Successful interagency collaboration results in quality development programmes in S3

The sixth session of the Council for Innovation and Smart Specialisation was held today, focusing on the highly successful interagency collaboration that has yielded concrete development programmes and joint activities in various fields of smart specialisation. One notable achievement is the Public Call for Participation in the Innovation Programme for Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Industry, announced today by the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, a result of collaboration among three ministries: the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism, the Ministry of Science and Technological Development, and the Ministry of Capital Investments.

As emphasised by Minister of Science and Technological Development Biljana Šćepanović, the President of the Council, "Through regular meetings and the successful implementation of tasks outlined in this year's Action Plan, we reaffirm our commitment to responsibly address the issues of innovation and smart specialisation, contributing to the development of a knowledge-based and innovative economy, leading to a healthy, digitized, and sustainable Montenegro, in line with the ultimate goal of the Smart Specialisation Strategy."

During today's Council session, it was noted that Montenegro has fulfilled the conditions set forth by the European Commission for the Smart Specialisation Strategy, and the government will officially communicate this accomplishment to the European Commission to facilitate a final positive assessment of the document.

The Government recently approved the Action Plan for the Implementation of the S3 Operational Programme for the 2023-2024 period, with a budget of €45.7 million, primarily from the national budget (47%) and EU funds (37%).

The interim evaluation of the Smart Specialisation Strategy for the 2019-2022 period is underway, and its findings will serve as the basis for the preparation of the next strategic planning cycle for 2025-2029, set to commence in 2024.

During today's session, the Communication Strategy for S3 was also presented, an activity carried out with the support of UNDP. This communication aims to enhance citizens' understanding and awareness of the fact that the implementation of the S3 leads to improvements in the quality of life in a tangible, sustainable, and healthy manner, in line with the needs of modern society characterized by rapid changes.

In addition to being the first non-EU country to adopt the Smart Specialisation Strategy in 2019, Montenegro leads the region in its application and serves as a best practice example, both in terms of governance and functional implementation framework, as well as in sustaining the process of entrepreneurial discovery.

The Council's operational working bodies, the Innovation Working Groups for priority S3 areas, have a pivotal role within this framework, and the Council adopted their new composition today, based on public calls conducted by the Ministry of Science and Technological Development.

The next Council session is scheduled for the end of the fourth quarter of 2023.