1. Bulgaria - IME
IME is the first independent economic think tank in Bulgaria . Its mission is to elaborate and advocate market approaches to the problems Bulgaria is facing in its economic transition.
IME's objectives are to provide: independent assessment and analysis of the government's economic policies; a focal point for an exchange of views on market economics and relevant policy issues; and it is an internationally supported Bulgarian think thank which is widely respected for its expertise.
In June 2002, IME received the 2001 Annual Award of the Government of Bulgaria for it's “its overall contribution to the development of the country”.
Joint stock company EEIP a.s. works in cooperation with prominent domestic and foreign experts and provides research on issues of macroeconomic development, enlargement and Information Society. EEIP a.s. also provides consulting services in the field of corporate finance and for preparation of mergers and acquisitions. EEIP was during last four years placed by Prague Business Journal (Book of Lists) among 6 most successful companies in the Czech Republic operating in the sector of financial advisory.
3. Estonia – TAMI, ESTONIAN INSTITUTE OF ECONOMICS
The Estonian Institute of Economics was established in 1947 under the Estonian Academy of Sciences. The Institute merged in 1997 with Tallinn Technical University as an independent research institute. The main directions of research are:
• Institutional Structure and Convergence,
• Energy Production Diversification in Estonia ,
• Social Convergence; Convergence Processes in Europe and Estonian Strategies on the Way to the EMU,
• Economic and Political Re-integration in an Enlarged EU,
• The State of Three Social Science Disciplines in Central and Eastern Europe .
4. Latvia – Institute of Economics , Latvian Academy of Sciences
Founded as Institute of Economics , Academy of Sciences Ltd. in 1997, unified with the state institute - the Institute of Economics , Latvian Academy of Sciences (founded in 1946) in 2001, overtaking all rights and obligations of the state institute, including name.
Institute of Economics , Latvian Academy of Sciences carries out research in economics in several directions, namely: macroeconomic development, regional development, sector development (industry, agriculture, railway, telecommunications and IT, education, culture, tourism, social development (reforms of social insurance systems), demographic issues (population trends, labour market), privatisation, public finances, EU integration issues and others.
Institute participates in state-financed academic research programs and carries out applied research for needs of Ministries and state institutions. Leading researchers are members of councils, working groups and commissions of the governmental bodies, also often uses experts for independent evaluation of ongoing processes in local and international media.
5. Lithuania - LFMI
The Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI), a private non-profit organisation established in 1990 to promote the ideas of classical liberalism based on the principles of individual freedom and responsibility, free market, and limited government.
The Institute's team pursues its mission by conducting research on key issues of public policy, developing conceptual reform packages, drafting and evaluating legislative proposals, submitting policy recommendations at the legislative and executive levels, and conducting educational work. LFMI's activities also include sociological surveys, publications, conferences, workshops, and lectures.
Since its inception, LFMI has addressed a variety of core issues confronting the reform process. Not only has LFMI helped set the terms of debates but has also played a key role in helping to craft and refine legislative proposals. For a policy research institute to be effective, it must work openly and market its ideas and findings to a wide audience. Acting on this premise, LFMI works closely with the business community, international financial institutions, opinion leaders, and journalists. Because of its innovative, authoritative solutions, LFMI receives ever-increasing attention from the media. LFMI's ability to produce sound and timely policy advice and to garner broad-based support through open communication has been the main key to success - for many in Lithuania the ideas of individual freedom and free markets are becoming a way of life.
6. Malta – Islands Consulting Services
Islands Consulting Services is a research think tank in Malta , carrying out various types of research and consulting. It participates in international research projects, provides consulting for government and business agents both in Malta and abroad. Its main activity areas are macroeconomics, finance, banking and Information Society.
7. Poland - TIGER
TIGER - Transformation, Integration and Globalization Economic Research – is an independent economic think-tank affiliated with the Leon Kozminski Academy of Entrepreneurship and Management (WSPiZ), the leading business school in East Central Europe located in Warsaw , Poland . TIGER was founded in 2000 at the initiative of Professor Grzegorz W. Kolodko, the Director of TIGER and currently Poland 's Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance (since July 2002).
TIGER was established to bring together people and ideas through innovative research projects that would have the potential to advance economic equity while building democratic and market institutions in post-socialist countries and other emerging market economies.
Professor Robert A. Mundell, 1999 Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics, is Chairman of the TIGER Scientific Advisory Board. The Board is comprised of prominent economists from Canada , Chile , China , Hungary , India , Israel , Italy , Poland , Russia , Tanzania and the USA .
8. Romania – Softwin
Softwin is a leading company in Romania for software solutions and services. Softwin keeps close contacts with well-known researchers of Romania who can provide detailed and reliable analysis on Information Society developments in their country and in Europe as well.
9. Slovak Republic - SGI
Slovak Governance Institute (SGI), a non-profit, non-partisan civic association, was spun off from INEKO (Institute for Social and Economic Reforms) in October 2001 to create an NGO with a clear focus on good governance and public policy.
SGI's mission is to initiate and promote the search for solutions to improve the process of making and implementing decisions on the allocation of public resources to meet the society's needs to ensure good, accessible, transparent and effective public services for the citizens of the Slovak Republic.
10. Slovenia - IMAD
The Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD) is an independent government office. Among its basic activities are the following: elaboration of macroeconomic analyses of economic, social and regional development, analysis and coordination of the fundaments, directions and tasks of economic policy, analysis and forecasts of developments on the domestic and foreign markets, simulations and evaluations of economic and developmental measures and institutional changes etc. The Institute's experts take an active part at domestic and international conferences, in particular at those related to Slovenia 's integration to the European Union. By its international participation the Institute is a part of the network of the European Institutes which are all engaged in the research of the problems of transition economies.
11. Turkey - Bilkent University, Department Of Economics
Bilkent is a private University founded by Ihsan Dogramaci in 1984. The aim was to create a center of excellence in higher education and research. The name “Bilkent'' exemplifies the founder's aim, since it is an acronym of “bilim kenti” , Turkish for “city of science and knowledge”. The Department of Economic Sciences was constructed in 1993 in line with the University's expansions. Main fields of research of the Department are: Applied General Equilibrium Analysis, International Economics.
12. IPTS
The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) has awarded the contract for the present project to this consortium consisting of the research institutes above. IPTS is one of the seven scientific institutes making up the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. It was created in 1994 to promote and enable a better understanding of the links between technology, economy and society. The mission is to provide European policy makers with techno-economic analyses (policy support) . The main objectives are to monitor and analyse science and technology developments and the impact they have on different sectors of society.
Located in Seville , Spain , IPTS has over 100 employees from both Member States and Candidate Countries that work on as varied areas as energy, transport, techno-economic foresight, life sciences, information and communication, industrial and 'clean' technologies, and their possible applications. IPTS informs Europe 's decision-makers about the possible implications involved for Europe and European competitiveness, and helps identify issues that will call for action.
Most of the work undertaken by IPTS is in response to specific requests for assistance from the EU institutions, mainly the European Commission and the European Parliament.