EU: MEPs see Europe's economy getting back on track
Parliament debated the outcome of the Spring European Council meeting held in Brussels on 23 and 24 March. Many MEPs welcomed important progress in the area of a common energy policy. On the services directive, there was a welcome for the backing of the European Parliament position. Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang SCHÜSSEL, President-in-Office of the Council, began by quoting Robert Schuman, who said that Europe would be build by deeds, not by rhetoric. He spoke of the very specific goals for economic policy, including the creation of 10 million new jobs and a package of measure to ensure all young people would be offered an apprenticeship, a job or further education within six months of leaving school. The Council had also agreed to the Commission's proposal of a European globalisation fund. He stressed the importance of focussing on SMEs by cutting red tape and bureaucracy – by, for example, making it possible to set up a company within a week with only one government office to deal with all the process.
He pointed out that each Member State had now put forward individual plans to reach a goal of investing 3 per cent of GDP in research and development – success would mean an extra €100 billion from national budgets and the private sector. He noted that the Council had also supported the idea of a European Institute for Technology, as proposed by Mr Barroso. This would not be a duplication of existing institutions, but would aim to be “a perfect network working with Member States' institutions” to improve the link between universities and business. He welcomed moves to create better national ownership of the Lisbon reform plans.
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