Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner for Science and Research, as well as Sredoje Novic, BiH Minister for Civil Affairs expressed their support during the FB7 event called “Towards the integration into the European research zone”
European Commission and Ministry for Civil Affairs of BiH, today organised an FP7 Informative Event entitled “Towards the integration into the European research zone”. This event served as a one-stop shop for the representatives of science and business communities in BiH to get information about the opportunities that are made available through the recent accession into the Seventh science/research and technological program, FP7. This event represents a unique opportunity for discussion about the role of science-research policy as an instrument for making the process of EU integration easier.
Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner for Science and Research, said “I was extremely pleased last year in November when Minster Sredoje Novic and I signed Memorandum of Understanding for BiH’s accession into FP7. Now we need to work on your complete integration into the European research zone. The best way to integrate is to jointly take part in science-research cooperation,” while addressing the representatives of BiH academic community.
BiH became an accession country of FP7 in November 2008. The FP7 accession countries are competing within this program on the same basis as the EU member states. The program opens science-research possibilities for the European science community. More of the science-research cooperation with the EU will enable a greater flow of ideas, people and transfer of technologies. FP7 supports science-research in the EU and the wide European research zone with its budget of almost 55 billion euro during the time frame of seven years (2007-2013).
„Research cooperation is a good path for pre-accession. You are expected to get involved into the research in order to fulfill European standards and technical requirements, as part of your EU integration process, which actually represents a good investment. For these reasons, one should see the increased efforts in research areas at the state level, as a first and necessary step towards EU membership”, said Potocnik.
Program FP7 enables financing of joint research in the strategic areas such as health, energy, climate change, informational technologies, nano technologies and transport. FP7 also stimulates the mobility of science-research workers through funds from the Marie-Curie program and it also has programs for support in capacity building, such as research infrastructure, research for small and medium enterprises and science in society.
„It is in our interest to get involved in the European research area and build institutional capacities that will enable a greater participation in EU programs, of both research institutions, small and medium sized enterprises and state companies, as well as provide for a greater mobility of our researchers”, said Sredoje Novic, Minister of Civil Affairs of BiH.
Speech of Sredoje Novic, BiH Minister of Civil Affairs during the FP7 Informative event in Sarajevo
