Introductory statement

at High Level Forumdelivered by Dr.Willem F. Duisenberg, President of the European Central Bank, Brussels, 15 June 2000

Let me first welcome the opportunity to share some thoughts with you today on the outcome of the special Lisbon European Council meeting and on how to implement what has come to be known as the "Lisbon strategy". This is quite an exceptional occasion and I very much hope that, as a result of our discussion today, we shall all gain some further insight into how we might each contribute towards meeting the challenges facing the European economy.

The Lisbon European Council set the goal of creating a competitive, dynamic and knowledge-based economy. This should be an economy which is capable of embracing the changes brought about by the development of new technologies and globalisation. As a result, it should be able to deliver a high level of sustainable, employment-generating growth for the benefit of all members of society.

In order to achieve this goal, the Lisbon European Council has devised a comprehensive strategy, which combines stability-oriented macroeconomic policies with enhanced economic reform and the modernisation of our social protection systems. Implementing this strategy will certainly require all relevant actors to play their part.