A Prospective Analysis of the New Member States' Contribution to a Knowledge-Based Europe

Since 2000, the European Union (EU) has embraced the ambition to, "become by 2010 the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion". The Lisbon Summit in March 2000 added that, "achieving this goal requires an overall strategy aimed at:- preparing the transition to a knowledge-based economy and society by creating better policies for the information society and R&D, as well as by stepping up the process of structural reform for competitiveness and innovation and by completing the internal market;- modernising the European social model, investing in people and combating social exclusion;- sustaining healthy economic outlook and favourable growth prospects by applying an appropriate macro-economic policy mix " 1. Countries have been slow to implement the EU Lisbon strategy. The 2010 deadline looks out of reach, but the so-called "open method of coordination " marked a change and a move in the right direction, despite strong criticism of it. The new team of EU Commissioners set to take power in November 2004 would seem to confirm the trend towards an acceleratio