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Western Balkan partners join Horizon Europe

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The European Commission has signed agreements for closer cooperation in research and innovation with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. For the period 2021-2027, they have been granted association status to the EU’s €95.5 billion research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe. This means that Western Balkan partner researchers, innovators and research bodies can now benefit from Horizon Europe support on the same footing as their counterparts from EU Member States. This will allow them to develop projects, technology and conduct research that will contribute to tackling global challenges.
 
Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “I welcome Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia to Horizon Europe. We can attract investment, develop human capital, support start-ups and create the necessary conditions for growth by working together. The implementation of the Western Balkans Agenda and participation in Horizon Europe will have a great impact in the region and in Europe overall.” 
 
Association with Horizon Europe supports the Global Approach to Research and Innovation and reconfirms the EU’s commitment to the level of global openness needed to drive excellence, pool resources for faster scientific progress and develop vibrant innovation ecosystems. While Kosovo is new to the programme, the other Western Balkan partners already had association status for Horizon 2020, the previous EU research and innovation programme, running from 2014-2020.

Malikowsky Couture: a new fashion brand inspired by traditional Roma costumes

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A young Roma artist enters the world of fashion design thanks to an EU-funded project in North Macedonia. In Muamed Malikovski’s family artists were stereotyped as associated with financial trouble and lacking a professional future. Muamed had a strong interest in art and design from childhood onwards but since he was also a good student in almost all other subjects in school, he chose law as a profession when the time came for university. With hard work, Muamed had high marks at the law faculty, but just before graduation something happened. “Everyone around me, including my family, expected me to be someone that wasn’t me, someone that I’ve never met in my soul. I knew it – I didn’t belong to that world, and I decided to listen to my heart and follow my dreams,” says Muamed.

 “It was challenging for me because I didn’t have any support from my family or friends. I was being told all the time: ‘You can’t do it’. ‘Come on, give it up, you won’t succeed’. ‘You should be a lawyer’.”

Living the dream He decided to enrol in the Faculty of Fashion Design at Goce Delchev University in Stip, North Macedonia. The decision to study fashion design was not an easy choice but as soon as Muamed started his fashion studies, he started sketching illustrations to bring his innovative ideas for fashion to life. “It was challenging for me because I didn’t have any support from my family or friends. I was being told all the time: ‘You can’t do it’. ‘Come on, give it up, you won’t succeed’. ‘You should be a lawyer’,” says Muamed. Starting a new brand and entering the fashion market is challenging and the future looked tough for Muamed. In 2020, just when he was thinking of giving up, Muamed heard about a Council of Europe co-funded project, run by the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), that supports young Roma in creative and business endeavours. Thanks to ERIAC and its funding, Muamed finally got the opportunity to turn his passion into a business. But this was just a start and Muamed was aiming for much greater success. He did not have a store, and opening one required considerable financial investment, which Muamed was not able to cover. Then the pandemic started. Along with the suffering and trouble it caused, it also opened up new ways of doing business. Another EU-funded project – Roma Digital Boost supported by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) – helped Muamed overcome this next challenge.

 “The EU-funded Roma Digital Boost project helped me take my business to the next level, and start the journey to becoming a well-known brand.”

