Given the enormity of the change that the EU, its Member States, cities and regions have undergone as a result of the crisis, the Commission considers it necessary to launch an EU-wide consultation of all stakeholders on the lessons to be learned and on the main factors that should shape the next stages of the EU's post-crisis growth strategy. The Commission will run a public consultation, based on the analysis in this Communication, inviting all interested parties to contribute their views.

Takes the view that initiatives by single states cannot be effective without coordinated action at EU level, making it fundamental that the European Union speaks with a strong single voice and implements common actions. Solidarity, on which the European social economy model is based, and the coordination of national responses have been crucial to avoiding protectionist measures of short duration by single Member States; expresses its concern that the re-emergence of economic protectionism at national level would most probably result in fragmentation of the internal market and a reduction in competitiveness, and therefore needs to be avo ...[+++]ided; is concerned that the current economic and financial crisis could be used to justify reviving protectionist measures in various Member States, whereas the downturn calls for common safeguard mechanisms instead;

37. Is convinced that science and technology must be put higher on the political agenda, and that there is a need for a more integrated approach to innovation, using the immense potential of the Single Market more effectively for launching innovative products on a bigger scale. Believes that the Commission and the Member States should take further steps to actively support closer cooperation between research institutions, universities and industry, as well as promote science and technology in everyday lives of citizens;

Considers that the right to democracy — understood as the right of every citizen to take part in the exercise of the sovereignty of the people within the framework of institutions subject to the rule of law — is an historically acquired universal human right explicitly recognised by the ECHR, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the 1993 Vienna Declaration of the World Conference on Human Rights and the United Nations Millennium Declaration; considers that this right to democracy carries with it the duty for international community institutions, the European Union and all the Member States to work towards removing o ...[+++]bstacles in the way of their full enjoyment throughout the world; considers that, in order to achieve this, a new additional step should be taken, namely the setting-up of a genuine network of democracies around the world by transforming and strengthening existing organisations;

The stakeholders considered that the following approaches to stop EU-level relevant infringements would be most effective: (i) an obligation for Member States to alert other Member States about any enforcement action taken; (ii) obligation for the Member States to notify cases corresponding to defined criteria of EU-level relevance; (iii) mandatory joint enforcement actions; and (iv) mutual recognition of enforcement decisions.

The Union and its Member States have played a crucial role in bringing about these shifts in the international aid debate, and the Commission considers that there is no contradiction between deepening EU coordination and engaging in wider donor coordination processes.