In August 2007, the “White Paper on overlaps, gaps and opportunities in view of the extension of bilateral RTD programmes and initiatives towards multilateral approaches” and its accompanying Joint Action Plan were finalised as SEE-ERA.NET deliverables. Since then, the White Paper has been widely distributed. Some of the proposed actions of the Joint Action Plan already have been implemented (e.g. in the framework of the WBC-INCO.NET project), some just started, and some remain outstanding. Feedback and many recommendations have been collected and now, after two years and close to the end of the SEE-ERA.NET project, it seems to be a good time to revise the Joint Action Plan once more.

While the White Paper is designed as a policy paper, the Joint Action Plan has to be understood as a working paper reflecting the current situation and proposing respective actual measures, gaining momentum through the combination, coordination and adaptation of the individual measures. This makes the Joint Action Plan the ideal document to be updated from time to time summarising and outlining all combined measures targeting at the strengthening of strategic reform processes with regard to S&T in the Western Balkan countries, the assuring of a high level of participation of the Western Balkan countries in the 7th EU Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7) and the promotion of an intensive use of existing cooperation instruments, or, where necessary, introducing new, coherent and complementary or joint cooperation instruments.

The update of the Joint Action Plan (August 2009) is available on the websites of SEE-ERA.NET (PLUS) and WBC-INCO.NET.