The 2nd meeting of the EU-Bosnia and Herzegovina Joint R&I Committee under Horizon Europe took place on 14 May in Sarajevo under the co-chairmanship of Anne Haglund-Morrissey, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission, and Suvad Džafić, Assistant to the Minister for Science and Culture, Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting offered a good occasion for the EU to recall the importance of the Horizon Europe programme for the country’s researchers and its innovation ecosystem, especially in the context of Bosnia and Herzegovina being an EU candidate country.
The EC co-chair welcomed the good progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Horizon Europe so far (also since the last JCM on 8 March 2023) and highlighted the advancements that Bosnia and Herzegovina has made in line with the Commission’s strategic priorities, especially as regards the green and digital transitions. The European Commission is ready to continue to assist capacity building efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina notably through support to its integration into the European Research and Innovation Areas.
The participants exchanged on subjects pertinent to the association of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Horizon Europe such as strengthening R&I cooperation and further promote the integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the new European Research Area (ERA), the implementation of the reciprocity principle as well as discussions on how to encourage increased participation in the different parts of the Horizon Europe programme.
The co-Chair from Bosnia and Herzegovina stressed that the country’s participation in Horizon Europe is key for the country’s scientific and technological developments, highlighting in particular the important role of the National Contact Points in Horizon Europe. He expressed its strong interest in having a dedicated Horizon Europe office aiming to provide information and advisory support for the implementation of the Horizon Europe Programme to the National Contact Points, researchers, scientists, innovators, other stakeholders to strengthen cooperation in science, innovation and technology.
The next Horizon Europe Joint Committee Meeting will take place in Brussels in 2025.
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International cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina