ABSTRACT
The Lisbon strategy launched by the European Union (EU) in 2000 is just one example of the strong growth focus in politics.1 With this strategy, the EU announced its ambition to make Europe a world leader with regard to growth and employment. The goal of the Lisbon strategy is to make the EU the most competitive, dynamic, knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010, adding to the possibilities of sustainable economic growth with increased employment and social cohesion. In 2005, the Lisbon strategy was revised with the ambition to further strengthen and focus the efforts used to promote the goals of the strategy:
They [the member states] committed themselves to making the European Union the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, and respect for the environment.
