SCIENCE, HIGH-TECHNOLOGY AND THE COMPETITIVENESS OF EU COUNTRIES

High technology is not a well-defined issue in economics. In this pape r, it is divided into very high RandD-intensive, so-called 'leading-ed ge', and 'high-level' technology, i.e. above-average RandD-intensive p roducts. The similarity of exports and imports in both subdivisions of high technology is compared between the EU countries. By linking trad e data on high technology with other indicators of disembodied knowled ge, such as scientific publications and patents, it is shown that very RandD-intensive competition needs more science inputs than does high- level technology. As industrial property expressed by patents is an im portant prerequisite for above-average RandD-intensive trade, though l ess so for leading-edge technology, the policy conclusions point to th e importance of non-uniformity in high-tech Europe.