The Czech labour market was hit hard by the economic crisis and the new government will need to implement key reforms if the country is to achieve its employment target under the 'Europe 2020' strategy. EurActiv.cz reports from Prague.

As the European Union slowly begins to emerge from the economic crisis, member-state governments now face the tough task of reviving their job markets and getting people back into work in the coming years, against a backdrop of an EU employment target of 75% for the year 2020. EurActiv's media network reports.

Latest statistics show employment in Scotland higher than UK average.

The EU's 'Europe 2020' target of reducing the number of early school leavers is the only one of the strategy's goals that is not causing a headache for Slovakia, which is generally wary of the Lisbon Strategy's successor. EurActiv.sk reports.

Bulgaria will try to reduce the target of investing 3% of GDP in research and development (R&D) established by the 'Europe 2020' strategy &# or at least the impoverished country will aim to reduce its national share, writes Dnevnik, EurActiv's partner publication in Bulgaria.

National targets• Cut UK greenhouse gas emissions by 34% from 1990 levels. If there is a global agreement to cut emissions, increase that target to 42%. This would equate to reducing average emissions per Briton from 11.6 tonnes in 2005 to just under 8 tonnes or a little below 7 tonnes in 2020, respectively • Only allow buying credits from outside the European Union if the higher target ...

French MEP Pervenche Berès, head of the European Parliament's employment committee, told EurActiv that the current plans ignore the weaknesses of the Lisbon Strategy and will not build a sustainable Europe. In particular, she argued that the draft wrongly focuses on exit strategies in terms of fiscal consolidation, while paying nothing more than minimal lip service to the fight against ...

Europe is missing out on a potentially large number of high-skilled workers by provisionally not allowing the spouses of migrant workers to join their partners and also seek employment in the EU, Kathleen van der Wilk-Carlton, a board member at the Permits Foundation, told EurActiv in an interview.

Despite the economic crisis, the German labour market is in good health and has become more flexible thanks to government reforms. But two real challenges in the coming years will be the ageing population and unemployment among immigrants. EurActiv Germany reports.

Despite the EU's clearly-defined employment policies and 2020 job target, France will seek its own ways of responding to its citizens' main concerns &# access to the job market and job security. EurActiv France reports.