The Lisbon Strategy has a new strategic aim for the European Union: improving economy and social cohesion as part of a knowledge-based economy.
Its objectives are to develop in technologies, economical matters and citizens' knowledge to create competitive people in the world
The first goal is knowledge of three languages for all EU citizens to give them the opportunity to communicate. Thus the European society may actually become a multilinguistic society, able to interact easily and quickly with other countries in the world.
The second goal is modernising the European social model. It is created by investing in people and building an active welfare state.
The third aim is improving economy with the new knowledge acquired by citizens. Moreover improving technologies to give citizens the opportunity to have easy access to all the information in the world.

In particular for citizens and citizens'knowledge:
- Education and training for living and working in the knowledge society
- More and better jobs for Europe: developing an active employment policy
- Modernising social protection
- Promoting social inclusion

In particular for the European Union's economy:
- Establishing a European Area of Research and Innovation
- Creating a friendly environment for starting up and developing innovative businesses, especially SMEs
- Economic reforms for a complete and fully operational internal market
- Efficient and integrated financial markets
- Coordinating macro-economic policies: fiscal consolidation, quality and sustainability of public finances