Lisbon blueprint to be unveiled today

The government will today launch the first draft of its National Reform Programme (NRP) aimed at setting a comprehensive three-year strategy to implement the EU's Lisbon Strategy Guidelines.

The goals set in the NRP have been incorporated in the pre-budget document published some weeks ago by the Prime Minister.

Government sources told The Times that the draft lays down the main strategies to be implemented in the next three years aimed at ensuring that Malta addresses the Lisbon targets while ensuring a better quality of life and more social inclusion.

The document spells out the key priority areas to improve Malta's economic performance including the sustainability of public finances, improving competitiveness, boosting employment creation, reforming the educational system and improving the environment. It sets time frames for meeting these targets.

During a summit held in Lisbon in 2000, EU leaders had agreed to a set of strict economic, social and environmental benchmarks to be achieved by all member states in order to transform the European economy into the most dynamic and knowledge-based economy in the world. Five years down the line, the strategy, however, to be still far from being implemented.

Last March, EU leaders re-visited the plan and re-launched the Lisbon Strategy based around growth and employment.

As part of the new approach, each member state has to compile a NRP to be presented to the European Commission by mid-October, setting the main goals to be reached by 2008 and the methodology to be used.

Malta's NRP and its monitoring were entrusted to the Cabinet Committee on Competitiveness chaired by Minister Censu Galea.

Sources said that following the launch of the document, the government intends to continue the widest consultation possible at all levels, including through individual meetings between Minister Galea, interested stakeholders and government entities.

At the end of this process, a final NRP taking into consideration all the submissions received will be produced.

The final document will be approved by the Cabinet and Parliament before being sent to Brussels for a review by the European Commission.