Mr Janez Potočnik, the European Commissioner for Science and Research, will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina on 4 and 5 October 2007. During his visit, Commissioner Potočnik will meet the representatives of authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and discuss the country’s European perspective as well as cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union in the field of science and research.

In a meeting with representatives of BiH academic and science community, representatives of universities, research centres, industry, small and medium enterprises Commissioner Potočnik will discuss the cooperation between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina in science and research, focusing on research as a tool for integration, transfer of knowledge, association of BiH to the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) and the role  the academic community and stakeholders can play in this.

Framework Programmes are the main instruments through which the European Union supports research and development activities covering almost all scientific disciplines. The current Framework Programme is the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) which bundles all research-related EU initiatives together under a common roof playing a crucial role in reaching the goals of growth, competitiveness and employment. FP7 has a total budget of more than 50.5 billion Euro for the years 2007 to 2013

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s association to FP7 will enable the country to obtain funds for scientific research cooperation (through research institutions, small and medium enterprises and state companies) at European level and to mobilise its researchers into the EU. This should also strengthen BiH’s own research capacity. Moreover, this would open up opportunities for collaboration with the Joint Research Centre, the Commission’s own research organisation, which has a specific programme in support of EU enlargement.