EU and Western Balkans Partners Deepen Research and Innovation Cooperation to Support EU Integration

The European Union and its Western Balkans partners endorsed a joint declaration at the Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Steering Platform on Research and Innovation in Brussels on 22 October 2026, opening a new phase of cooperation in support of EU integration.

The declaration sets out a shared ambition to strengthen research careers, boost innovation ecosystems and prepare a new joint Action Plan involving the EU and its six Western Balkans partners.

A New Joint Action Plan

The meeting was hosted by European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva and co-chaired by Ireland’s Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless. Held under the theme “Research and Innovation as Accelerators for EU Integration”, the discussions centred on research careers and innovation ecosystems.

“With the endorsement of this joint declaration, we are opening a new chapter in EU-Western Balkans cooperation in research and innovation. Together, we will develop concrete actions to strengthen research excellence, support innovation and bring the region closer to the European Union.”

Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation

The next step is the preparation of the new joint Action Plan, translating the declaration’s ambition into concrete cooperation on research excellence, research careers and innovation.

Twenty Years of Cooperation

The meeting also marked the 20th anniversary of the Steering Platform on Research and Innovation. Since 2006, the Platform has brought together the European Commission, representatives of the six Western Balkans partners, EU Member States and the wider research and innovation community. It has helped build trust, deepen cooperation and support the full association of all six Western Balkans partners to successive EU research programmes.

This cooperation is already producing measurable results: Western Balkans partners have secured around EUR 237 million under Horizon Europe through more than 1,000 projects involving the region.

Recognising Regional Innovators

Commissioner Zaharieva also presented a dedicated innovation award to six young innovators from the Western Balkans. The ceremony highlighted solutions spanning green industry, digital health, robotics, circular practices and resilient infrastructure.

POLICY ENLARGE organised the Ministerial Meeting on behalf of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation.