Regional R&D Priorities for the Western Balkan Countries Elke Dall, Centre for Social Innovation Steering Platform October 29, 2009 – Zagreb, Croatia

WBC-INCO.NET Workpackage 2: Identification of S&T priority areas within five FP7 Themes: ICT, AgroFood, Health, Transport, Environment National background reports for each of the WBC Regional consultation sessions with stakeholders from each WBC (national experts/scientists, policy makers, representatives from the industry and NCPs) and experts from EC, EU Member States, Era-Nets, Technology Platforms Priority setting process

Objective Generic recommendations, contribution to regional priority setting on general level (based on capacities, strengths, national priorities, etc.) Input to SEE-ERA.NET PLUS Creation of recommendations for regional cooperation, feeding into political dialogue (Ministerial Conference, Regional Strategy for R&D) Input for FP7 Work Programmes

Priority Setting Results ICT Regional prioritiesSubtopic ICTs for Enterprises & eBusiness Tools and solutions for the support of business processes management and integration ICTs for the networked business ICTs for Government & eGovernment Development of electronic document and databases infrastructure for Government Fast and secure access to information and services for citizens and the business sector Network technologies (Internet & Broadband Technologies, Mobile Technologies, Network technologies) Providing broadband for all Development and design of multimedia network and service infrastructure Development and implementation of secure solutions for broadband transfer through existing infrastructures ICTs for Learning & eLearning Personalized education process over the Internet Software systems for learning process management and support ICTs for Health & eHealth Personal Health Systems ICT for Patient Safety ICT for Environmental sustainability, energy efficiency ICT for environmental services and climate change adaptation ICT for energy efficiency Software Engineering Software tools and service oriented architectures for distributed information systems Methods and tools for software development improvement

Priority Setting Results AgroFood Regional PrioritiesSpecification Food / feed safety and quality, food biotechnology Preservation of indigenous species and traditional food products (in SEE/WBC) Combined exposure of food and feed to environmental pollutants Biodiversity Investigation of regional genetic resources in the WBC (plants, animals and microorganisms) Interdisciplinary field: Land use impact in agriculture on biodiversity (Topic: Renewable energy production in the agricultural sector and biodiversity conservation)

Priority Setting Results Health Regional PrioritiesSpecification Oncology Cancer registries (topic from FP6 revisited) Translational medicine (training of professionals) Cardiovascular diseases Stroke research (early detection guidelines) Public Health Prevention of disease and risk factors, specific epidemiological cases Emerging food and water borne zoonoses (zoonotic infections), pollution of water (tourists) Mental Health Long term influence of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on mental health – parallel to terrorist attack cases Infectious diseases Epidemiological research on viral Hepatitis A, B, C, E (emerging)

Priority Setting Results Transport Regional PrioritiesSpecification Impact of surface transport on environment and safety a.Coastal seas b.Inland waterways c.Railways d.roads Advanced materials and structures engineering for safer and greener means of transport Passenger and freight intermodal transport and optimal use of various transport modes Application of advanced simulations in transport systems Application of ICT in intelligent transport systems

Priority Setting Results Environment Consultation session in the field of Environment (fifth in the series of 5 consultation sessions) took place on June 16/17, 2009 in Skopje (i.e. after SP in Liblice) attended by 40 participants (experts, scientists, policy makers, SMEs, NCPs, project partners, European Commission) discussion and setting of regional research priorities

Priority Setting Results Environment Regional PrioritiesSpecification Ecosystem based approach to management of renewable resources A.Forest ecosystems B.Fisheries Environmental Hazards in Cultural Heritage - Development of Knowledge Base for Effective Western Balkan Protection Strategy Biodiversity Cleaner Production / Environmental technologies a.Valorisation of waste materials from thermo-power plant as raw materials in ceramic processing b.Industrial sludge and mud as constructive raw materials c.Valorisation of agriculture waste as bio-adsorbents in waste water treatment d.Treatment systems for drinking, surface and waste waters containing active pharmaceutical ingredients and personal care products e.Treatment of waste waters containing used metal-working fluids f.Non-metallic materials as adsorbents in gas emission treatment Sustainable Management of Terrestrial Natural Resources a.Development of innovative scientific topic quality indicators for specific and sensitive areas (Riparian vegetation) b.Development of novel unified methodologies for sustainable management of terrestrial natural resources c.Forests of Dinaric Alps: environmental conditions, diversity and stability Climate change

State of play Partial take up of specific priorities in the SEE-ERA.NET PLUS Call for Proposals ICT: Software systems for learning process management and support ICT for energy efficiency AgroFood Preservation of indigenous species and traditional food products (in SEE/WBC) Interdisciplinary field: Land use impact in agriculture on biodiversity

State of play Partial take up of specific priorities in the SEE-ERA.NET PLUS Call for Proposals Presentation at the Steering Platform Meeting in Liblice (defined regional priorities of 4 out of 5 themes) Dissemination on WBC level to enhance national and regional priority setting processes

State of play Informal dissemination through participation in consultation sessions, WP leader and coordinator addressing informally thematic directorates Official disseminiation to the European Commission DGs through Directorate on International Cooperation – Project Officer Michele Genovese – in autumn 2009

Follow-up Perspectives under Workprogrammes 2011 –areas covered in general –dedicated / targeted call specific for WBC

Follow-up Further highlighting importance for specific WBC topics: –enlargement perspective (e.g. contributions to key EU priorities, e.g. climate change research, agriculture policy, transport, etc.) –facilitating compliance with acquis (e.g. in EU policy on environment; public health) –regional competitiveness (broadband, ICT for businesses, improving transport) –some areas very specific to WBCs (mental health issues; environmental hazards in culture heritage) –Following on good practice on dedicated calls (REGPOT)

Follow-up Other stakeholders/donors Bilateral support Regional R&D Strategy development process Other fora to engage on regional level (regional centres of excellence, regional technology platforms)

Further Follow-up Continuation of the successful process (depending of success of a proposal to enhance the existing INCO- NET currently being prepared): –Energy –New Materials Further specifications (e.g. narrowing down priorities in the field of Transport) Support to research infrastructures in WBC Further discussions on follow-up during Steering Platform and WBC-INCO.NET General Assembly

Contact persons Dr. Ulrike Kunze, PT-DLR Germany, Dr. Andreas Kahle, BMBF Germany, Tatjana Knezevic, MPIN Montenegro, Branka Zizic, MPIN Montenegro, WBC-INCO.NET partners in the region,

Thank you for your attention! Elke Dall Centre for Social Innovation Linke Wienzeile 246 A-1150 Wien