At today’s meeting, the Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Sports has considered and unanimously voted in favour of:

·         Proposal for the Law on Innovation Activity, submitted to the Parliament of Montenegro by the Government of Montenegro;

·         Proposal for the Law on Ratification of the Agreement on the Western Balkan Research and Innovation Centre (WISE), submitted to the Parliament of Montenegro by the Government of Montenegro.

The proposed Law on Innovation Activity will normatively regulate the innovative activities and provide a legal framework for establishing new instruments regarding innovation activities as well as for improving the existing instruments in the field of science and research. This will provide for innovation to become the pillar of dynamic and relevant environment for the development and research. Additionally, it would provide for scientific institutions and public and private enterprises to use its more active role in research and development. The possibilities for the following will be opened: transfer of technologies; connection of scientific and research institutions, i.e. scientific and academic community with the business sector in the implementation of applied and developmental research; improvement of the competitiveness of SMEs and promotion of entrepreneurship; support to start-up companies. Innovation organisations under this law are: scientific and research institutions; centres of excellence; institutions of higher education; centres for transfer of technologies; scientific and technological parks; entrepreneurial innovation centres; business incubators; companies and parts of companies. In addition, the Law stipulates that the innovation activity may be also performed by a natural person - innovator. For the first time, the Law regulates the obligation of the Government to adopt a strategy of innovation activity for the five-year period. The most important novelty is related to introduction of new instruments in the scientific system of Montenegro, such as: Centre for Transfer of Technologies; Science and Technology Park, and Innovation and Entrepreneurial Centre. These three new instruments, in addition to the existing scientific institutions, centres of excellence and institutions of high education, will enable the further raising of level and quality of the overall research community in Montenegro, and its comparability beyond the borders of our country.

In capacity of interested committee, the Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Sports supported the Proposal for the Law on Ratification of the Agreement on the Western Balkan Research and Innovation Centre (WISE). Ministers of science of the Western Balkans have signed an agreement on establishment of the Centre for Research and Innovation, comprising Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia. WISE will be primarily focused on encouraging the cooperation of domestic scientists and scientists abroad, with a special emphasis placed on the scientific diaspora, with the aim of common usage of great research infrastructures and encouragement of the centres for excellence. WISE will encourage mobility of young researchers and PhD candidates in the Western Balkans region, and between the region and other countries. It will work actively on strengthening cooperation and coordination among scientific organisations, aimed at better strategic investments in the research infrastructure, as well as deepening and encouraging cooperation among scientific organisations and industry. Western Balkan Research and Innovation Centre (WISE) will encourage mobility of young researchers and scientists in the Western Balkan region, as well as between regions and other countries, thanks to joint institution which will be a base of cooperation in the field of science and research.

Aside from members of the Committee, the meeting was attended by Ms Sanja Vlahovic, Minister of Science and Ms Smiljana Prelvić, Secretary of the Ministry of Science.