Christa Randzio-Plath tiveness with social justice despite the differences in the level and quality of protection and implementing instruments”. Six years have passed since the Lisbon European Council of March 2000 set out its strategic goals for Europe:“to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion”. Sustainable growth remains at the heart of the Lisbon Strategy. Its essence is the inter­dependence of economic, social and environmental progress. Europe's competi­tiveness in the 21 st century and the nature of European society itself depend upon how Europe responds to the three central challenges of the modern global economy:  Globalisation itself, with the pressure of growing competition from both industrialised and some developing nations.  Constant, and accelerating, change- not only in technologies, but in markets, in social conditions and in business models.  Economic and political instability. Europe's choice is to combine a competitive strategy of excellence, of high quality of infrastructure, jobs, public service, welfare system, workforce, labour markets, companies and environment. The Lisbon Agenda is opting for a strategy of innovation and high producti­vity/good quality jobs, and not for cutting wages and competing in deteriorating working conditions in order to make Europe the most competitive region in the world. The 2005 mid-term review has led to the rebirth of the Lisbon Agenda with its economic goal priorities of“growth and jobs” and a new system of governance with a special European programme, and also through National Reform Programmes drawn up by the member states on the basis of 24 EU guidelines about macro- and microeconomic policies and employment. Ownership and responsibility are to be strengthened within those member states that have been responsible for the poor implementation of the Lisbon Agenda from 2000 to 2005. The Lisbon Agenda contains a catalogue of goals for member states. Boosting growth and jobs in Europe The 2005 reform of the Stability and Growth Pact gave back more budget flexi­bility to governments in order to promote public investments. The clearly needed growth and investment which boosts productivity is missing. As 90% of 38