Throughout the second semester 2004, the Lisbon Strategy, approved in the European Council in Lisbon in March 2000, has been subject to analysis aiming to explore new ways for the development and revitalization of the EU social and economic development plan until 2010.
It is the case of the EU Economic Renewal – 2004 published by the European Commission last 26 October, which provides a deep analysis of the main areas where reforms are needed allowing to face the EU structural productivity issue. This document underlines, in particular, the structural stiffness in investment and the verified imperfect competition, namely, in the services sector as factors that contribute to a slow European economic recovery.
Also the document “Facing the challenge - The Lisbon strategy for growth and employment“, of the High Level Group, submitted by the European Council on 4 and 5 November, presents the materialization of the information society as one of the five priority areas where the EU Member-states should invest, in order to ensure dynamism of the economy inside the Union. The Council recommendations were, namely, fostering of e-government, increase of broadband access, into levels of, at least, 50% until 2010.
Finally, the EU Dutch presidency submitted, at the end of August 2004, the report “Rethinking the European ICT Agenda”, containing ten breakthroughs to revitalize Lisbon Agenda, namely the ICT sector: to encourage evolution of e-Business and e-Government policy from connectivity to uptake of complex ICT applications; standardization ICT environments in Europe to trigger and enable new business; to accelerate the introduction of new technologies; to enforce the vision of “any content, anytime, anywhere, any platform ”; to develop a strategic response to job migration to low-wage countries ; to remove barriers for the development of an innovating European electronic communications sector; to materialize a new flexible model of spectrum allocation; to replace the “access for all” policy by a“skills for all” policy.
Based on these contributions and on the Sustainable Development Strategy Review, which shall probably be adopted soon, the European Commission will submit by the end of January 2005, proposals for Lisbon Mid-Term Review, to be approved by the European Council in the Spring 2005.
Further information:
- Estratégia de Lisboa (em inglês) http://europa.eu.int/comm/lisbon_strategy/index_en.html
- The EU Economy 2004 Review http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/the_eu_economy_review2004_en.htm
- Facing the challenge - The Lisbon strategy for growth and employment - Report from the High Level Group chaired by Wim Kok, November 2004 http://europa.eu.int/comm/lisbon_strategy/pdf/2004-1866-EN-complet.pdf
- Rethinking the European ICT Agenda http://www.pwc.com/Extweb/pwcpublications.nsf/docid/EC6DE73A846581CE80256EFD002E41FB/$file/pwc_rethinking_european_ict_agenda.pdf
- Conselho dos Transportes, Telecomunicações e Energia, 9 de Dezembro de 2004 http://www.eu2004.nl/default.asp?CMS_ITEM=0DA09F4C30CD418A85B660C59A8A61C0X1X50806X08
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- European Commission Communication on eEurope 2005 Action Plan https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=202719
- EU - European Union https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=66653
