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The European Union and the Western Balkans have taken another step toward closer cooperation in research and innovation. During the Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Steering Platform on Research and Innovation in Podgorica, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva, met with Ministers from the Western Balkans to advance the region’s integration into the EU’s research and innovation ecosystem.
Ministers endorsed key recommendations to align national policies with major EU initiatives, including the Startup and Scaleup Strategy, the European Research Area (ERA) Act, and the European Innovation Act.
“Today, we are setting the stage for a new era of collaboration, one where ideas travel freely, innovation drives growth, and the Western Balkans move closer to Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem.”Ekaterina Zaharieva
Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation
Discussions focused on strengthening research infrastructures, the role of artificial intelligence in science, and the importance of smart specialisation strategies in driving both the green and digital transitions. The conclusions of the meeting emphasised support for private sector engagement through funding, capacity building, and skills development.
Participants also highlighted the Western Balkans Growth Plan and increased participation in European programmes such as COST and Eureka as key priorities for boosting the region’s competitiveness. Bilateral meetings explored ways to reduce the innovation gap between the EU and the Western Balkans by strengthening industry–academia cooperation and expanding mobility and research exchange programmes.
Background
The Western Balkans Agenda on Innovation, Research, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport provides the framework for deepening cooperation with the EU in these policy areas, supporting the broader EU enlargement agenda.
Smart specialisation strategies are a key driver of innovation and local development. Since 2018, all Western Balkans economies have committed to adopting this approach with guidance from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC).
The Growth Plan for the Western Balkans aims to bring the region closer to the EU by offering early access to some of the benefits of membership, accelerating socio-economic convergence and competitiveness. The Plan is supported by the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, which allocates up to €6 billion for 2024–2027.
The Ministerial meeting on research, innovation, and smart specialisation strategies marks another important milestone on the Western Balkans’ path toward closer EU integration, fostering cooperation, dialogue, and shared progress in the research and innovation ecosystem.
