XVIth EPP CONGRESS The EPP: Your Majority in Europe 4 - 5 February 2004 European Parliament BRUSSELS

Resolution adopted by the XVIth EPP Congress
SPRING EUROPEAN COUNCIL 2004


Swift implementation of Lisbon reforms for more growth and employment in Europe


The EPP fully backed the objectives of the 10-year modernising strategy agreed in March 2000 by the European Council meeting in Lisbon. However, the programme has been undermined by too many Member States not putting into effect agreed reforms.

The EPP now calls upon the European Council to

1. Speed up all structural reforms necessary to regain a high level of competitiveness, and to increase growth and employment;

2. Adhere strictly to the Stability and Growth Pact, and improve its future enforcement by conferring increased powers to the Commission within the Pact's surveillance and decision-making mechanisms, in particular, the effective responsibility for giving an early warning when Member States risk failing to fulfill the provisions of the Pact as well as for deciding on eventual further measures to be taken, including legal proceedings in case of a breach of the Stability and Growth Pact. As for this, the EPP will support all steps undertaken for implementation;

3. Recognise that the main driving forces for employment and innovation are in the business, educational and research spheres, not in bureaucratic processes with too many reports and not enough action;

4. Put the emphasis on

competitiveness, by laying sound bases for enterprise and innovation;

employment, with priority to more flexibility of labour markets,

5. Complement the employment strategy by

a managed migration policy which responds to specific national labour market situations, and to the necessity for countries of origin to benefit from the experience gained by their nationals in the EU;

the creation of 'family-friendly' environments which help young families to combine work with their wish to have children;

6.Press on with securing early agreement on key internal market proposals such as the Community patent and the recognition of professional qualifications; integrating financial and other services; implementing legislation correctly and on time;

7. In high-tech sectors such as aeronautics, space and nanotechnology, support a consolidated European approach (e.g. Galileo), based on improving competitiveness; help firms in sectors facing decline to manage change, with the constructive involvement of employees;

8. Release the job-creation potential of SMEs and start-ups through

reducing red-tape nationally and at European level, notably through impact assessments which identify the 'price tag' of new proposals,

reforming personal and corporate tax systems, by drawing on experience which has worked for SMEs and start-ups elsewhere;

9. In the education and training sphere, help people of all ages and backgrounds to develop their own lives through

the establishment of the European Higher Education Area, enabling students to choose high-quality courses from a Europe-wide offer;

training in essential skills in, for example, the provision of personal services, including to the handicapped;

10. In order to create the kind of dynamics required to achieve the objectives set out on Lisbon we need to do more than just reform national rules and regulations, improve the structures of the financial markets and increase overall investment levels. One of the most decisive factors is promoting “knowledge production”, which means adapting all relevant policies to people’s abilities to learn, to change, to reform.

11. Pursue a sustainable development strategy which exploits the contribution research into new technologies can make to energy efficiency and a cleaner environment;

12. Prepare for the mid-term review in 2005 by the 25 Member States, the new European Parliament in its role as co-legislator, and the new Commission, leading to a credible strategy and a road map for the EU and Member States to follow to 2010.