Supporting Research and Innovation activities in the Eastern Partnership Countries (EaP)

In the current geopolitical context, the European support towards five EaP countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, has intensified, with a specific attention to research, development and innovation. The latter plays an important role in retaining talent, nurturing growth of research community, increasing quality of scientific institutions and increasing innovative potential among businesses in the region.

Many of the EaP countries have put in place necessary reforms to enhance their research and development potential, spanning from national strategies and actions plans, institutional reorganizations, enhanced funding opportunities for research and startups and encouraging academia-business collaboration. Association of the EaP countries to the EU Framework Programmes (FP) is an additional opportunity to motivate the science and research communities, enhance their research capacity and better connect to their western peers. Following the current EU FP, Horizon Europe, special attention has been given to technology transfer, connecting research infrastructure, engaging SME and citizens and sectoral prioritization as part of smart specialization strategies.

Technopolis Group is working on the EU-funded project to support EaP countries, especially Moldova and Ukraine, in achieving the R&I post-2020 priorities and to joining the European Research Area. This will be done through monitoring EaP countries’ national reforms, plans and activities towards the green and digital transformations.