[4] Despite being an informal organisation, the Eurogroup played an important role in coordinating the budget policies of the Eurozone member states.

[4] The Lisbon Strategy formulated in 2000 aimed to make the European Union the most competitive and dynamic knowledge economy of the world by 2010, which would at the same time be able to respond to the social and environmental expectations of its citizens.

[4] The Luxembourgish government advocated an integrated approach aiming not only at competitiveness, but also at "an increased social cohesion and a more harmoniously balanced environment".

[5] The reform which came into force in late July 2005 allowed the member states to escape a too restrictive deficit policy in the case of a recession and after examining a certain number of "pertinent factors".

[5] European politics during the period was marked by efforts to achieve a reorganisation of the institutional architecture of the Union, made necessary by the successive enlargements.

[5] To remedy this failure, an intergovernmental meeting prepared a new agreement, the Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed on 13 December 2007 by the 27 member states of the EU.

[5] Apart from European affairs, an important part of foreign policy consisted of the promotion of Luxembourgish industries and the financial centre abroad.

[6] The Luxembourgish government increased the number of economic missions especially in Asian countries (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar), but also in North and South America (United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru) and some European countries (Russia, Sweden, Finland).

[6] The goal of these visits was to make itself known in these regions with high potential for growth and to support Luxembourgish businesses in their search for new markets.

[6] The Luxembourgish government protested against being likened to a tax haven and undertook efforts to counter the image of the financial centre.

[6] On 13 March 2009, Luxembourg decided to conform to the standards of the OECD and committed itself to the exchange of information on demand in the framework of bilateral accords with third parties.

[6] In several months, the Luxembourgish government signed twenty agreements of non-double taxation which implemented the rules of the OECD.

That same year, the European Commission decided that holding companies that were exempt on the basis of the law of 1929 were in receipt of a state aid that was incompatible with the common market.

The Luxembourgish government agreed to repeal this tax regime in return for a four-year transition period, The 2007–2008 financial crisis also had repercussions in Luxembourg.

Commissioned by the previous coalition, professor Lionel Fontagné of the University of Paris I presented a report in November 2004 on Luxembourg's competitivity, entitled A crack in the steel (Une paille dans l’acier).

From 1 January 2009, the National Health Fund (Caisse nationale de santé) replaced the old social security bodies that were based on socio-professional distinctions.

A significant social measure was also the introduction from 1 March 2009 of a system of vouchers which gave the right to a range of educative extracurricular services (daycare centres, crèches, etc.).

This was a first step towards at least partly free provision of these services The modernisation and development of infrastructure continued to be a priority for government policy.

Several large projects, started under previous governments, were completed: the Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte Concert Hall (Philharmonie) and the "Centre de musiques amplifiées" (Rockhal) in 2005, the Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art (MUDAM) in 2006, a new terminal for Luxembourg Findel Airport and the Judiciary City in 2008.

By encouraging projects of long-term cross-border cooperation, this cultural event was able to strengthen the common feeling of belonging among the 11 million inhabitants of the Greater Region.

The initiative for another important social reform came from two Deputies, Lydie Err (LSAP) and Jean Huss (The Greens), who had already presented a bill on the right to die with dignity in 2002.

Notably, the parliament avoided the traditional divide between government majority and opposition by exempting the Deputies from voting discipline.

In order to avoid an institutional crisis, while leaving the head of state his right to freedom of opinion and of conscience, the country's political authorities undertook a revision of the Constitution.

From now on, the Grand Duke promulgated laws in his capacity as head of the executive, but no longer had to sanction them as part of the legislative branch.