Višnja Samardžija Figure 1: Revised Lisbon Strategy and candidate countries REVISED LISBON STRATEGY European Commission + European Council European Parliament EESC Committee of Regions Social partners + Member states (25) Candidate countries ... Western Balkan countries Source: Compiled by the author. Naturally, the countries that are involved in the screening process or have started negotiations have more possibilities and better chances to introduce the Lisbon goals into their policies and thus to approach the envisaged targets more effectively. This is due to the fact that they are involved in different kinds of (economic and other) consultation mechanisms that are, among other things, a process of learning. At the moment this is the case with Croatia and Turkey. The other present and potential candidates(Macedonia and the remaining SAP countries) are gradually introducing the Lisbon goals in the areas covered by European partnerships, at a speed that is in accordance with their own needs and possibilities. Based on the experiences of new member countries, a recommendation for candidate countries is to take into account the Lisbon Process in the preparation of their reform programme. During the process of harmonising their economies to EU requirements, countries in transition like Croatia should aim towards the economic models and solutions that have to be implemented in current EU member states in order to restore the vitality of their economies. This, however, does mean that candidates should avoid simple imitating the economic policy solutions developed and still present in many EU member states. They should 18