Brussels, 16/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - Meeting on Tuesday at the invitation of President Barroso and in the presence of Commissioner Spidla (EUROPE of 15 March, p.10), the European social partners (the ETUC for trade unions and UNICE, CEEP and UEAPME for employers) gave their support to the relaunch of the Lisbon Strategy. They confirmed their intention of playing an active role in the partnership for growth and employment at national level and by stepping up their dialogue at European level. President Barroso and Commissioner Spidla welcomed this commitment which came in the form of a joint declaration on the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy, which is the social partners' joint contribution to the Summit on 22 and 23 March. The declaration supports strengthening the competitiveness of businesses and the effectiveness of economic and social systems to create growth, jobs and sustainable social cohesion. In their view, the key elements are: innovation, employability, efficient social protection systems, balanced environmental policies, a supportive public environment and sound macroeconomic policies. The social partners support an approach to strengthen partnership at national level, through national programmes for Lisbon, as well as at European level with the review of the strategy. They mention preparations for their next multi-annual work programme, which they aim to embed in the Lisbon Strategy. Finally, they elaborate on the contributions currently being finalised to be submitted to the tripartite Social Summit on 22 March, particularly on the youth initiative, equal opportunities and training and employment. President Barroso informed the social partners on Tuesday of his intention to invite them, before the summer, for a Social Dialogue Summit in Brussels, the first in the enlarged Europe, twenty years after the launch of social dialogue in Val-Duchesse.