Local Strategies within a European Policy Framework

Abstract

This article discusses the Lisbon Agenda from the perspective of entrepreneurship policy. After a brief overview of the events leading up to the development of the Lisbon Agenda, the authors describe the goals and content of this policy framework as well as of the structural funds. Using examples of initiatives towards implementation at the local level, the authors illustrate the necessity to promote entrepreneurship in order to foster economic growth in communities and regions. We assess how the new European growth policy became translated into an action plan realized through structural funds and community initiatives and demonstrate that a greater focus on entrepreneurship policy could strengthen the Lisbon Strategy and aid in the achievement of its goals.

Notes

The GEM integrates annual data from a significant number of countries, providing a harmonized database that allows cross-national comparisons on various aspects of entrepreneurship activity. In 2005, 39 countries took part in this project. With this effort, GEM makes an important contribution to understand the multiple facets of entrepreneurship in different contexts and allows us to make differentiated policy conclusions in comparative perspectives. For a detailed introduction to GEM, see Sternberg and Wennekers (2005).

Norway is not a member of the European Union. Two attempts by referendum to enter the European Community in 1972 and the European Union in 1994 failed. Nevertheless, the country has established various ties to the EU. Most importantly, Norway entered the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement) and became part of the Internal Market with its so-called “four freedoms” (free movement of goods, capital, services and persons). Norway also participates in a number of EU Agencies and programmes, albeit with no voting rights.

More information on the Action Plan is available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/entrepreneurship/promoting_entrepreneurship/doc/com_70_en.pdf

For more information on the ENABLE programme, see download http://www.enable-net.info