About the project The Roma Integration project aims to reduce the socio-economic gap between the Roma and non-Roma population in the Western Balkans and Turkey, and to strengthen the institutional obligations of governments to incorporate and deliver specific Roma integration goals in mainstream policy developments. It is implemented by the Regional Cooperation Council, with the financial support of the European Union and the Open Society Foundations. Roma Digital Boost trained Muamed on online sales, the creation of a brand and visual identity for his company, and management and promotion on social media channels. “The EU-funded Roma Digital Boost project helped me take my business to the next level, and start the journey to becoming a well-known brand,” says Muamed. Now he has launched his first important fashion collection, inspired by traditional Roma costumes. His Aurora design won second place in the Miss Freedom of the World competition and another design was chosen as the best national costume at the Miss Summer 2021 competition in Albania. His vision for the future is to open a bigger fashion studio in North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, and then expand to the international market. “Even if it seems impossible to others,” says Muamed, “let’s create stories together worth telling loudly and proudly.” Although RCC’s Roma Integration project works mainly at the level of policy, the project continues to support programmes that work directly with Roma communities. The Roma Digital Boost – which the RCC supports both financially and with human resources ­– is one of these programmes and is particularly important because it helps to speed up the process of digitalisation within Roma communities. “Without digital skills, there is no moving forward with the integration process in any field, including quality education, equal participation in the labour market, access to public and health services, and access to information. Highly motivated people like Malikovski are the best examples of how the Roma community can contribute to the ongoing transformations of our economies,” says Orhan Usein, Regional Cooperation Council Roma Integration Head of Office. Meanwhile, Muamed says, “I encourage everyone, and in particular Roma young people, to listen to their hearts and follow their dreams. Never give up on what makes you happy in your life. And always be yourself!”

Big ideas in a small box

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An entrepreneur from Kosovo has launched an innovative product to develop children’s electronic and engineering skills. Arta Shehu Zaimi is a young entrepreneur from Kosovo. After she graduated from studying computer science, she joined a commercial bank as a developer and later advanced to being a software architect. However, she soon became a mother and her worldview changed, along with her professional vision, and she decided to embark on a slightly different business endeavour. “I always had this regret that I, like many of my generation, had had to struggle to learn things in a practical way, and I felt a need to do something so my daughters and their generation do not experience similar struggles,” says Arta. That is why, back in 2015, Arta and her sister decided to launch the J-Coders Academy, a private course where children from 8 to 18 years old can learn programming languages, app design, and computer game design. The J-Coders Academy principle is to teach the children these concepts with as many practical exercises as possible.

 “We believe that science and technology should be kept real and easy for kids to learn, while encouraging them to solve problems and think outside the box.”

Easy-to-learn science and technology However, during their work on the J-Coders Academy, Arta and her sister learned that children were having difficulties grasping the knowledge in one particular field – hardware engineering and electronics. This was because the existing approach did not provide a simple environment for children to experiment in this important field. “We believe that science and technology should be kept real and easy for kids to learn, while encouraging them to solve problems and think outside the box,” says Arta. This is how the idea was conceived of the Labbox, which Arta considers a revolutionary product. Labbox consists of tiny boxes which include circuits, cable connectors and similar materials that allow children to experiment on small-scale engineering and electronic projects. Once the initial product was developed, it was presented to a group of parents and partners. The product was well received and Arta and her sister decided to turn it into a business. However, this was a new type of business for Kosovo and the region, and there were plenty of challenges. In particular they had issues with the physical production of their units.  “Our region is not a very friendly environment for companies such as Labbox who are delivering physical electronic products. We faced serious problems in finding suppliers or partner companies who would take over the production,” Arta says.

 “The early-stage financing from the EU was crucial for our business and I hope that they will continue to support the region’s digital sector, as we have a lot of talent and human capacity that needs support to turn into bigger brands.”

About the project The Western Balkans Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility(WB EDIF), funded by the EU, aims to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Western Balkans. WB EDIF has been designed to offer complementary financial instruments addressing the entire range of SME financing needs in the Western Balkans. The Facility consists of four different pillars: SME equity financing, loan guarantee, lending and SME support services. The other option was for Labbox to take over the production themselves, but for this they needed serious financial investment which as a start-up they could not afford. Labbox therefore had to focus their efforts on securing seed-stage funding to bring their first batch of products to the market. Labbox submitted a proposal for support to the EU’s Western Balkan Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility (WBEDIF) and got a positive response. The EU helped them with purchasing machinery so they could produce the electronic boxes on their own and independently from other suppliers or potential partners. “The early-stage financing from the EU was crucial for our business and I hope that they will continue to support the region’s digital sector, as we have a lot of talent and human capacity that needs support to turn into bigger brands,” says Arta. The Labbox electronic building blocks teach children the fundamentals of science and computer engineering in a fun and interactive way. Arta and her colleagues have designed and developed a series of these boxes for a certified STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) curriculum. Each product that they develop is linked to a certain learning objective, and enables children to understand a particular concept. Following its successful launch on the domestic market, Labbox quickly won a reputation home and abroad as a pioneer in STEM education. Public schools across Kosovo have piloted the Labbox curriculum, and in 2018 the company won first place in the Startup Games as part of the Western Balkans Investment Summit in London. But this is just the beginning, as Arta is committed to building on the strong Labbox momentum so far. “We are planning on reaching the European and US markets and expanding our distribution channels in order to include retail chains that serve public schools and education,” she says.

