Watson: " Europe risks becoming just a museum piece of economic good intention"

3.41.21pm GMT Wed 2nd Feb 2005

Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance of European Liberal Democrats this afternoon defended a robust and focused implementation of the Lisbon Agenda outlined by President Barroso to the European Parliament.

"National governments must take responsibility and national parliaments must feel ownership of the Lisbon strategy, if we are to be able to fund our pensioners, create new jobs and clean up our environment", said Watson. "At the moment we are stuck in second gear and struggling to find the momentum."

"The EU budgetary forecasts for the coming 7 years should also reflect these new Lisbon priorities and redirect resources to where they are most needed," he added.

"The Lisbon strategy was conceived as a flexible, intergovernmental approach based on benchmarking and peer pressure. This is all very well but long reports and comparative tables do not create jobs or drive business. We need decisive action if Europe is not to become a museum piece of economic good intention," concluded Watson.