EUROPE 2020 : SOCIO-ECONOMIC ORGANISATIONS PINPOINT WEAKNESSES.

The trade unions are disappointed in the Europe 2020' strategy presented, on 3 March, by the European Commission, saying it does not respond to today's socio-economic problems. "The 2020 exercise so far is flawed and disappointing. There is a desperate need for the EU and the rest of the world to digest what caused the crisis and how we can avoid a repeat," declared John Monk, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). He mentioned a number of problems: dealing with rising unemployment, especially among young people, tackling incentives in current tax systems and capital markets that encourage speculation and raising public funds, especially financial transaction taxes and eurobonds. "Without these issues being properly addressed, the EU 2020 exercise will continue to be badly flawed."

The European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public services (CEEP) takes a positive tack, welcoming that the Europe 2020' strategy sets "the right course of actions, starting from the need to give a concrete response to the crisis". However, CEEP General Secretary Ralf Resch notes that the success and effective application of its objectives depends on effective, sustainable and high quality services of general interest. "You cannot have smart, sustainable and inclusive growth without excellent education systems, adequate and efficient energy infrastructures or sustainable health care...