Agreement on Central and Southeast European Innovation Area signed
Representatives from industry, research organisations and higher education have signed a cooperation agreement on the creation of a Central and Southeast European Innovation Area. The agreement aims to enhance and revitalise the innovation potential of the region in targeted, high technology fields. The signatories believe the initiative will lead to more and better job opportunities in the region, assist the implementation of the Lisbon Agenda, and help the accession countries participate in regional and European innovation projects and activities. The main feature of the agreement, described in a statement as 'non-political and bottom-up', will be networking. Participants intend to take full advantage of the support mechanisms offered by the European Commission for regional and pan-European cooperation, including the Structural Funds and the Framework Programmes for research and development. The Central and Southeast European Innovation Area will encompass the ten countries set to join the EU in May, as well as Austria, Germany, Greece and Italy. 'Whenever appropriate', cooperation with Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia-Montenegro will be sought. 'Networking with centres of excellence in Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine might also be useful,' states the strategic vision outlining the initiative. It is believed that enhanced regional cooperation will lead to a higher innovation potential and faster progress towards a knowledge-based economy and society. 'In addition, the possibility to produce high knowledge-content products, rather than cheap labour cost, will attract further foreign investments,' states the strategic vision.