Brussels, 06/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - In a press release issued before the opening of the Barcelona Summit, EEA and EFTA States informed EU Heads of State and Governments that they want more opportunities to participate in the main areas of the Lisbon Strategy: economic reform and employment, research and innovation, the "social dimension and the new environmental dimension". They also want to be included in the future "in the structural indicators", which form the analytical basis for the annual status report on the Strategy, known as the Synthesis Report. EEA EFTA States believe they can bring a valuable contribution to the exchange of information and best practices in the areas of common interest under the Lisbon Strategy. (EFTA Secretariat web-site: http: //secretariat.efta.int).