Eastern states 'ignored' by EU innovation policy 

Key aspects of the EU's research framework, including the Lisbon Agenda, were drawn up prior to enlargement, Topolánek said at a Prague conference on Tuesday (22 January), stressing that more should be done to tap into the dormant potential of newer member states. 

The focus on building a pan-European knowledge economy fits neatly into the Czech Republic's priorities of the economy, energy and external relations: dubbed the 'three Es' by Topolánek (see EurActiv LinksDossier on the Czech EU Presidency). 

He said the EU includes some of the world's top ranking economies while others are "only now getting rid of their communist heritage," and different economic models are required to cater for the variation between countries. 

"Unfortunately, European science, research and innovation support policies do not take the new member states into account too much. As a matter of fact, they were set before the great enlargement of the Union in 2004, including the Lisbon Agenda, which dates back to 2000." 

Prime Minister Topolánek acknowledged that policies pre-dating enlargement had been reviewed and amended, but this had been done "without considering the needs of the new member states adequately enough". 

Speaking at the INCOM Conference for Research on Innovation, Research and Development in Prague, he said none of Europe's large transnational research institutions are located in new member states, reinforcing the need to develop a common European Research Area (see EurActiv LinksDossier). 

Europe's newer economies must catch up with their more developed neighbours and be encouraged to make the transition to become innovators. 

"An overwhelming majority simply buys patents and inventions from countries whose innovative performance is better, as it makes more financial sense." 

Topolánek said Eastern European states could no longer solely rely on the transfer of well-known technologies and must look at ways of enhancing their own innovation capacity. 

He called for reforms at national and European level to allow more effective use of research funds, suggesting that new member states create innovation "clusters" to combine national research capacity with the expertise of companies who can turn knowledge into practice. 

A more even distribution of research opportunities across the EU would help combat the brain drain of young scientists from East to West, he said. 

Prime Minister Topolánek suggested that the Prague Innovation Forum could be established as a permanent advisory group of the European Commission. "The forum should combine analytical and political expertise reflecting specifics of the countries in transition toward a knowledge-based economy."