The EU and its six Western Balkan partners have backed a joint declaration to increase cooperation on research and innovation as the region moves towards EU membership, as they celebrated 20 years of cooperation in those areas.
The declaration was agreed at a ministerial meeting in Brussels of the Western Balkans Steering Platform on Research and Innovation, involving Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, the European Commission informed on Friday.
The meeting was hosted by EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva and co-chaired by Ireland’s Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless.
The text sets out plans to strengthen research careers, boost “innovation ecosystems” — the networks of universities, companies, investors and public bodies that support new ideas and businesses — and prepare a new joint action plan between the EU and the six partners.
“With the endorsement of this joint declaration, we are opening a new chapter in EU-Western Balkans cooperation in research and innovation,” Zaharieva said.
Funding and a 20-year forum
The ministerial meeting was held under the theme “Research and Innovation as accelerators for EU integration” and discussions focused on research careers and innovation ecosystems, according to the Commission.
Zaharieva also presented an innovation award to young innovators from the region.
“The research and innovation cooperation is an excellent example of gradual integration for EU candidate countries,” EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said.
This year’s meeting marked the 20th anniversary of the Steering Platform on Research and Innovation, a forum set up in 2006 that brings together the European Commission, representatives from the six partners, EU member states and the wider research community.
The Western Balkan partners have secured about €237 million in funding under Horizon Europe — the EU’s main research and innovation programme — across more than 1,000 projects involving the region.
