The Lisbon agenda of 2000 was, and is, a fundamental and ambitious programme to draw Europe’s attention to the urgency of structural reforms. It identified all major areas which need to be changed. However, the modest and uneven implementation so far has clearly shown how difficult reforms are. More recently, the Lisbon agenda has been refocused towards growth and employment.
Various feasible goals were set in order to enhance, among other things, the flexibility and adaptability of labour markets; raise competition in the markets for goods and services; increase employment; promote innovation; and strengthen growth and employment rates in each participating country. The need for structural reforms and liberalisation also applies to financial markets.