Oct 2, 2024 – Iliana Ivanova, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth, met with Western Balkans ministers in Skopje to advance the Western Balkans Agenda on Innovation, Research, Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport. The meetings showcased a shared commitment to strengthening the region’s ties with the European Education Area, European Research Area, and European Innovation Agenda.
With a focus on innovation, the EU aims to draw the Western Balkans closer through a newly launched Growth Plan. This ambitious initiative seeks to support green and digital transitions and expand educational opportunities for young people, providing tools designed to accelerate convergence with the EU.
Ministers discussed the pivotal role of the European Research Area and European Innovation Agenda in attracting and retaining talent. They noted a significant boost in funding for research, with 400 projects across the region receiving a total of €140 million from the EU’s research and innovation program.
The meeting also highlighted the development of Digital Innovation Hubs under the EU DIGITAL program. These hubs will assist companies and public sector organizations in tackling digital challenges, with each Western Balkan country set to have operational hubs by 2025 to facilitate green and digital transitions.
A key point of discussion was the implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, aimed at fostering systemic transformations towards climate neutrality. Cities like Elbasan, Podgorica, and Sarajevo are leading the way, striving to become climate-neutral by 2030.
In the realm of education, the dialogue focused on initiatives such as the European Education Area and the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027. The Enhanced Partnership under the Erasmus+ program will allow more Western Balkans institutions to engage in strategic educational actions.
Additionally, the Western Balkans Ministerial Platform on Culture is working to strengthen the cultural and creative sectors through programs like Creative Europe, which supports artist mobility. Since 2022, UNESCO, with EU backing, has led the “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” initiative to bolster regional cooperation.
The Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is poised to offer benefits similar to EU membership ahead of full accession, backed by a performance-based financing instrument with a budget of up to €6 billion for 2024-2027. This plan represents a vital step towards a brighter, more integrated future for the Western Balkans. (Tir-Fax)
