On Monday 24 February, in a letter to European Council President, Prime Minister Costas Simitis, the EEA EFTA States expressed their views on sustainable economic and social reform in Europe.
Sent a month before the EU’s annual Spring Summit, which traditionally discusses the “Lisbon” reform agenda, the letter endorses reinforcing the balance between the three pillars of the Lisbon Strategy, integrating economic, social and environmental reform. In the short term, the EEA EFTA States call for closing the delivery gap on Internal Market reforms. In the long- term they advocate reforms that will stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship.
Although not able to take part in the Spring Summit the EEA EFTA States are involved in many initiatives of the Lisbon Strategy through the EEA Agreement. This year for the first time, the EEA EFTA States were included in the Statistical Annex of the Spring Report, through which the Commission analyses and reports on the impact of the Strategy.