Economic Policy Committee

The Committee was set up by a Council decision in 1974 to provide advice and to contribute to the work of the Ecofin Council and the Commission.

The core business of the Committee is structured around the following two interacting pillars:

• An economic policy pillar, which essentially refers to the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs. Here, the Committee plays a critical role in developing analysis and policy consensus on key issues including responding to globalisation, strengthening the single market and promoting greater coherence between macroeconomic, structural and employment policies.
• A public finance pillar, where the EPC has particular responsibilities regarding quality and sustainability.

Given the current economic situation, the EPC's focus is more than ever on growth and jobs, in particular those reforms supporting competitiveness and adjustment capacity, as well as ensuring the sustainability of public finances. The EPC also monitors progress of the Member States towards meeting the targets and objectives of the Lisbon strategy and the consistency of short-term responses to the current crisis with long term structural reform objectives.

For visitors seeking more detail on on the work of the EPC, documents prepared by the EPC (or jointly with the Commission) can be downloaded from the Publications section.