Bi-regional policy dialogue should help to advance the decent work agenda, including in the ongoing global debate on the employment and social dimension of the recovery from the crisis and sustainable growth, and address key employment policy issues, such as matching skills with labour market needs, youth employment and the extension of social protection.

Stresses that cohesion policy represents one of the most important EU instruments responding to the economic crisis, by promoting investment in the real economy; welcomes, in this context, the Commission’s first assessment of the implementation of cohesion policy-related measures within the European Economic Recovery Plan, which underlines the key role played by this policy in the process of countering the effects of the crisis; underlines the unquestionable linkage of cohesion policy with all three major priorities of the Europe 2020 Strategy, by facilitating the delivery of higher smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, while promot ...[+++]ing harmonious development across the Union's 271 regions;

In light of these concerns, the European Council of 11 and 12 December 2008 endorsed in its conclusions the European Economic Recovery Plan (Recovery Plan), presented by the Commission on 26 November 2008, which sets out how Member States and the European Union can coordinate their policies and provide new stimulus to the European economy, targeting that stimulus to the Community’s long-term objectives.

In light of these concerns, the European Council of 11 and 12 December 2008 endorsed in its conclusions the European Economic Recovery Plan (Recovery Plan), presented by the Commission on 26 November 2008, which sets out how Member States and the European Union can coordinate their policies and provide new stimulus to the European economy, targeting that stimulus to the Community’s long-term objectives.

In relaunching the Lisbon strategy, the European Council endorsed a single set of Guidelines bringing together the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and the Guidelines of the European Employment Strategy[19], thereby integrating macro-economic, micro-economic and employment policies for growth and jobs.

In relaunching the Lisbon strategy, the European Council endorsed a single set of Guidelines bringing together the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and the Guidelines of the European Employment Strategy[19], thereby integrating macro-economic, micro-economic and employment policies for growth and jobs.