Cedefop

The final monitoring report by the Commission indicates tougher conditions on their entry.

The European Commission has tabled a 10 point programme for action at national and European levels to foster innovation as a main asset of the EU economy. The programme points the way forward to accompany industry-led innovation with public policies at all levels as a core element of the renewed Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs.

Europe's labour market is in a state of flux, with workers feeling strained by tighter deadlines and increasing workloads. Ageing populations are likely to add to the stress, and even stress-related health problems.

Innovation policy encompasses a wide spectrum of issues that affect a company’s operating environment and its opportunity to innovate. Increasing Europe’s innovation capacity will help to create new markets, reinvent old ones and strengthen the ability of firms to face up to the challenges of globalisation. How to achieve this is one of the central themes of Finland’s six-month EU presidency. At their informal meeting in July, government ministers in charge of competitiveness policy set out a roadmap that will guide work in the months ahead.