Malta : major EU achievements in science and research 2004 > 2009

Abstract

As part of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs, realising the European Research Area (ERA) has become an integral component of the EU’s response to the challenges posed by globalisation. The goal is to create a true European Single Market for Research, where knowledge, researchers and technology can move across frontiers in the same way as goods, people, services and capital do. This is the Fifth Freedom; the freedom of movement of knowledge to where it is best used and exploited. This Fifth Freedom is indispensable if Europe is to become the world’s leading ‘knowledge economy’, where knowledge will help sustain prosperity and competitiveness and address the societal challenges that concern European citizens. By bringing together the research community, industry and policy-makers, it promotes scientifi c excellence and addresses the fragmentation and duplication in European research that leads to wasted resources, ground lost to our global competitors and a sub-optimal impact on economic growth and job creation. Making the ERA come true is now a unanimously agreed objective that features high on the political agenda. This book refers to the overall achievements in Malta between 2004 and 2009 in the science and research area.