I denne nye verden betinges medlemsstaternes nationale politikker af tre overordnede retningslinjer. De store makroøkonomiske retningslinjer, retningslinjerne for beskæftigelse i overensstemmelse med Luxembourg-proceduren og rapporterne om strukturpolitik, der godkendtes i Cardiff I og Cardiff II.
In this new world, the Member States' national policies are shaped by three sets of guidelines: the broad macroeconomic guidelines, the guidelines on employment, in accordance with the Luxembourg process, and the reports on structural policy that were approved at Cardiff I and Cardiff II.