The future planned SEE-ERA.NET innovation activities are aimed at:

• Raising awareness on the potential of joint innovation activities
• Defining the scope of joint innovation activities and building on common interests of the innovation stakeholders by addressing their specific needs
• Developing specific innovation related actions and tools
• Attracting the interest of possible international, national and regional funding bodies to participate in the joint innovation activities

Existing innovation stakeholders from the SEE-ERA.NET countries, representatives of RTD and innovation related structures from countries outside SEE-ERA.NET and other European networks as well as other innovation related European and international funding bodies participated and discussed their innovation related policies and activities, their problems and needs, their expectations and proposals for future innovation related collaboration actions within SEE-ERA.NET.
Nearly 100 attendees participated in the conference that was held at the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) in Thessaloniki.

The conference outcomes will be taken into account in order to:
design the most appropriate SME innovation support actions and tools to be implemented by SEE-ERA.NET as a future funding scheme for transnational cooperation activities for innovation (ReP-SEE programme), and
develop contacts with corresponding international, national and regional funding bodies and other interested stakeholders outside SEE-ERA.NET, aimed at involving them in the future SEE-ERA.NET funding scheme for transnational cooperation activities for innovation (ReP-SEE programme).

Article published in see-science.eu eJournal fall/winter 2007.