Another issue deserving of special attention is the situation of EU candidate countries, many of which are making the leap to an information society over a much shorter period than has been the case in the more developed economies of the EU, North America and Australasia. This rapid transition provides an opportunity to learn from the experiences of other countries and avoid costly errors. However, it also intensifies the stresses created by the need to adjust quickly to rapidly-changing circumstances. It seems possible that many of the risks which have been foreseen in the EU in the transition process (such as the danger of increasing social polarisation between information ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ and between core and marginal workers, and the risk of social exclusion) may be present in an accentuated form in these countries. There is an urgent need for research to establish the nature of the changes taking place in the labour markets in EU candidate countries, to document the emergence of new ways to work, to monitor the process of economic development with special reference to the development of information-processing activities, and to alert policy makers to the threats and opportunities raised by these developments.

This report will draw on the statistical analysis and employer survey for quantitative data, and the case studies for qualitative information. The research results will also be disseminated by other means, including articles, web pages, briefings for policy-makers, conferences and seminars.

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