- Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation;
- Sustainable growth: developing a more resource-efficient, greener and more competitive economy
- Inclusive growth; and fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion.
Europe 2020 is the European Union’s ten-year growth strategy. It involves integrating EU efforts related to development through greater coordination of national and European policies and creating the conditions for a growth model at EU, national and regional levels that is smarter, more sustainable and more inclusive.
Europe 2020 puts forward three mutually reinforcing priorities for the decade:
It also sets five overarching objectives to be reached by 2020 which are further translated into national targets which require a mixture of national and EU action. For more information check out the EU Commission’s website
Europe 2020 Strategy’s objectives and headline targets and Ireland targets and achievements to date:
Objective | Headline Target | National Target - Ireland |
Employment | 75% of population aged 20-64 should be employed | 69-71% |
Innovation | 3% EU’s GDP should be invested in R&D | 2% of GDP / 2.5% of GNP |
Climate Change | 20/20/20 climate/energy targets should be met (incl. increase to 30% of emissions reduction if conditions are right): 20% of energy from renewables 20% increase in energy efficiency 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the non-traded sector compared to 2005 levels |
16% energy from renewables 20% increase in energy efficiency 20% reduction in greenhouse gases |
Education | Share of early school leavers should be under 10% and at least over 40% of the younger generation should have a tertiary degree. | Early school leavers under 8% 30-34 year olds with a tertiary degree at least 60% |
Poverty | At least 20m fewer people in at-risk-of-poverty and social exclusion | The Irish contribution to the target is to reduce by a minimum of 200,000 the population in ‘combined poverty’ (i.e. consistent poverty or at-risk-of-poverty or basic deprivation). The National Social Target for Poverty Reduction in Ireland is to reduce consistent poverty to 4% by 2016 (interim target) and to 2% or less by 2020 (baseline rate of 6.3% in 2010). |
