Science and technology doctorates to become new structural indicator
The number of science and technology doctorates awarded in the EU has been added to a list of structural indicators used by the Commission to determine how far the EU has come in reaching the Lisbon goal of becoming the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world. A total of nine new indicators have been added to the list, and eight removed in a communication adopted by the Commission on 30 October. The indicators are to be used in a synthesis report, to be presented to the European Council in spring 2002. The indicators allow a comparison between the Member States and other developed economies and also highlight areas where further work and more policy action are needed. 'Science and technology doctorates' join 'public expenditure on education', 'research and development (R&D) expenditure', 'level of Internet access', 'patents' and 'venture capital', in the group of indicators used to determine progress in innovation. Other sub-headings are employment, economic reform, social cohesion, and a new addition, environmental aspects of sustainable development, which will use the indicators 'greenhouse gases emissions', 'energy intensity of the economy', 'volume of transport relative to GDP', 'modal split of transport', 'urban air quality' and 'municipal waste'. The addition of the environment section is to reflect the outcome of the Gothenburg Council in June 2001, where sustainable development was proclaimed an EU priority.n scie