European Commission

In presenting his programme for the new Commission, President Barroso set out his vision for where the European Union should be in 2020. He believes that the exit from the current crisis should be the point of entry into a new sustainable social market economy, a smarter, greener economy where our prosperity will result from innovation and from using resources better, and where knowledge will be the key input. To make this transformation happen, Europe needs a common agenda: the EU 2020 strategy.

This strategy should enable the EU to make a full recovery from the crisis, while speeding up the move towards a smart and green economy. EU 2020 will build on the successes obtained by the Lisbon strategy since its 2005 relaunch, which focused on growth and jobs, but will also address some of the Lisbon strategy's shortcomings.

The Commission has for this purpose drafted an evaluation document of the Lisbon strategy.

The Commission will shortly present a formal proposal for the EU 2020 strategy, with a view to the EU's Heads of State and government adopting the strategy at their spring 2010 meeting. The Commission therefore launched a public consultation on the EU 2020 strategy in November 2009, which closed on 15th January 2010.

Around 1500 contributions have been received from a wide range of interested parties: Member States, European and national organisations, European and national social partners, regional and local authorities, business and professional federations, companies, NGOs, think tanks and academics and numerous European citizens. Some non-EU countries and stakeholders also responded.

A first overview of responses has been prepared by the Commission to provide preliminary indications as to the main trends emerging from the consultation. A more detailed analysis of the contributions will be issued by the Commission mid-February.

All responses to the consultation will be available soon on the consultation website.