New social agenda to complement renewed Lisbon strategy[fr][de] 

In its Communication on the social agenda 2005-2010, the Commission will commit itself to the modernisation of the European social model and to the promotion of social cohesion.

One of the main elements of this five-year strategy plan is to strengthen citizens' confidence in accepting the changes needed to cope with new challenges such as increased global competition and Europe's ageing population. The Commission sees three 'key conditions for success': an intergenerational approach with a strong emphasis on youth, a partnership for change with social partners and civil society, and a strong focus on the social dimension of globalisation.

The communication sets out two priority areas:

• achieving full employment;
• a more cohesive society with equal opportunities for all.

Some of the initiatives the Commission wants to undertake between 2005-2010 are:

• a Green paper on the demographic changes of the EU population (in 2005);
• a European initiative for Youth ;
• further promotion of corporate social responsibility;
• a European framework for transnational collective bargaining;
• a European Year of Workers' mobility in 2006;
• a community initiative on minimum income schemes;
• a European Year of combating exclusion and poverty in 2010;
• a European Year of equal opportunities in 2007;
• a European Gender Institute.

In the UK, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) already reacted negatively to the Commission's proposals. CBI director general Sir Digby Jones was quoted by the Guardian as saying that the social agenda proposals will frustrate business hopes of a reform-minded commission.

According to the same newspaper, European trade union leader John Monks expressed his relief. "Mr Spidla has done well in reviving the agenda only a week after many thought that social Europe was dead".