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BackEurope is facing huge challenges. One of the measures to gain control of the situation was the introduction of the Europe 2020 Strategy at EU level. Targets were set in the areas of education, employment, research and development, combating poverty, including the famous “20-20-20” climate protection and energy target. However, a first analysis of the EU Commission has shown that Europe is currently far from achieving these targets in 2020. A great disappointment.
Progress report on the Europe 2020 Strategy sheds light on the interim result
With its progress report on the Europe 2020 Strategy, the EU Commission has presented a first analysis on the aimed at targets. Outlining five headline targets in the Strategy, the EU provided a clear picture of what it would like to have achieved by 2020: 75 % of the EU population aged 20 to 64 to have a job, 3 % of GDP of the EU to be spent on research and development and the “20-20-20” climate protection and energy targets to be accomplished. The share of early school leavers is to be reduced to below 10 % and at least 40 % of the younger generation should have a university degree or successfully completed tertiary level education. The number of people living in poverty or being socially excluded is to be reduced by at least 20 million. However, it is quite evident - even today - that the commitments assumed by the Member States are not sufficient to achieve the targets by 2020. This puts the five headline targets at risk. In view of the current difficult economic situation and the continued budget consolidation, the Member States will have to make additional efforts if they do not want to experience a great disappointment in a few years’ time.
EU Commission demands structural reforms
Which tasks have to be prioritized to achieve the Europe 2020 Strategy targets? According to the EU Commission, the focus has to be on implementing the country-specific recommendations to get Europe back on the right track. These are part of the first cycle of the economic governance the Council adopted in July. A need for action exists in particular with regard to opening the services markets, to improving the regulatory environment, to safeguarding the ability to raise capital and to promoting energy efficiency. It remains to be seen whether Europe will actually succeed in implementing the targets it has set itself.
Further information:
Progress report on the Europe 2020 Strategy
With its progress report on the Europe 2020 Strategy, the EU Commission has presented a first analysis on the aimed at targets. Outlining five headline targets in the Strategy, the EU provided a clear picture of what it would like to have achieved by 2020: 75 % of the EU population aged 20 to 64 to have a job, 3 % of GDP of the EU to be spent on research and development and the “20-20-20” climate protection and energy targets to be accomplished. The share of early school leavers is to be reduced to below 10 % and at least 40 % of the younger generation should have a university degree or successfully completed tertiary level education. The number of people living in poverty or being socially excluded is to be reduced by at least 20 million. However, it is quite evident - even today - that the commitments assumed by the Member States are not sufficient to achieve the targets by 2020. This puts the five headline targets at risk. In view of the current difficult economic situation and the continued budget consolidation, the Member States will have to make additional efforts if they do not want to experience a great disappointment in a few years’ time.
EU Commission demands structural reforms
Which tasks have to be prioritized to achieve the Europe 2020 Strategy targets? According to the EU Commission, the focus has to be on implementing the country-specific recommendations to get Europe back on the right track. These are part of the first cycle of the economic governance the Council adopted in July. A need for action exists in particular with regard to opening the services markets, to improving the regulatory environment, to safeguarding the ability to raise capital and to promoting energy efficiency. It remains to be seen whether Europe will actually succeed in implementing the targets it has set itself.
Further information:
Progress report on the Europe 2020 Strategy