European strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

As a follow-up to the consultation process on the post-Lisbon Strategy, the European Commission last week published its proposals for the EU2020 strategy centred on three focal priorities: smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

According to Euro Chambres and Business Europe, to which the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry is affiliated, this publication represents a sound business plan to enhance the EU's growth and competitiveness in the years to come. However, both bodies warn these priorities and targets will prove futile if national governments do not pursue them thoroughly through their domestic agendas.

It is critical that the European Council reinforce the sense of urgency through implementation and monitoring processes, they said.

Euro Chambres has compiled a list of proposals on how the Europe 2020 headline targets can be delivered. These proposals include a call for a Pact For Sustainable Employability: establishing the framework for effective collaboration between training organisations, universities, businesses and public authorities to ensure that the provision of training responds to the results of skills forecasting.

Research and development must respond to the needs of businesses, which in turn requires far closer links between business and the research community;

Employability as a key indicator of education systems: tertiary education must be more demand-driven and should embrace vocational education;

Employment as an effective route to poverty reduction: businesses are key actors in reducing the poverty gap. Designing tools that would "match the unmatched" could cut unemployment substantially.