The Innovation Fund of Serbia announces a new call for proposals worth €9 million

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The Innovation Fund of Serbia has announced a new call for proposals for grants for innovative development inSerbian enterprises. The public call is worth  €9 million and is part of the joint investment by the Republic of Serbia and the European Union to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the project entitled “Increased innovation capacity and technological readiness of SMEs”, with a total value of  €20 million.

 

The EU has allocated more than €250 million since 2001 for projects aimed at improving and strengthening the Serbian economy, especially the SME sector. This is a sector that is key to developing Serbia’s market economy, as well as contributing to Serbia’s ongoing process of EU integration. Overall, €41 million has been dedicated to funding innovation, science and technology.

 

At the announcement event, the EU Ambassador to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, pointed out the opportunities for young innovators in Serbia, saying “We have financed 137 projects from a variety of sectors and we have already reserved additional funds so that our overall funding will jump in the future to an impressive €46.8 million for grants for innovators in Serbia”.

 

The grants are aimed at the development of innovative products, services and technologies, and project proposals can be submitted on the Fund’s website until 15 March 2022.

Erasmus+: €3.9 billion in 2022 for education, training, youth and sport

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The European Commission has launched a call for proposals under Erasmus+ for 2022, following the adoption of the 2022 annual work programme. With an increased budget of nearly €3.9 billion for the next year, Erasmus+ will continue to provide opportunities for study periods abroad, traineeships, apprenticeships, and staff exchanges and cross–border cooperation projects in youth, sport, education and training. In addition to the general call, the annual work programme also includes other elements, such as the European Universities initiative,  to be launched separately.  
Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said, “The launch of the new 2022 Erasmus+ calls have a special resonance. 2022 will mark the 35th anniversary of the programme, but also the year dedicated to youth. Erasmus has been an unforgettable experience for many years; let 2022 be even more unforgettable! With this new Erasmus year, we hope to make the experience more inclusive and more far-reaching, for young people to learn and travel after many difficult months.”  
The programme will continue to support young people and to encourage their participation in democratic life, contributing significantly to the objectives of the European Year of Youth 2022, which was announced in the State of the Union address in September 2021. The core activities of mobility and cooperation will also be strengthened in 2022.

European Union launches Global Team Europe Democracy initiative

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The European Commission and EU Member States are launching a global Team Europe Democracy initiative, that includes the Western Balkans.  
Speaking at the launch of the Global State of Democracy Report 2021, Commissioner for International Partnerships,Jutta Urpilainen, said, “As the world’s biggest supporter of democracy, Team Europe has a great responsibility as well as an opportunity. Together with our partners, including civil society, we can build an inclusive international alliance to promote democracy. We can invest in global efforts to increase the rule of law and accountability, supporting inclusive and transparent governance. And we can engage the world’s change makers: youth.”  
Between 2014 and 2019, EU Member States and institutions spent €14 billion in support of democracy in partner countries. This makes Team Europe the world’s leading donor to democracy. The Team Europe Democracy initiative aims to provide a robust and coordinated response to key components of the global democracy deficit, which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated.  
The initiative will operationalise an information exchange network and support global and local projects with research and expertise. It will help develop common approaches to transparency and accountability, and improve support to partners in transitioning to democracy.

