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European Council: 23-24 March 2006

My Lords, there are many fine words in the presidency conclusion. However, is my noble friend confident that last week’s European Council will rescue the so-called Lisbon strategy from failure? That is the issue so far. Can he assure the House that an open and robust system of national comparisons which highlights the successes and failures of national economies will be put into place? Does he think that member states will acquire the good sense to learn from one another’s best practice in competitiveness, openness and deregulation, rather than indulging in self-defeating protectionism, as they have in the recent past?