When achieving long-term sustainable growth, the key role is assigned to knowledge-based competitiveness. The new EU Member States therefore face a double challenge on the Lisbon road. On the one hand, higher expenditure is required to improve the quality of research and education input and infrastructure, and on the other, innovation system changes are necessary to increase the efficiency of expended resources. At the same time, both supply and demand sides must be adequately balanced in policy supporting knowledge-based competitiveness. On the supply side, the position of the new Member States in EU-25 has been defined in the competitiveness matrix; on the demand side, specific attention is given to the quality of human resources as a prerequisite of competitiveness in the EU as assessed by Czech companies. Finally, recommendations are formulated for the competitiveness support both in the form of a comprehensive innovation policy and a more specific support to human resource supply for innovation.