"Without the right tools, you can’t plant new trees": this is the rural metaphor used by the President of the Commission, Josè Manuel Barroso, to announce the Yearly Report on the Progress of the Lisbon Strategy. In the afternoon in Brussels, Barroso met the European press and illustrated the documents that will be reviewed during the summit in late March by the 25 EU governments "to shape our shared commitment, which aims at economic growth and the creation of new employment". The 25 national plans submitted to Brussels last October were reviewed by the Executive and are now receiving suggestions, comments, adjustments and "the drive they need to act effectively". Barroso spoke of "unequal progress in the 25 member countries" and "different" plans because "every country has its peculiarities and no one has a recipe that fits all". The main lines that will be supported by the Commission are three: "increasing investments in education, training and research" (a plan for the establishment of a European Technology Institute has also been presented); "launching initiatives to release productive energy, with special reference to small- and medium-size companies"; "cooperating for an efficient, safe and sustainable energy sector".
