Montenegro

The next Association Agreement will be signed with Montenegro as soon as Protocol 8 to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement is adopted (provisionally September 2007), after which the internal decision-making for association to FP7 can be launched. In any event, it is expected that for Montenegro the association status will be applied as and from January 1, 2008.

Albania

Several contacts with Albania took place which allowed all necessary information on the association status to be provided including the legal and financial implications. On that basis Albania announced that it will inform Commissioner Potočnik of its interest in becoming associated to FP7. As soon as their expression of interest had been formally transmitted, the Commission indicated that it will start the internal decision-making procedure. Application of association status can be considered as and from January 1, 2008.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Commissioner Potocnik will visit Bosnia & Herzegovina in the beginning of October 2007. Discussions on association to FP7 are on the agenda. It is to be hoped that also BiH will also become associated to FP7 in which case the entire Western Balkan family will be associated to FP7 and this in turn gives greater opportunities not only for BiH but for the entire region.

(Information provided by Tania Friederichs, European Commission, DG Research)
Article published in eJournal summer 07.