Preparation for the European Union strategy "EU 2020"

Europos Sąjunga, susidurdama su globalizacijos, visuomenės senėjimo, nedarbo ir pasaulinės ekonomikos krizės iššūkiais, rengiasi būsimai ES strategijai „ES 2020“, po 2010 m. pakeisiančiai dešimtmetį galiojančią ES Lisabonos strategiją. Lisabonos strategija padėjo pasiekti plataus masto susitarimą dėl būtinų reformų ES ekonomikos augimo ir darbo vietų kūrimo srityse, nors kiekvienoje ES valstybėje narėje pasiekta pažanga skirtinga. Sunku įvertinti nacionalinių reformų, vykdomų atsižvelgiant į Lisabonos strategiją, poveikį ekonomikos augimui bei užimtumui, tačiau išsami ES patirties, sukauptos įgyvendinant Lisabonos strategiją, analizė leistų numatyti gaires, kaip geriau pasirengti naujai ES strategijai „ES 2020“. Atsižvelgiant į tai, kad ES valstybių narių pasiekimus įgyvendinant Lisabonos strategiją gali veikti ne tik skirtingos pradinės pozicijos ekonomikos bei užimtumo srityse, bet ir nacionalinių reformų programų ar taikomų koordinavimo sistemų specifika, straipsnyje siekiama kritiškai įvertinti ES Lisabonos strategijos įgyvendinimo koordinavimo patirtį Lietuvoje.The Lisbon Strategy, launched in 2000 set a strategic objective to make the European Union (EU) "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion".81 The Lisbon Strategy is one of the most important EU strategies addressing economic growth and jobs. Two key quantitative targets established by the Lisbon Strategy in 2000 and to be attained by 2010 are first, to achieve that 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP) should be invested in research and development (R&D) and second, to ensure that employment rate reaches 70%. EU-27 employment rate stood at 65.9% and R&D expenditure reached 1.9% of GDP in 2008.82 The objectives are unlikely to be reached by 2010, however, according to the European Commission83, the Lisbon Strategy has made a positive impact on the job creation in the EU and on the EU economy overall. From 2000, when the Lisbon strategy was launched until 2010, the EU has increased from 15 Member States to 27 Member States. The Lisbon Strategy will come to its end when the impact of the global financial and economic crisis is still felt in Europe and other parts of the world. In 2010, the Lisbon Strategy should be replaced by the new EU strategy "EU 2020". This study identifies the reasons, which hindered the delivery of the Lisbon Strategy objectives. Such analysis will provide some guidance on how to prepare for the implementation of the new strategy "EU 2020". It is difficult to assess the direct impact on economic growth and employment of the Lisbon Strategy in the EU in each of the EU member states. Nevertheless, a comprehensive analysis of the different experiences of the Lisbon Strategy implementation in the EU member states plays an important role while preparing for the implementation of the new EU strategy "EU 2020". The attainment of the objectives set out by the Lisbon Strategy vary among the EU member states because of the different starting positions of the economy and employment, and distinctive National Reform Programmes and coordination systems. The goal of this article is to critically assess the coordination of the Lisbon Strategy implementation process in Lithuania. First, the article analyses the Lisbon Strategy implementation process in Lithuania and in some EU member states. Second, the authors offer proposals to improve the coordination of the Lisbon Strategy (hereinafter referred to as the new EU strategy "EU 2020") implementation in Lithuania