Spaans voorzitterschap wil hechtere economische unie (en)

The 2020 strategy will be decided during the Spanish Presidency

At a meeting with foreign journalists in Madrid, the Spanish prime minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero i, proposed strengthening Europe's economic governance as the only way of competing with the USA and emerging countries.

He was adamant about the need for the EU27 to strengthen the single market and to develop a joint energy policy, as well as investing in research, development and innovation policies (R&D+i). 'Europe has to unite if it wants to maintain its economic power, if it wants to compete and be more prosperous,' he said.

The EU i's leaders will meet on 11 February in Brussels at a special summit convened by the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy i, in order to decide on the basis for Europe's future economic model.

In his message in favour of a strong Europe, Rodríguez Zapatero said that 'there is a very significant and very favourable feeling for greater economic union'.

The Spanish prime minister supported providing Community institutions with the necessary power to make their decisions and supervisory tasks binding.

According to Rodríguez Zapatero, the failure of the Lisbon strategy, which was aimed at making Europe more competitive by 2010, was due to the fact that compliance with the agenda 'was purely rhetorical'.

The Treaty of Lisbon coming into effect 'allows greater coordination and, for it to be genuinely effective, we need to give the European Commission new powers,' added the Spanish prime minister.

The new post-Lisbon strategy, which will define the EU's economic, social, environmental and employment challenges for 2020, will begin to be discussed at the special summit on 11 February.

Rodríguez Zapatero called the summit 'an excellent decision by Van Rompuy. Important issues will be examined; there is an open debate so that the Commission takes note of the important matters which the Council is raising with regard to the 2020 strategy.'