The European Commissioners jointly approved last week a document asking the member states to respect the date of 15 October 2005 as the deadline for the preparation and publication of national plans of reform for the revival of the Lisbon Strategy on growth and employment. The plans form part of the legislative process necessary for the revision of the guidelines of the Strategy, which Brussels hopes to present by January 2006 on the basis of a global three-year project. The member states with which the Commission will open a series of bilateral talks in June are called to identify the sectors of major backwardness in the implementation of the Strategy, to define appropriate measures for the revival of the economy and to appoint a “Mister Lisbon” to coordinate the plan. For further information, consult the website http://www.europa.eu.int/growthandjobs/
