The event included a Ministerial Session dealing with the support for the Western Balkans in the process of European integration and economic transformation. Topics for discussions were: How to support entrepreneurship and competitiveness? What instruments and mechanisms are the most effective? How to increase the possibilities of engaging private capital?.

Furthermore the JRC presented an advanced draft of the report "Smart specialisation in the Western Balkans –potential for knowledge-based economic cooperation" with an accompanying online tool. The report shows the existing critical mass and emerging sectors in all Western Balkan economies, including the potential for economic cooperation and is matched by an in-depth analysis of collaboration in science, technology and innovative projects, not only within the region but also with EU Member States.

The JRC moreover presented its Smart Specialisation Framework for the Enlargement and Neighbourhood Countries that shows how an EU policy has been adapted to the context of the countries aspiring to apply it beyond EU.The presentation also included the present state of play concerning the progress of smart specialisation in the Western Balkans and good experience of sharing the Polish and the MS experiences in this context.

On second day a local Governments Session was in focus and among other topics also the results of the  survey Potential Contributions of South East European Local Governments to the Regional Economic Area were presented.

Find more information and the agenda here