The Western Balkan countries INCO-NET assisted in developing the relationship between the EU and the WBCs in the area of science and technology (S&T). Throughout its total duration of seven years (2008 to 2014), the project supported the Steering Platform on Research for the Western Balkan countries in the facilitation of interaction between the Western Balkan countries, the EU Member States, states associated to the Framework Programmes for RTD and the European Commission. SP is a strategic body designed to deal with European, multilateral and regional issues of science and technology policies in and with the WBCs.

 The core objectives of WBC-INCO.NET were:

• to support the bi-regional dialogue on science and technology (S&T) by benefiting from and interacting with the Steering Platform on Research for the Western Balkan countries
• to identify RTD potentials and priorities for take-up in FP7 and other European programmes in a transparent and methodologically sound way
• to enhance participation of researchers from the region in European projects of mutual interest and benefit by implementing capacity building measures and accompanying networking activities.
• to analyse innovation needs and barriers to innovation in the WBC, to exchange information and best practices on innovation policies and to prepare an Action Plan for further WBC cooperation in the field of innovation and 
• to establish closer cooperation between research and innovation, to strengthen the intersectoral dialogue and to support the training of innovation stakeholders.

The objectives are being achieved in close interaction with the Steering Platform on Research for the Western Balkan countries. The platform members are the EU Member States, the Candidate and Potential Candidate countries, the countries associated to FP7 and the European Commission. It meets twice a year and is typically hosted by the EU Presidency or a Western Balkan country. WBC-INCO.NET supported these meetings logistically and cooperated in an efficient division of labour.

The project implemented such activities as:

• setting of thematic regional S&T priorities,
• analysis of opportunities to access infrastructure, barriers to cooperation and cooperation patterns,
• analysis of the needs in innovation policy and innovation support and identification of policy measures to improve the framework conditions for innovation,
• organisation of training workshops and learning groups (for innovation stakeholders), in addition to brokerage events and awareness raising sessions,
• organisation of Innovation Dialogue Fora and establishment of a WBC Innovation Group of Experts,
• support to National Contact Points and Research Information Systems and
• publishing of regular newsletters, a journal and the web-based information portal www.wbc-inco.net

Through its portal www.wbc-inco.net, newsletters and reports, WBC-INCO.NET engaged in information exchange on S&T policy cooperation with the Western Balkan countries.

29 partners were participating in the consortium:

Among these are S&T ministries, agencies and analytical partners.

Coordinator:

Centre for Social Innovation
ZSI – Austria

Partners from the WBC:

Ministry of Education and Science
MOES – Albania

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy
METE – Albania

Trenkwalder CIVET2000
CIVET – Albania

Ministry of Civil Affairs
MCA – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Foundation for Higher Education World University Service Bosnia and Herzegovina
SUS BiH – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ministry of Science, Education and Sports
MZOS – Croatia

Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences
Ivo Pilar – Croatia

Ministry of Education and Science
MON -MK – FYRo Macedonia

Ministry of Economy
MOE -MK – FYRo Macedonia

Ministry of Education and Science
MPIN – Montenegro

Directorate for Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
DDSME − Montenegro

Ministry of Science and Technological Development
MSTD – Serbia

Mihajlo Pupin Institute
MPI – Serbia

Kosova Education Center
KEC – Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244)

Partners from the EU and Associated Countries:

Federal Ministry of Science and Research
BMWF – Austria

Austrian Research Promotion Agency
FFG – Austria

Joint Research Centre
JRC-IPTS – Belgium

Slovenian Business and Research Association
SBRA – Belgium

Turkish Research & Business Organisations Public & Private Partnership
TuR&Bo-PPP – Belgium

Ministry of Education, Youth and Science
MES-CRA – Bulgaria

Federal Ministry of Education and Research
BMBF – Germany

Project Management Agency/International Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research at the German Aerospace Centre
PT-DLR – Germany

General Secretariat for Research and Technology
GSRT – Greece

South-East European Research Centre
SEERC – Greece

Agency for the Promotion of European Research
APRE – Italy

United Nations University MERIT, Maastricht Economic and Social Research and Training Centre on Innovation and Technology, University of Maastricht
UNU -MERIT – Netherlands

Ministry for Higher Education, Science and Technology
MHEST – Slovenia

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
TÜBITAK – Turkey

WBC-INCO.NET was a project co-funded by the European Community’s Capacities Programme on International Cooperation under the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (2007-2013) (Contract Number: 212029).