Book Description

With the re-launch of the Lisbon Strategy in 2005, the European Union and its Member States committed themselves to a new partnership aimed at securing sustainable growth and jobs. The first part of this Communication to the 2008 Spring European Council set out the Commission's proposals for taking the Strategy forward. While underlining the importance of macro-economic stability, it emphasised the need to implement outstanding reforms to reinforce the fundamentals to sustain solid economic growth in the future and help the EU withstand adverse developments in the global economy. The second part (this publication) consists of an assessment of progress made by each Member State (and the euro area) in the implementation of its National Reform Programme and of the country specific recommendations, as adopted by the Council.