The European Council on 17 June 2010 finalised the new ten-year strategy for jobs and smart,sustainable and inclusive growth. It confirmed the five EU headline targets and gave its political endorsement to the Integrated Guidelines for Economic and Employment Policies.
On 9 July 2010, an informal meeting of Ministers for Social Affairs was held in Brussels to address the social dimension of the new Europe 2020 Strategy and its role in promoting inclusive growth and a cohesive society in the light of the interdependence between the economic, employment and social policies. Fighting poverty and social exclusion is a priority of the Europe 2020 Strategy with a quantified EU target on social exclusion and poverty reduction.
One of the Integrated Guidelines of the new Strategy specifically refers to the promotion of social inclusion and the fight against poverty by promoting full participation in society and the economy for all.
The integration of policies across priority areas is a key element in the Europe 2020 Strategy. National and EU actions will be guided by the interrelated and mutually reinforcing headline targets. Hence, a reinforced interaction between economic, employment and social policies and objectives is essential to deliver on the overall goals of Europe 2020.