In a rare show of cross-party unity, MEPs issued a joint statement urging EU leaders to embrace the need for "incentives and sanctions" in implementing the new economic strategy, dubbed 'Europe 2020'. The move came as diplomats met in Brussels yesterday (11 March) to prepare for a crucial summit of EU leaders scheduled for the end of the month. Governments will have to agree national targets for boosting growth and jobs but some are reluctant to give Brussels the power to punish failure. The Europe 2020 plan is the successor to the so-called Lisbon Agenda which is widely seen as having fallen short of its goals due to loose monitoring and enforcement of targets. Joseph Daul, leader of the European People's Party, Martin Schulz, leader of the social democrats, and liberal leader Guy Verhofstadt want EU leadersto abandon the open method of coordination, which uses peer pressure to ensure governments hit their targets, "in favour of stronger instruments".
In a rare show of cross-party unity, MEPs issued a joint statement urging EU leaders to embrace the need for "incentives and sanctions" in implementing the new economic strategy, dubbed 'Europe 2020'.
The move came as diplomats met in Brussels yesterday (11 March) to prepare for a crucial summit of EU leaders scheduled for the end of the month. Governments will have to agree national targets for boosting growth and jobs but some are reluctant to give Brussels the power to punish failure.
The Europe 2020 plan is the successor to the so-called Lisbon Agenda which is widely seen as having fallen short of its goals due to loose monitoring and enforcement of targets.
Joseph Daul, leader of the European People's Party, Martin Schulz, leader of the social democrats, and liberal leader Guy Verhofstadt want EU leadersto abandon the open method of coordination, which uses peer pressure to ensure governments hit their targets, "in favour of stronger instruments".
The official in charge of Europe's new ten-year economic strategy has said the European Commission will rely on scoreboards and public warnings to embarrass national governments into hitting targets on reform and research investment.The Commission will be more candid in its assessment of progress than in the past and will be willing to issue policy warnings, albeit as a last resort, according to Gerard de Graaf, a key player in drafting the 'Europe 2020' strategy at the EU executive's secretariat-general. Speaking at a briefing hosted by Eurochambres, an umbrella group of EU chambers of commerce, De Graaf said the reputational damage that comes with a policy warning and the "embarrassment factor" will help keep member states on track.
The Commission will be more candid in its assessment of progress than in the past and will be willing to issue policy warnings, albeit as a last resort, according to Gerard de Graaf, a key player in drafting the 'Europe 2020' strategy at the EU executive's secretariat-general.
Speaking at a briefing hosted by Eurochambres, an umbrella group of EU chambers of commerce, De Graaf said the reputational damage that comes with a policy warning and the "embarrassment factor" will help keep member states on track.
