Western Balkans

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

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News archive - [Event Review] WBC-INCO.NET Regional Dialogue Meeting focused on Association to Horizon 2020

On April 10, 2013 the 6th Regional Dialogue Meeting within the WBC-INCO.NET project took place in Vienna. This event serves for the WBC as a forum of regional information exchange while inputs on different topics can be provided by invited guests. Representatives of the Ministries of Science from WBC, TUBITAK (Turkey), the European Commission and WBC-INCO.NET coordination team discussed this time the topic of Association to Horizon 2020. Welcome note was given by Montenegrin Deputy Minister of Science Mr. Darko Petrusic.

The goal of this meeting was to discuss the question of Association for the Enlargement countries to the EU's framework programme for research and innovation – Horizon 2020.

In general, the Association represents the closest form of cooperation which has been implemented with non-EU countries and it will continue to play a key role in Horizon 2020. It involves formal participation in the programme committee bodies and requires a financial contribution to the EU budget. In return, organisations and researchers in the associated countries have participation rights equal to their counterparts in the EU Member States. However, association requires the conclusion of a new association agreement; there is thus no automatic continuation of the current programme (FP7) to Horizon 2020.