Europe 2020: a strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

This report contends that Europe is in transformation and that the crisis has wiped away years of economic and social progress and exposed the weaknesses in the economy leading to need to collectively, as the European Union (EU), take charge of the future. Europe 2020 revolves around three interconnected priorities: (1) smart growth (developing a knowledge and innovation based economy); (2) sustainable growth (promoting resource efficiency and competitiveness in a greener economy); and (3) inclusive growth (fostering social and territorial cohesion in a high-employment economy). The report describes a number of headline targets, including: (1) 75 per cent of work-able people to be employed; (2) three per cent of the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) should be invested in research and development; (3) early school leavers should number no more than 10 per cent and at least 40 per cent of the younger generation should have a tertiary degree; and (4) 20 million fewer people should be at risk of poverty. A list of initiatives are given to help member states deliver the 2020 goals. These initiatives are divided into EU level actions and Member State actions. The report gives a strategy for exit from the current crisis in pursuance of its long-term goals. The report concludes with a list of decisions to be made at the European Council’s spring meeting for 2010. Show less