Brussels, 03/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - At the invitation of the Economic and Social Council of Luxembourg, the Presidents and Secretaries of the national Economic and Social Councils and European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held their annual meeting in Luxembourg on 25/26 November 2004. The meeting focussed on the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy and ended with the adoption of the Luxembourg Declaration.
In the Luxembourg Declaration, the Presidents and Secretary Generals stress that 1) the Lisbon objectives and integrated tripartite strategy remain valid and must contribute to improving the well-being of European citizens; 2) public involvement and a broad public debate are vital to implementing the Lisbon Strategy; 3) the multiple processes involved in the tripartite strategy must be rationalised and coordinated to ensure that appropriate progress is made. The Presidents and Secretary Generals believe that a coherent and integrated report on all the processes needs to be produced for the spring summit and undertake to pursue their cooperation on the Lisbon Strategy and the follow-up of its implementation between now and 2010. (Full Declaration can be accessed at: http://www.esc.eu.int )
The EESC and the Luxembourg ESC are organising a joint high-level conference 'For a competitive, social and sustainable Europe - a pact with organised civil society to achieve the Lisbon Strategy' in Luxembourg on 26/27 January. Europe will be returning to this.