1. The Progress of the EU-Balkan countries Action Plan in Science & Technology Dr. George BONAS General Secretariat for Research and Technology Athens, Greece

2. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event2 Adoption of the Action Plan Important steps Preliminary events (2000 – 2002): Vienna, Bonn, Bucharest, Sofia, Dubrovnik, … Greek Presidency’s input –Background material and first draft –High Level Officials meeting (Feb. 03) –Ministerial Conference (June 03)

3. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event3 The SHARED VISION document  Sets the Political context – ‘Zagreb process’ and Thessaloniki Summit  Defines four Main Goals Improvement of Infrastructures Improvement of Human Potential Institution Building Joint RTD activities

4. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event4 The Action Plan  Specifies the Objectives and thematic priorities  Proposes for the Implementation: Instruments (Multilateral, Regional, Bilateral) Implementing modalities –ad-hoc group, Workprogramme –Two Task Forces Duration: 3 years

5. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event5 How to implement the Action Plan Cooperation of High-level Officials Stimulation of Scientists and Institutions Skills and imagination for good proposals and adequate sources of funding

6. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event6 Where are we today? (1/3) Meeting of the ad-hoc group (Florence, November 2003) Austria will act as facilitator for 2004 Greece will host a Web site for the Action Plan

7. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event7 Where are we today? (2/3) In the Action Plan we can read: ‘Institution building…’ ‘synergies between bilateral initiatives and programmes’: ongoing ‘Creation of NCP systems’: ongoing ‘Evaluation and benchmarking of national research systems’: possibly

8. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event8 Where are we today? (3/3) ‘Joint RTD activities…’ –‘Decentralized water manag t ’: scheduled ‘Infrastructure…’ –‘Electronic networks for science’: ongoing (SEEREN and Task Force)

9. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event9 Task Force on Electronic Networks First meeting in Athens (GRNET, 11/6/03) 23 experts, good geogr. coverage: –11 from the region –10 from EU –EC-INFSO, UniAdrion

10. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event10 Recommendations to Governments  Recognize importance of NRENs  Need for one NREN per country  Exert pressure to operators for tariffs  New business models of broadband infrastructure sharing  Harmonize the regulatory environment with EU

11. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event11 Planed activities Explore and exploit sources of funding for: Training of staff Interconnection (regional and with EU) NRENs equipment Create small Working Groups to focus on: Infrastructure Regulatory environment Funding issues Organizational models and awareness actions

12. 9/1/2004 G. Bonas, SEEREN Inaug. Event12 Epilogue The Action Plan sets the field for our initiatives in order to produce coherent results the next 3 years, for the benefit of the Balkan region. In less than 6 months time, several activities have already been undertaken. The Task Force can catalyze new initiatives to ensure the continuity of ongoing activities (e.g. SEEREN) and to address other important issues.