EU 2020 is being designed as the successor to the current Lisbon Strategy, which has been the EU's reform strategy for the last decade and has helped the EU to weather the storm of the recent crisis. EU 2020 builds on its achievements as a partnership for growth and job creation, and renewing it to meet new challenges. It also draws on the benefits that have flowed from the coordinated response to the crisis in the European Economic Recovery Plan. The Commission considers that EU 2020 should focus on key policy areas where collaboration between EU and Member States can deliver, and education, innovation, research and creativity are key considered as key pillars.

The document was adopted on 24  November 2009. The Commission is seeking comments, by 15 January 2010,  on the proposals and priorities which are put forward in the  consultation document.