13 June 2014: The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) called for the European Commission’s (EC) statistics agency, Eurostat, to take a greater role in the collection of data on sustainability and quality of life, on the occasion of an EC-organized debate on the theme, ‘Let’s talk happiness – Beyond GDP.’

Luca Jahier, President of EESC group III (various interests), called for assessing the impacts of EC policies in terms of how they affect Europeans’ quality of life, adding that “involving citizens in selecting political priorities will improve political governance.” He also proposed a broad public debate on the review of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

The Europe 2020 strategy is the European Union’s (EU) 10-year growth and jobs strategy, which was launched in 2010. The strategy aims to create the conditions for ‘smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’ and addresses targets related to: employment; research and development; climate and energy; education; and social inclusion and poverty reduction. The EC published a communication taking stock of the Europe 2020 Strategy in March 2014, in preparation for a public review of the strategy that is expected to take place later in 2014.

In a press release, the EESC said the revised Europe 2020 Strategy should emphasize growth and development and integrate ‘beyond GDP’ indicators of sustainability, innovation and social and human capital. The press release recalled the recommendations of the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress, established in 2008 at the initiative of the Government of France. The Commission delivered a report by economists Joseph Stiglitz, Amartya Sen and other authors on 14 September 2009. [EESC Press Release] [Europe 2020 Website] [Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress Website]