STI International Cooperation Network for Eastern Partnership Countries – PLUS

Project Information

EaP PLUS

Grant agreement ID: 692471

DOI

10.3030/692471

Project closed

EC signature date 12 January 2016

Start date 1 September 2016

End date 31 August 2019

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Europe In A Changing World - Inclusive, Innovative And Reflective Societies

Total cost

€ 1 569 078,75

EU contribution

€ 1 569 078,75

Coordinated by

CERISS - KENTRO PERIFEREIAKON KAI DIETHNON MELETON KAI YPOSTIRIXIS MONOPROSOPI IKE
Greece

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EaP PLUS (STI International Cooperation Network for Eastern Partnership Countries – PLUS)

Reporting period: 2018-03-01 to 2019-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The EaP PLUS project addressed two challenges:

i. Τhe stimulation of the cooperation between researchers from the EU and the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries;
ii. Τhe elimination of remaining obstacles in the cooperation between EU and EaP.

The six target countries, i.e. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, constitute a region of major importance for the EU that is specifically addressed by the EU’s Eastern Partnership policy, which in 2019 celebrated its 10th Anniversary.

Among the ‘20 Deliverables for 2020’ of that policy, the 20th explicitly addresses Research and Innovation, stipulating the ‘integration of the EaP and EU R&I systems and programmes’. A major step forward towards that integration was the Association to H2020 of Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The EaP PLUS project, building on the results of the predecessor FP7 project 'IncoNet EaP', contributed to the aforementioned 20th deliverable through the implementation of a coherent set of activities addressed to policy makers and to the research community.

In terms of specific objectives, the project:
1. Actively supported the policy dialogue in STI between the EU and the EaP countries with particular emphasis on the Association to H2020 in order to maximize the benefits from it.
2. Promoted the interactions between researchers in the context of H2020 and beyond.
3. Promoted innovation in the EaP countries, creating synergies with major EU’s initiatives in the innovation field.
4. Contributed to the improvement of the framework conditions and efficiency of the cooperation between EU and the EaP countries, by preparing a coherent set of recommendations aiming to remove remaining obstacles.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The work performed to address each specific objective included:

1. Support to Policy Dialogue

a. Active contribution to the works of the ‘EaP Panel on R&I’, feeding the Panel with the project’s outputs (studies, reports, etc.).

b. Implementation of two events dedicated to the Association of four EaP countries to H2020, namely:
• A Conference on ‘Sharing experiences from the Association to H2020’ (Chisinau, May 2017), allowing policy makers and other stakeholders to share their experiences on challenges and barriers they face in taking full benefit from the Association.
• A training for H2020 Programme Committee (PC) members from the associated EaP countries (Kiev, March 2018), allowing the transfer of knowledge from experienced EU Member States PC members to the newly nominated representatives from the EaP countries.

c. Organization of fact-finding missions in all the EaP countries, to obtain information on recent developments and on challenges at national level and in the cooperation with EU.

d. Preparation of the comprehensive document with STI policy recommendations ‘EU-EaP beyond 2020’ based on the aforementioned fact-finding missions and to all other project studies and activities. (Document available at: https://www.eap-plus.eu/object/document/311)

e. Organization of the Conference ‘EU-EaP STI cooperation: Beyond 2020’ (Brussels, 11 June 2019) that provided the opportunity to policy makers and other stakeholders from EU, EaP countries and the European Commission to discuss the challenges from the Association to H2020, important EU initiatives, as well as the recommendations prepared by the EaP PLUS project.


2. Interactions between researchers

a. Implementation of a competitive Grant scheme, to provide financial support to researchers from EaP countries to attend Brokerage Events or proposal preparation meetings in EU.

b. Organization of five (5) ‘Scientific Diaspora Workshops’ in EaP countries since the scientific diasporas in EU Member States constitute a valuable ‘bridge’ for the integration of EaP researchers in H2020 proposals.

c. Organization of ten (10) Information Days, of six (6) training seminars for NCPs in the EaP countries and of (17) Webinars on H2020 and on RDI issues to contribute to an enhanced participation in H2020.


3. Promoting innovation

a. The project devoted a particular attention to the development of Clusters in the EaP countries through a comprehensive set of activities that included:
- A review of the state of development of clusters in EaP countries;
- The implementation of a competitive grant scheme to provide funds to EaP clusters for the initiation of their collaboration with EU clusters;
- The development of recommendations in order to further stimulate the development of clusters in EaP and their cooperation with EU.

b. The project also promoted the concept of European Technology Platforms (ETPs) in the EaP countries, organized a training for Technology Managers and also prepared a co-patenting analysis between EU and EaP countries.


4. Improving framework conditions for the EU-EaP STI cooperation


a. Implementation of a review of Policies & Programmes in EU and in the EaP countries, with recommendations on the synergies that could be developed.

b. Organization of two high-level seminars for EaP policy makers to train them on contemporary STI concepts.

c. Implementation of a S&T cooperation Barometer through a survey to identify the attitude towards the EU-EaP STI cooperation and its trends.

d. Last but not least, the already mentioned recommendations (‘EU-EaP beyond 2020’), will also significantly contribute to the improvement of the framework conditions for the EU-EaP STI cooperation.

In parallel, the communication, dissemination and outreach activities included an active use of several channels and means (website, a newsletter facebook, twitter, ResearchGate and Youtube).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project contributed to progress beyond the state of the art in various fields that will definitively impact the EU – EaP STI cooperation in the forthcoming years and especially in ‘Horizon Europe’.

Among these contributions the following should be highlighted:

The STI Policy Recommendations ‘EU-EaP beyond 2020’ presented in June 2019 constitutes the more recent review of the challenges and needs for further enhancing the EU – EaP STI cooperation. It contributes to the fulfillment of the 20th Deliverable of the Eastern Partnership strategy, capitalizing on the acquired experience from the association to H2020 of four EaP countries and on recent developments in each country, complementing in that respect the Peer Reviews that have been recently implemented under the H2020 Policy Support Facility.

A significant step beyond the state of the art has also been achieved in the field of innovation promotion in the EaP countries, with particular emphasis on the activities addressing Clusters and Technology Platforms. The reviews and recommendations that have been prepared in synergy with the training for Technology Managers will impact on the development of the untapped potential that exists in the EaP countries in terms of cluster development and Technology Platforms promotion, including their links with similar structures in EU.

Last but not least, the large number of researchers, information multipliers and other stakeholders that benefited from the EaP PLUS project (through Info Days; trainings; conferences and workshops; grants; etc.) has to be mentioned. Solid links have been created among them, H2020 and the European Research Area in the broader sense. The knowledge and networking they acquired will definitively impact on the strengthening the EU – EaP STI cooperation in the forthcoming years.

EaP PLUS Conference "EU-EaP beyone 2020", Brussels, June 2019

Workshop for Programme Committee members from EaP countries, Kiev March 2018

Training for Technology Managers from EaP countries, Minsk, March 2019