The Lisbon Strategy in the Wider European Context THE LISBON STRATEGY AS A CHALLENGE FOR THE NEW CANDIDATES The Lisbon Strategy objectives are relevant for candidate countries during the pre-accession stage. It was also the case with former candidates of the fifth enlargement, remembering the fact that the Barcelona Summit(2002) already highlighted the Lisbon Strategy“ as an incentive for candidate countries to adopt and implement key economic and social environment objectives as a two­way learning process” 2 . However, the negotiations within the fifth round of enlargement were completed in time before the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy, meaning that the importance of the whole Lisbon Process was not so stressed even within the old member states. The relevance of the Lisbon Agenda for the Western Balkan countries became an issue in 2006. Three years after the Thessaloniki Summit progress in implementing the Thessaloniki instruments was evaluated and certain new issues were introduced. The Lisbon Agenda was one of them, as it was clearly stated that“ … its objectives are also relevant for the Western Balkans. The region should be involved gradually to achieving these objectives, taking into account the level of development of the economies and the individual stage of rapprochement to the EU. The Lisbon objectives will not constitute additional criteria or economic objectives, but the Commission will ensure that its policies towards the region also reflect Lisbon activities that can be considered priorities under the European/Accession Partnerships. The Western Balkan countries should thus start taking into account the Union's Lisbon objectives in their reforms”(European Commission, 2006a, p.7). The Lisbon objectives became even more important in the negotiations process due to the fact that these objectives are deeply embedded in many EU policies and thus represent an overall horizontal policy for adjustment. They are not an obligation or new criteria, but many of the instruments of the Lisbon Strategy are a reference point during screening in many areas. Furthermore, it was for the first time that the Lisbon Agenda, as a horizontal policy, was introduced into the screening process for Croatia and Turkey 3 . The strategy is being implemented in partnership between the EU institutions and the member states, while the candidates are involved in various consultative mechanisms during the pre-accession stage. 2. Presidency Conclusions, Barcelona European Council, 15 and 16 March 2002. 3. Multilateral Screening on Lisbon Strategy was held for Croatia and Turkey in Brussels, 23 July 2006. It covered policy aims and instruments for implementing the Lisbon goals. 1 7