Written answers

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Department of Foreign Affairs

Europe 2020 Strategy

10:00 am

Photo of Lucinda CreightonLucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 36: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the finalisation of Europe 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29669/10]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government welcomes the new Strategy which was adopted by the European Council on 17 June and fully supports the core elements as they have been agreed. We believe that the Strategy will provide an essential framework for action by the EU and its Member States to achieve higher levels of sustainable jobs and growth as economic recovery is secured.

We are very satisfied with the broad thrust of the five EU headline targets which the European Council have agreed upon, which are: to raise to 75% the employment for women and men aged 20 - 64; raising investment in research and development, including innovation to 3% of GDP; reducing greenhouse gases by 20% compared with 1990 levels; increasing the share of renewable in energy consumption to 20% and working towards a 20% increase in energy efficiency; improving education levels by reducing the school drop-out rates to 10% and increasing the share of 30 – 40 year-olds having completed tertiary or equivalent education to at least 40%; and promoting social inclusion, in particular through reduction of poverty by aiming to lift at least 20 million people out of risk of poverty. As I have mentioned before, we have already exceeded the 40% target for tertiary education and are close to the 10% drop-out rate target at 11.3%.

This choice of targets is consistent with the desire to keep the Strategy focused on key policies which can be mobilised to unlock the growth potential of the European Union. The targets on greenhouse gas reduction and increasing the share of renewables had already been agreed by the European Council in the context of the EU's negotiating position in the UN Conference on Climate Change. The targets also have the added potential for inter-linkage, where progress under one target can contribute to reaching another. In particular, we welcome the conclusions agreed by the European Council on this new Strategy which noted that "a sustainable, productive and competitive agricultural sector will make an important contribution to the new Strategy, considering the growth and employment potential; of rural areas while ensuring fair competition". We believe that this provides a most useful platform on which to build linkages between this Strategy and the agriculture and food sector.

The Strategy will provide an essential framework for action by the EU and its Member States to achieve higher levels of sustainable jobs and growth as economic recovery is secured. We now look forward to the implementation of the Strategy at Member State and EU level. Over the months ahead, we will be taking the necessary measures at national level, supported as appropriate, by action at EU level, to set this ten year Strategy in motion.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.