OREANDA-NEWS. At today’s session, the Government approved the action plan of the “Estonia 2020” competitiveness strategy for 2015–2020. It is the National Reform Programme of Estonia for the implementation of the “Europe 2020” strategy, which was approved in 2011. The action plan is renewed annually each spring.

“Estonia 2020” is an umbrella strategy to increase Estonia’s competitiveness. Its action plan combines measures and initiatives from areas like education, labour market, entrepreneurial environment, transport, energetics and government finances, including deadlines and responsible parties that will help to increase Estonia’s competitiveness. The new areas of activity of the action plan include an analysis of labour market services for people over the age of 55, the initiation on developing a Green Paper of Estonia’s industrial policy and setting the objective to increase the participation of enterprises in applied third-level research.

The renewal of the “Estonia 2020” action plan aims to specify and supplement the plan and give an overview of how current measures have been implemented. The action plan is renewed parallel to and in line with the compilation of the Action Programme of the Republic of Estonia, the State Budget Strategy and the Stability Programme. The country-specific recommendations adopted by the Council in the summer of 2014, the priorities approved by the Council in March 2015 and the mid-term review drawn up in the autumn of 2014 in cooperation with the social partners are also taken into account in renewing the action plan.

The renewal and implementation of “Estonia 2020” is coordinated by the inter-ministerial working group for competitiveness formed by the Secretary of State, which is supported by the Government Office Strategy Unit.