The European Commission is launching a five-year technology strategy to foster economic growth and job creation.

In line with the renewed Lisbon Agenda, to make the European Community the most competitive knowledge economy in the world, the i2010 strategy focuses on regulation, research and development (R&D), and closing the digital divide.

'i2010 stands for a package of proactive policies to harness the potential of the digital economy,' says the launch memo.

R&D investment levels in Europe are only one-third that of the US, and about 30 per cent lower than Japan. 'The intensity of the research effort correlates directly with productivity growth,' says the Commission.

The strategy calls for renewed research efforts, particularly in areas where Europe traditionally leads, such as semantic-based knowledge handling and nanoelectronics.

It proposes an 80 per cent increase in European Community research support by 2010, and aims to launch research and deployment initiatives to overcome bottlenecks.

The creation of innovative media content delivered over improved networks and accessed by converged devices is central to the Commission's approach.

'Objective one is a single European information space, offering affordable and secure high-bandwidth communications, rich and diverse content and digital services,' says the Commission.

Plans include reviewing and modernising existing regulatory frameworks, defining a security strategy, and identifying actions on interoperability.

Broadband growth and digital convergence are the drivers for change, says the Commission.