Brussels, 19/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission is to adopt a Communication drawn up under the responsibility of Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, responsible for the information society, on "Information in a Knowledge-based Economy". The text summarizes the results of the analyses on progress made in Member States in the field of innovation, following the commitments made at the Lisbon Summit to promote the information society in Europe. The Communication refers to general improvements in innovation capabilities, while stressing the disparities between States. A leading group is emerging, made up of Germany, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom with mixed results, the other countries trailing behind. With the idea of encouraging better development, Commissioner Liikanen intends making appropriate recommendations. Innovation, as envisaged in this context, means, in the wider sense, research and development, as well as ideas and products, discovered or invented, that could have a commercial use. Wednesday's Communication is a preliminary stage to the "benchmarking", that will allow for best practices to be found in the matter, to be elaborated in 2001.