The Lisbon Agenda

This chapter outlines the Lisbon European Council’s ambitious macroeconomic agenda in 2000, setting the stage for the eEurope 2002 and 2005 Action Plans. These plans were inspired by the significant boost in productivity that the United States experienced thanks to digitalisation, offering a potential solution to the Solow Paradox. The Lisbon strategy’s implementation led to a revised telecommunications framework, laying down principles and methods still in use today. Noteworthy achievements include the launch of the .eu domain name and the promotion of ADSL broadband through local loop unbundling. The ePrivacy Directive of 2002, amended in 2009, introduced the requirement for websites to seek users’ consent for non-essential cookies. Additionally, the spectrum auctions for 3G-UMTS generated substantial revenue but imposed financial strains on operators. eEurope 2005 focused on enhancing broadband access, digitising public services, and addressing information security, notably through the inception of ENISA, which has become a cornerstone of European cybersecurity policy. The European Research Area (ERA) aimed to create a critical mass in key sectors to boost competitiveness. However, the sixth Framework Programme failed to achieve the Lisbon process’s lofty objectives. Its influence on Europe’s digital competitiveness and innovation landscape was varied, underscoring the enduring challenge of aligning policy aspirations with tangible results in the rapidly evolving digital technology sector.