The Western Balkan region has significantly improved in terms of innovation performance in the
last ten years. However, in catching up with other European regions, the focus of innovation efforts
should be enhanced. Exports are still far more focused on medium- and low-technology products.
Innovative efforts mostly accommodate traditionally strong sectors, which do not necessarily reflect
the ideal competitiveness paths for economies in the region. Although some Western Balkan
economies record increases in patent activity, patent intensity in the region is still low, while, on the
other hand, scientific publication production displays a stable growth trend.
While Western Balkan economies are at different stages in the formation of research and innovation
(R&I) policy governance systems, national research and innovation policy frameworks are
continuously being improved. The enhancement of governance in the area of R&I came as the
result of increased capacity building activities in the region, as well as of the real needs emerging
as a result of social and economic transformation. On the other hand, R&I systems in the Western
Balkan economies need to continue shifting their focus towards businesses to provide better balance
between public and private sector orientation.
The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission is committed to supporting the shift in
innovation policies and improvement of R&I efforts and governance in the Western Balkan economies
through a number of tools and activities, allowing policy instruments to be matched with
the specific needs of the economy. This approach seeks efficient governance mechanisms for R&I
policy by reaching out to the business sector and other important actors of the innovation ecosystem.
It determines sustainable development directions for economies and ensures the continuity
of policy monitoring and evaluation cycles. This ambitious challenge is translated into four specific
lines of activity: (i) the application of the smart specialisation methodology to design and implement
innovation strategies; (ii) capacity-building activities for technology transfer, in particular
through specialised workshops, tools and instruments specifically designed to assist the academic
institutions in the regional economies; (iii) support to transnational collaboration and linkages in the
context of EU macro-regional strategies; and (iv) data quality enhancement.
The analysis of the development potential of the Western Balkan region in terms of economic,
innovative and scientific capabilities in this report is supported with the good practices addressing
specific challenges in the region.
ANDONOVA Elena;
BODEN John Mark;
CETL Vlado;
DIUKANOVA Olga;
DOSSO Mafini;
DUSART Jean;
GKOTSIS Petros;
GNAMUS Ales;
KLEIBRINK Alexander;
KOTSEV Alexander;
LAVALLE Carlo;
MANDRAS Giovanni;
MATUSIAK Monika;
RADOVANOVIC Nikola;
RAINOLDI Alessandro;
SLAVCHEVA Milena;
VESKOVIC Miroslav;
HOLLANDERS Hugo;
NDUBUISI Gideon;
OWUSU Solomon;
RADOSEVIC Slavo;
MATUSIAK Monika;
KLEIBRINK Alexander;
2018-04-27
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC111430
978-92-79-81871-4 (print),
978-92-79-81870-7,
1018-5593 (print),
1831-9424 (online),
EUR 29179 EN,
OP KJ-NA-29179-EN-C (print),
OP KJ-NA-29179-EN-N (online),
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC111430,
10.2760/48162 (online),
10.2760/771136 (print),
