Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the implementation strategy of the specific proposals contained in the EU 2020 policy document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39308/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the new Europe 2020 Strategy which was adopted by the European Council on 17 June and the Government fully supports the core elements. I believe that the Strategy will provide an essential framework for action by the EU and Member States to achieve higher levels of sustainable jobs and growth as economic recovery is secured. As the Deputy will be aware, the European Council has agreed five headline targets in the areas of: employment; research and development, including innovation; climate change and energy; education; and social inclusion, in particular poverty. Following the identification of these EU level targets attention now shifts to the substantial body of work which must be undertaken, both at national and EU level, to ensure that this Strategy is implemented.

The June European Council also endorsed the first of the Commission's Flagship Initiatives, a "Digital Agenda for Europe". It focuses on the 21st century technologies and on-line services that will enable Europe to boost job creation, promote economic prosperity and improve the daily lives of EU citizens and businesses in a variety of ways. The overall aim of is to deliver sustainable economic and social benefits from a digital single market based on fast and ultra fast internet and interoperable applications. Successful delivery of the Digital Agenda will spur innovation, economic growth and improvements in daily life for both citizens and businesses.

In September, the Commission launched "Youth on the Move", a Flagship Initiative aimed at helping young people to gain knowledge, skills and experience. It is aimed at making education and training more relevant to young people's needs and encouraging more of them to take advantage of EU grants to study or train in another country. This will increase young people's employability and access to the labour market.

Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, earlier this month, launched the "Innovation Union" Flagship Initiative. The Innovation Union initiative is intended to remove obstacles to innovation by mobilising greater venture capital and unifying Europe's fragmented research system. It also aims to refocus R&D and innovation policy on the pressing challenges facing society, such as climate change, energy and resource efficiency and demographic change.

The presentation of the remaining four Flagship Initiatives will take place before the end of this year. These Flagship programmes are intended to support implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy through activities at Union level.

In support of the EU-wide targets, Member States are now to set national targets using appropriate indicators which take into account national circumstances and priorities. This approach allows each Member State to reflect national policy priorities and/or to build on national targets, if these are already in place. Each Member State will consider how their national targets will contribute to the achievement of the EU level targets in dialogue with the Commission.

Work on the identification of Ireland's national targets under each of the five EU headline targets is well underway. Officials from the European Commission visited Ireland on 27-28 September to discuss national targets and potential bottlenecks. A follow-up meeting in Brussels between Irish and Commission officials took place on 5 October. Following these most constructive bilateral exchanges, work is progressing well on the finalisation of relevant national targets.

These national targets will serve as an important element in the preparation of an initial draft of Ireland's National Reform Programme, which is to be prepared by mid-November 2010. It is currently anticipated that final agreement on our National Reform Programme will be reached in April 2011. It is expected that the European Council will take stock of progress under this Strategy at its meeting in December.