Blueprint for EU growth to be presented next week

A blueprint to create five million jobs in Europe, boost economic growth and protect the environment is to be presented to the Irish Presidency of the European Union in Strasbourg next week.

The strategy, involving out more than 30 new policy ideas, is the first major contribution to preparations for the EU Summit on jobs to be held in Brussels this Spring.

Former Danish prime minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen drew up the proposals after a year of analysis and discussion by an international network of experts established by the Party of European Socialists.

He will discuss the proposals with leading social democrat Euro MPs in Strasbourg on January 13 before formally presenting them to the Presidency of the EU Council.

Mr Rasmussen said today: "The success of the Spring Summit on jobs is of crucial importance to EU development.

"EU leaders must renew their determination to meet the targets they set themselves four years ago.

"Taxation policy, the stability pact and far-reaching reform of public administration are among policy areas addressed in a package of proposals," he added.

Other highlights mentioned in the blueprint include the need to step up investment in research and higher education - currently only a third that of the US - and to cut poverty in half in the EU by 2010.