Taking stock of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
April 07, 2014
Communication from the European Commission, 5 March 2014.
The Communication has two parts: Where does Europe stand four years on? Has the Europe 2020 strategy worked? Role of the targets,of the flagship initiatives, of the European Semester.
Results for the education targets: Reducing school drop-out rates to less than 10% and increasing the share of the population aged 30-34 having completed tertiary education to at least 40%.
These targets are broadly achievable by 2020:
- The share of early school leavers has fallen from 15.7% in 2005 to 12.7% in 2012, with half of Member States having already reached or approaching their targets. While part of this reduction may be attributable to a more difficult employment environment, there is also evidence of structural improvements and the trend is expected to continue, albeit at a slower pace.
- The share of young people having completed tertiary education has increased from 27.9% in 2005 to 35.7% in 2012. While this may vary from country to country, the trend is also considered structural and the 2020 target is expected to be met.
Communication Taking stock of Europe 2020