Europe 2020 is the EU’s growth strategy for the coming decade.
In a changing world, we want the EU to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. These three mutually reinforcing priorities should help the EU and the Member States deliver high levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion.
Concretely, the Union has set five ambitious objectives – on employment, innovation, education, social inclusion and climate/energy – to be reached by 2020. Each Member State will adopt its own national targets in each of these areas. Concrete actions at EU and national levels will underpin the strategy.
The 5 targets for the EU in 2020
- Employment
- 75% of the 20-64 year-olds to be employed
- R&D / innovation
- 3% of the EU’s GDP (public and private combined) to be invested in R&D/innovation
- Climate change / energy
- greenhouse gas emissions 20% (or even 30%, if the conditions are right) lower than 1990
- 20% of energy from renewables
- 20% increase in energy efficiency
- Education
- Reducing school drop-out rates below 10%
- at least 40% of 30-34–year-olds completing third level education
- Poverty / social exclusion
- at least 20 million fewer people in or at risk of poverty and social exclusion
