Fourth informal meeting within the Eastern Partnership Panel on research and innovation, 20 and 21 October 2022, Tbilisi, Georgia
The fourth informal working group under the Eastern Partnership (EaP) R&I Panel took place on 20 and 21 October 2022 in Tbilisi, Georgia.
56 participants registered for the meeting: 26 representatives from five (5) EaP countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine), 4 representatives of EU Member States (Belgium, Germany, Latvia and Romania), three Civil Society Forum representatives, the European Commission (DG JRC, DG NEAR, DG RTD) and EEAS colleagues.
The meeting took stock of the achievements of the EaP Partner Countries regarding their participation in Horizon Europe, discussed the challenges the implementation of the EaP post-2020 R&I priorities towards recovery, resilience and reforms, the progress in developing and implementing national plans and programs with a view to supporting R&I reforms in the Partner countries. All participants recognised the role research and innovation co-operation has to play as an instrument of diplomacy as well as sustainable economic recovery and growth, made even more pertinent in the context of the war of Russia against Ukraine.
The event provided a good opportunity to debate the integration of the EaP Partner Countries into the European Research Area, exchange updates on the state of play in designing the smart specialization strategies and technology transfer work and discuss best practices for an enhanced participation in Horizon Europe. The EaP Partner countries acknowledged the achieved progress at the national level and in structuring the cooperation both at bilateral and regional levels for the creation of a common knowledge and innovation space between the EU and the partner countries and agreed that the development should be fostered, using scientific evidence to create knowledge-based jobs and attract investors to innovation driven by scientific progress in the EU and the neighbourhood. All sides shared ideas how this co-operation could be further deepened.
The effective participation of civil societies of Eastern Partnership countries and the EU has been recognised as crucial in the process of planning, monitoring and implementation of the Eastern Partnership policy in a constructive dialogue with the EU and the EaP decision-makers.
