EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: LISBON STRATEGY DOMINATES MEETING WITH NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS.

In his opening speech, European Parliament President Josep Borrell highlighted the complexity of the current situation in Europe. He mentioned the No vote on the Constitutions in two countries, the lack of global vision for Europe, the example of endless arguing over VAT rates and the EU's medium-term financial framework. Various speakers called for a budget to match Europe's needs in key areas such as research and development and education and in the name of the Austrian Presidency, Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel called for a "debate on own resources" if we want a strong Europe.

Mr Borrell emphasised that "the Lisbon Strategy must be an integral part of the great debate we have launched on the future of Europe" and Mr Schussel agreed that the public must be involved in the dialogue on the Lisbon Strategy. Ever the optimist, he highlighted recent achievements such as the successful launch of the euro and enlargement. Mr Barroso then added that the Commission had already implemented two-thirds of the Lisbon Strategy, and that the 25 national reform programmes were a sign of member states' commitment to the strategy, which was essential for success.

German MEP Klaus-Heiner Lehne (EPP-ED), one of the European Parliament's co-rapporteurs on the Lisbon Strategy, agreed that the national reform programmes represented real progress and recommended that the Parliament's resolution ahead of the spring summit should focus on research and development, innovation, intellectual property issues and energy policy. The other co-rapporteur, Robert Goebbels (PES...