§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government has made of whether the EU is on course to meet the Lisbon target of making the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion by 2010; what method of assessment is being employed; and if he will make a statement; [101480]
(2) what evaluation the Government has made of the state of the Lisbon process; and if he will make a statement; [101478]
(3) what assessment the Government has made of enlargement's effect on the Lisbon strategic goal of making the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion by 2010; and if he will make a statement. [101607]
§ Mr. MacShaneOn 17 February 2003 HM Treasury published a detailed report entitled Meeting the Challenge: Economic reform in Europe. This report updates last year's White Paper Realising Europe's potential, evaluates progress on economic reform and identifies priorities for action in the short and medium term. It also considers the Lisbon process in the light of enlargement. The report finds that there has been clear progress towards the Lisbon goal in a number of areas. Nevertheless, there remains a great deal to be done. Copies of the Treasury report have been placed in the libraries of the House.