14/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - In his capacity as president of the Party of European Socialists (PES), Poul Nyrup Rasmussen MEP, provided some severe comments on the annual assessment of the Lisbon Strategy (EUROPE 9327). In a press release the former Danish prime minister stated, “The Lisbon Strategy will fail until President Barroso accepts that the European Union must take action to stimulate growth as well as encourage reform….I agree with President Barroso that there is not room for complacency about the need for reform. But I do say to him there is also no room for complacency about economic growth….President Barroso needs to show much more leadership in persuading Member States to do more to strengthen the current economic upswing through concerted, simultaneous European investments and greater economic policy coordination”. Rasmussen warned that, “Governments of the centre-left are making good progress with the right kind of reforms whereas Governments of the right such as France and Poland are making much less headway. That is today's reality in Europe”. (mg)