Brussels, 03/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - At the tripartite social summit on Thursday on growth and employment, the CEEP (European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation) will reserve "a mixed reception for the Kok report" on the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy, said CEEP Secretary General Rainer Plassman in a press release. Anticipating what CEEP President Joao Cravinho intends to tell the Summit, Mr Plassman stated that above all, Mr Cravinho will flag up issues raised by the completion of the internal market for services. The internal market must be completed, but we must not forget that the services of general interest and their specific nature, recognised by articles 16 and 86 of the treaty, must be taken into account, by encouraging the provision of the best possible quality for the supply and funding of services, Mr Cravinho will say.
The public-sector employers, Mr Plassman acknowledged, are pleased to note that the report has taken up several suggestions made by the social partners to the high-level group chaired by Mr Kok, and especially that of better communicating the Lisbon Strategy to the citizens. However, he stressed, communication is not enough, and on job creation, the EU only has limited means at its disposal. For this reason, the CEEP stressed that "the national level is key- from the front line to the political decision-makers and to the national social partners". According to Mr Plassman, it is only by identifying the scope and limits of action by the various players "playing the Lisbon Strategy" that the concept of a partnership for reform between all actors can really work.