Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EaP PLUS (STI International Cooperation Network for Eastern Partnership Countries – PLUS)

Teaser

The EaP PLUS project is addressing two challenges: i. Τhe stimulation of the cooperation between researchers from the European Union (EU) and the Eastern Partnership (EaP);ii. Τhe elimination of remaining obstacles to cooperation between EU and EaP researchers. The six...

Summary

The EaP PLUS project is addressing two challenges:
i. Τhe stimulation of the cooperation between researchers from the European Union (EU) and the Eastern Partnership (EaP);
ii. Τhe elimination of remaining obstacles to cooperation between EU and EaP researchers.

The six target countries, i.e. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, constitute a region of major importance for the European Union, which is addressed by the Eastern Partnership initiative in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).
In this framework, the EU-EaP cooperation in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) has been set high in the joint agenda of the European Union MS and EaP countries. This has been illustrated in the Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius (November 2013), in which cooperation in research and innovation has been one of the main policy goals, and re-confirmed at the Summit in Brussels (November 2017). The launching of the ‘EU-EaP Panel on Research an Innovation’ in 2013 underlines the importance of the bi-regional scientific cooperation between EU and the EaP countries.
Moreover, a major step forward with regard to the participation of the EaP countries in EU’s Framework Programme has been achieved with the Association to H2020 of Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine that are currently effective. This development constitutes a strong indicator of the mutual political will for a closer cooperation between the EU and the EaP countries.

The EaP PLUS project, building on the results of the predecessor FP7 project \'IncoNet EaP\', is currently addressing this challenging context by providing support and by developing concrete actions both in the fields of research and innovation, while working closely with the policy stakeholders and the respective policy dialogue fora.
More specifically, the objectives of the project are:
1. To actively support the policy dialogue in STI between the EU and the EaP countries with a particular emphasis on the Association to H2020 process and dedicated actions to maximize the benefits from it.
2. To boost interactions between researchers in the context of H2020 and beyond.
3. To promote innovation in the EaP countries, in a coherent and complementary way with major EU’s initiatives in the innovation field.
4. To improve the framework conditions and efficiency of the cooperation between EU and its individual Member States with the EaP countries aiming in particular to remove remaining obstacles and to create opportunities.

In parallel, the project implements a coherent and state-of-the-art set of communication, dissemination and outreach activities in order to increase its visibility and impact.
A large number among the aforementioned activities have already been implemented or are ongoing, at the beginning of the second half of the implementation period of the project, which is scheduled to last until end of August 2019.

Work performed

The work performed for each objective is as following:

1. Policy Dialogue
a. The implementation of five (5) fact-finding missions.
b. The organization of a Conference on ‘Sharing experiences from the Association to H2020’.
c. The active contribution to the relevant EU-EaP policy dialogue fora with emphasis on the ‘EU-EaP Panel on Research & Innovation’. Co-organisation of SPIRE Meeting in Brussels (7 April 2017); Co-organisation of the Panel event “From Innovative Ideas to Successful Businesses” (21 September 2017, Minsk).

2. Interactions between researchers
a. The organization of five (5) ‘Scientific Diaspora Workshops’ in all the EaP countries (except AZ).
b. The allocation of eighteen (18) Grants for networking between EaP and EU researchers.
c. The organization in five (5) EaP countries “Call dependent” Info Days and of one (1) training seminar for NCPs in Belarus.

3. Promoting innovation
a. The implementation of a review of the state of development of clusters in the EaP countries;
b. The allocation of six (6) Grants for EU-EaP cluster collaboration.

4. Improving framework conditions
a. The implementation of a review for the state-of-affairs of Policies & Programmes.
b. The organization of two high-level seminars (Vienna/October 2017; Athens; November 2017), addressed to policy makers from the EaP countries on contemporary STI topics.

The work performed in terms of communication, dissemination and outreach include:
a. The development of a Communication Plan and Exploitation Strategy.
b. The development of an Information system (website, web platform) with provision of tools for communities of practice targeted by the project.

Final results

Impact

The activities implemented by the project during the first 18 months of its implementation are already contributing to the impact that was expected out of this H2020 Coordination and Support Action. More specifically, the project:

- Contributed to the EU- EaP Panel’s efforts in tackling issues in the field of innovation;
- Implemented a dissemination campaign for SPIRE calls encouraging EaP participation;
- Boosted the interaction among the researchers in the EaP countries and their Scientific Diaspora in EU;
- Supported the networking of EaP-EU researchers;
- Promoted H2020 calls and supported EaP researchers’ participation;
- Trained high-level policy stake holders in contemporary approaches in STI;
- Reported about the participation of EaP countries in JPIs, in COST Actions and Programmes of the EU Member States;
- Reviewed the state-of-affairs concerning Clusters in the EaP countries and furthered EU-EaP cluster cooperation;

Expected results until the end of the project

In the second period, the project has planned several activities to further increase its impact and achieve the successful accomplishment of its objectives. These activities are:
• The finalisation of fact-finding missions;
• The organization of a workshop dedicated to the newly nominated Programme Committee members of the four EaP Associated to H2020 countries (AM, GE, MD, UA);
• The continuous support to the EU-EaP Panel, and active contribution to the organisation of the 5th EU-EaP Panel Event in Tbilisi (fall 2018);
• The organisation of trainings for EaP NCP networks (AM, AZ, GE, MD, UA )
• The organisation of RDI & H2020 Webinars;
• The completion of the 2nd round of Grants for networking
• The organisation of a 3-day training for technology managers in Minsk ;
• The organization of a workshop for the EU – EaP cluster cooperation grant winners;
• The preparation of a review of the state of development of Technology Platforms in the EaP countries;
• The organisation of workshop dedicated to ETPs and similar structures in EaP countries (in Kiev);

Progress beyond the state-of-the-art

The project will present its major conclusions in the form of the report “EU – EaP beyond 2020” including state-of-the-art policy recommendations that will pave the way for an active participation of the EaP countries in the European Research Area and in the forthcoming new Framework Programme. The presentation of this report is scheduled to take place in Brussels in the first half of 2019.

Website & more info

More info: https://www.eap-plus.eu/.