associations criticized the strategy. They fear cuts in the funding of youth programs.