Background

2022 marks the 16^th anniversary of the establishment of the Western Balkans Steering Platform on Research and Innovation. It now meets annually at Ministerial level and aims at supporting the enhanced integration of the Western Balkans into the European Research Area. It is a strategic body to deal with European, multilateral and regional issues of Research and Innovation policies in and with the Western Balkans. It also acts as an information exchange forum where the latest national developments in a given field are presented, discussed and best practices are exchanged.

In cooperation with the Ministries of Education of the Western Balkans, the Commission launched in 2011 the Western Balkans Platform on Education and Training which had its first Ministerial meeting on 7 March 2012. Its objectives are to support the transition for the candidate countries, and to better prepare the potential candidates in the region, for their eventual participation in European Union policies and programmes on education and training. The Ministerial Platform meetings, which convene the Ministers responsible for education in the region and their main staff, decide on spin-off activities and follow-up measures to be taken.

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This year, once again, the joint Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Platforms brings together key stakeholders from the European Union and the Western Balkan region in an exchange forum. At this meeting, Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and the relevant Western Balkans’ Ministers will discuss the Western Balkans Agenda on Innovation, Research, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, the concrete impacts already delivered across the region and policy issues of common concern.

The event is open to the public with prior registration.

For further information, please contact policy-answers@westerbalkans-infohub.eu