Europe 2020 Strategy
The Europe 2020 strategy put forward by the European Commission sets out a vision of Europe's social market economy for the 21st century. It shows how the EU can come out stronger from the economic crisis and how it can be turned into a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy delivering high levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion.
Smart Growth
Smart growth means improving the EU's performance in:
- education
- research/innovation (creating new products/services that generate growth and jobs and help address social challenges)
- digital society (using information and communication technologies)
Sustainable Growth
Sustainable growth, for a resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy,means:
- building a competitive low-carbon economy that makes efficient, sustainable use of resources
- protecting the environment and preventing biodiversity loss
- capitalising on Europe's leadership in developing new green technologies and production methods
- introducing efficient smart electricity grids
- harnessing EU-scale networks to give our businesses (especially small manufacturing firms) an additional competitive advantage
- helping consumers make well-informed green choices.
Inclusive Growth
Inclusive growth, a high-employment economy delivering economic, social and territorial cohesion, means:
- raising Europe's employment rate - more and better jobs, especially for women, young people and older workers
- helping people of all ages anticipate and manage change through investment in skills & training
- modernising labour markets and welfare systems
- ensuring the benefits of growth reach all parts of the EU
Further information can be found on the European Commission Europe 2020 website
