Written question asked by Lord Dykes (Liberal Democrat), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord McKenzie of Luton (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 October 2005.

EU: Economic Model

Question: Whether they take the view that the governments of all European Union member states should adopt the same economic model.

Answer: Under the Lisbon Strategy, EU Member States share common economic aspirations. For example, at the Spring Council in March 2005, the Lisbon Strategy was re-launched with the emphasis placed on creating jobs and economic growth, including through further reforms to labour markets, progress in completing the internal market and improving the regulatory environment (Presidency Conclusions, 22/23 March 2005).However, the policies needed to deliver these outcomes will differ among member states. Historical, cultural and social factors, reflected through democratic choices, will rightly lead to different approaches. As the UK Government have said ““the Union must adopt a pluralist approach to reform, in which Member States have the flexibility to tailor reform to suit local social and institutional conditions”” (Advancing Long-Term Prosperity: Economic Reform in an Enlarged Europe, HM Treasury, February 2004).

Secondary information