EU Commission sets goals for economies

BRUSSELS, March 4 (UPI) -- The European Commission has set new goals for European economies to adjust long-term strategies to economic conditions, President Jose Manuel Barroso said.

"The bottom line is that Europe has a growth deficit which is putting our future at risk," Barroso told the EUobserver.

The economic downturn "exposed fundamental weaknesses and unsustainable trends," he said.

The new goals include investing 3 percent of the European Union's gross domestic product into research and development, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020.

The commission said by 2020, the number of people at risk of falling into poverty should be reduced by 20 million.

"We warmly welcome the target on poverty reduction. The question is whether the member states will accept the target," said Conny Reuter, president of Social Platform, an advocacy group for non-government agencies.

The goals are likely to be debated among EU leaders at a next summit meeting in Brussels, the newspaper said.