Lisbon Strategy, Europe 2020 and the crisis in between

none1noThe Lisbon Strategy launched in 2000 has represented a twofold ambitious goal for the European Union (EU): to transform the European economy of the 21st century (and make it the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world) and to innovate EU governance through new forms of interaction between national practices and European objectives. The present contribution is organised in three parts. Section two looks at the normative political and economic foundations (the complex interplay of social and economic goals) and the key aspects of the governance (especially through the Open Method of Coordination - OMC) of the Strategy launched in Lisbon. Section three sheds light on the ongoing economic-financial crisis (and its social consequences) that has hit Europe in the last three years. This is conceived as the sum of the global challenges the EU is facing and the Lisbon Strategy was supposed to deal with. Section four refers to “shadows” and “lights” of the Lisbon Strategy. Some open questions on the design of the new Europe 2020 Strategy will be proposed. The reference will be to two broad tensions (and seven critical points) that require more political and analytical attention. Section five concludes.openD. NataliD. Natal