He said that the JRC actively supports candidate countries through the development of evidence-based policies, adoption of EU standards and capacity building for future membership. He paid special attention to smart specialization, which the JRC, through its methodology, turned into a key mechanism for implementing development priorities. He pointed out that quality management of smart specialization can increase regional and national development by up to 40%, while insufficiently developed innovation infrastructure reduces economic potential. Despite shared challenges – from the green and digital transition to skills development – Magenhann said collaboration and innovation remain the most important tools for turning challenges into development opportunities and fostering a more resilient and competitive future.
From the perspective of enlargement policy, Valentina Superti, director for the Western Balkans at DG ENER, emphasized that smart specialization helps partner countries to modernize their economies, strengthen innovation systems and adapt to the opportunities provided by the EU single market. She pointed out that all the economies of the region have already adopted S3 strategies and identified sectors with the greatest potential for innovation and economic transformation. She also pointed to key challenges - progress is fastest where political commitment and stable management are strong, while in environments with a variable level of commitment, the process slows down, especially in the areas of monitoring, evaluation and engagement of actors. In particular, she apostrophized the connection between the S3 strategies and the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, the key elements of which rest on the principles of smart specialization - targeted investments, capacity building and the implementation of reforms. She concluded that the region has done the most difficult part of the job by defining priorities, but that now it is crucial to ensure continuity and successful implementation.
Prof. Dr. Anđela Jakšić-Stojanović, Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, participated in the panel "Processes of smart specialization in the Western Balkans: key achievements and experiences", where she emphasized that, despite the challenges and the period of the pandemic, Montenegro achieved exceptional results in the implementation of the Smart Specialization Strategy 2019-2024, since over 90% of the planned funds were realized, in a total amount of more than 168 million euros. This established a complete innovation infrastructure, which today represents the foundation of the modern innovation system. The minister pointed out that Montenegro is currently in the process of developing the second cycle of the strategy, and that the EDP process was successfully completed with the participation of more than 250 representatives of the academic community, research sector, business and civil society.
She said that the new strategy will be adopted by June 2026 and that it will represent a clear framework for digital and green transformation in the next five years. She emphasized that all public policies, programs and competitions - from science and innovation to education - are already aligned with S3 priorities. Montenegro, the minister concluded, continues to build a system in which the development of economy, science and innovation is based on clearly defined priorities of smart specialization.