Global Gateway: up to €300 billion for sustainable links around the world

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The European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy have launched the Global Gateway, the new European strategy to boost digital, energy and transport links that are smart, clean and secure and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.  
The initiative stands for sustainable and trusted connections that work for people and the planet, tackling the most pressing global challenges – from climate change and protecting the environment, to improving health security and boosting competitiveness and global supply chains. Global Gateway aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in investments between 2021 and 2027 to underpin a lasting global recovery, taking into account partners’ needs and the EU’s own interests.  
President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said : “COVID-19 has shown how interconnected the world we live in is. As part of our global recovery, we want to redesign how we connect the world to build forward better. The European model is about investing in both hard and soft infrastructure, in sustainable investments in digital, climate and energy, transport, health, education and research, as well as in an enabling environment guaranteeing a level playing field. We will support smart investments in quality infrastructure, respecting the highest social and environmental standards, in line with the EU’s democratic values and international norms and standards. The Global Gateway Strategy is a template for how Europe can build more resilient connections with the world.”  
Through a Team Europe approach, Global Gateway will bring together the EU and Member States with their financial and development institutions, including the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and seek to mobilise the private sector in order to leverage investments for transformational impact.

Work begins on the EU-supported Corridor Vc section near Doboj

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Corridor Vc is a major transit road connecting Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. Work has now started on the section in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) from the Rudanka interchange to the exit tunnel Putnikovo brdo 2, another important part of the Corridor Vc and a precondition for construction of the bypass road around Doboj.  
The construction of this very demanding 5.3 km section includes several major structures: the Rudanka Bridge over the Bosna river, the Putnikovo brdo 1 dual tube tunnel, and the Putnikovo brdo viaduct. This section also crosses the entity border which runs through the middle of the Putnikovo brdo 2 tunnel and is an example of successful cooperation between the public companies of the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska.  
A ceremony to celebrate the works was attended by Stefano Ellero, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Manuela Naessl, Head of BiH of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina local and central level authorities.  
Estimated costs for this section are €190.9 million, financed through €37.9 million in EU grants through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), €150 million European Bank for Reconstruction and Development loan and €3 million in beneficiary contributions. The section is planned to be completed in 2024.  WBIF is an EU-led donor investment platform that pools grants with implementing partner financing to support EU enlargement and socio-economic development in the region.

Climathon in Montengro generates ideas for challenging climate change

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The second edition of the EU-supported Climathon Podgorica – a hackathon for solutions to climate change challenges – took place on 27 and 28 November in Montenegro’s capital. Entitled, “Turn green“, this year’s Climathon focused on sustainable mobility by exploring innovative ways to tackle transport challenges.

 

The event was organised by the NGO NEST, under the auspices of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro and in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, the city of Podgorica and other supporters from the public and private sectors.

 

The Climathon was opened by Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, Ambassador Oana Cristina Popa.

 

“One of the pillars of the European Green Deal is a transformation of the transport sector towards more sustainable and carbon-neutral solutions. At the same time, transport must be available and affordable for all. This is not an easy task, and that is why we rely on you, people who participate in initiatives such as Climathon, people full of new ideas and innovative ways how to implement them,” the Ambassador said.

 

A total of ten teams took part in the competition. Their task was to come up with creative, viable and sustainable service or product solutions which could be marketed either through a business or an NGO. At the end of the competition, a panel of judges named the top three teams. They won cash prizes and an opportunity to develop their ideas further with support from experts in relevant fields, who will mentor them to support the further development and implementation of their ideas.

Third regional forum on ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey

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The EU-funded regional programme on ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey held its third regional forum on 1 and 2 December 2021. Under the headline, “Integrated Policies, Inclusive Partnerships”, the event aimed to accelerate the implementation of international and regional commitments on ending violence against women.

 

This year, the forum addressed issues including work with perpetrators to protect women and children; shifting social norms to tackle violence against women; and leveraging data to prevent and respond to cases of femicide, especially with the needs revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the inequalities it has exacerbated. The forum also discussed better implementation of the standards and provisions outlined in the Istanbul Convention.

 

The forum was convened in cooperation with the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations – DG NEAR, the Council of Europe, and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Agency for Gender Equality. It brought together stakeholders within national governments, civil society, and regional institutions on gender equality.