PNR JOINT DECLARATION BY DANISH AND PORTUGUESE PRIME MINISTERS

I. A new strategic goal and an overall strategy were defined by Lisbon European Council in March 2000 in order to make the European Union ‘the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. Achieving this goal requires an overall strategy aimed at:

1. preparing the transition to a knowledge-based economy and society by better policies for the information society and R&D, as well as by stepping up the process of structural reform for competitiveness and innovation and by completing the internal market;

2. modernising the European social model, investing in people and combating social exclusion;

3. sustaining the healthy economic outlook and favourable growth prospects by applying an appropriate macro-economic policy mix.’

Implementation of the strategic goal will be facilitated by applying a new open method of coordination as a tool for spreading best practice and achieving greater convergence towards the main EU goals.

II. Thirteen months after the Lisbon European Council, and three months after the Spring European Council of Stockholm, a clearly positive overview can be drawn as regards the implementation of its conclusions:

1. the Lisbon strategy has been a key reference in the development and renewal of EU economic and social policies

2. the open method of co-ordination, adopted for deepening Europe’s construction, is being extended to the information society, research, innovation, education and social exclusion policies

3. the European Commission fully incorporated this strategy in its work programme and has presented a long list of proposals in line with the political agenda and guidelines defined in Lisbon

4. the Council has committed to fulfilling said agenda, based on such proposals

5. part of the guidelines defined at the EU level is currently being adapted by Member States at the national level

A decisive test to the effectiveness of the Lisbon strategy is the Member States’ ability to implement it both at EU level and at the national level.

III. Danish and Portuguese Governments declared themselves to be fully committed to the implementation of the Lisbon strategy, as a blueprint for economic and social modernisation of Europe.

Globalisation creates challenges for all societies around the globe. Succeeding in achieving the goals from Lisbon will allow Europe to reap the full benefits from globalisation and at the same time make sure that European welfare societies can be maintained.

Danish and Portuguese Governments are also keen to keep the overall political balance of the Lisbon strategy as the cornerstone of its legitimacy and consensus. Finally, they call for a joint action aimed at providing the European public opinion with more detailed information on the strategy agreed in Lisbon. It is fundamental that our citizens feel it as their own and be ready to actively participate in its formulation and implementation.

IV. Danish and Portuguese Governments declared themselves supportive of the decision by the European Council meeting at Stockholm to include the environmental dimension in the Lisbon process. The two governments considered this to be an important development towards mutually supportive integration of all three dimensions of sustainable development. Consequently, the two governments declared their support for the broad review of this extended Lisbon-process in the context of the annual Spring European Council.

V. The Lisbon strategy can also be enhanced by direct cooperation between Member States. Hence, Danish and Portuguese Governments decide to launch a special bilateral cooperation on innovation policies in the general framework defined by the Lisbon strategy. This bilateral cooperation will reinforce the exchange of experience on public policies in both countries, especially in the areas of scientific and technological policies, information technologies and information society, lifelong learning, scientific and technological culture, and business innovation policy.