1. Southeast European ERA-Net the development of an instrument to integrate Western Balkan Countries into the ERA by linking research and technological development activities within existing national, bilateral and regional programmes
Iulia MIHAIL, SEE-ERA.NET WP6 leader
Romanian Ministry of Education and Research
National Authority for Scientific Research

2. Coordination of national Programmes
ERA-NET
Nature shows us the way: Birds coordinating their efforts
71 % gain of efficiency

3. The Southeast European Era-Net consortium
Albania,
Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia

4. 1. The SEE-ERA.NET starting point:
14 countries
14 ministries & 3 funding agencies
more than 70 inter-governmental agreements
several thousands of institutional contacts
1.400 projects funded ( , bilateral programmes)

5. 2. SEE-ERA.NET – Transparency, Interactivity, Synergy
Objectives of SEE-ERA.NET:
integrating Southeast Europe into the European Research Area
adding value to existing bilateral S&T agreements
improving interregional research cooperation
contributing to the ‘EU-Balkan countries Action Plan in S&T’, adopted at EU Ministerial Conference in Thessaloniki in 2003.
These objectives will be met through:
exchange of information and best practice on bilateral RTD activities
needs analyses in the target countries
support of policy dialogue and awareness raising in the EU
identification of complementary approaches
Opening the existing nationally funded (bilateral) programmes:

6. 4. Examples of Joint SEE-ERA.NET activities
Opening the existing nationally funded (bilateral) programmes
SEE-ERA.NET Pilote Joint Call – 2006/2007
modest financial contributions
joint administration
preparatory measures – today, May , the first one!
joint project application reviewing system
joint funding strategy:
including a joint „virtual“ and „real“ common pot
funding mechanisms will be open to donations from other players in the West Balkan countries (Establishment of strategic partnerships with international organisations, i.e.: EC/DG Research, EC/DG JRC, EC/DG Enlargement, COST, ESF, OECD, UNESCO-ROSTE, EU-ESFRI, World Bank, NCP Training Projects as ERA WESTBALKAN+, etc…)
specific thematic areas (scientific disciplines)
Project proposals including regional cooperation among the West Balkan Countries and/or with participation of innovative SME’s will be given preference
November 2006 – launch of Pilot phase: Joint Call for RTD Proposals (Steering Board meeting in Vienna , 06 /07 April 2006)

7. SEE-ERA.NET contact details
Peter B. Mayr, Coordinator
Centre for Social Innovation
Linke Wienzeile 246
1150 Vienna, Austria
phone:
mobile:
fax:
Iulia Mihail, Coordinator WP6
MEdC – ANCS
21 – 25, Mendeleev Street,
Bucharest, Romania
phone:
fax: