Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs (European Union, March 2000)

European Union (EU) leaders set out a new strategy to modernise Europe. This became known as the Lisbon Strategy. EU education and training policy was given added impetus. 

While national governments are responsible for education and training, the member states of the EU have issues in common which may be better addressed by working in concert. 

It was deemed that the challenges of ageing societies, skills deficits of the workforce and global competition needed joint responses and countries learning from each other.