An assessment of IPA public investment in R&I in Albania

• The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) is supporting an Innovation Agenda for the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia).
• Smart Specialisation is the European Union (EU) place-based policy aiming at more thematic concentration in research and innovation (R&I) investments via the evidence-based identification of the strengths and potential of a given economy.
• Access to data and economic analysis are key to a better identification of both current and future socio-economic policy challenges.
• The EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) supports reforms in the enlargement countries with financial and technical help.
• Out of the almost €650 million destined to Albania over the programming period 2014-2022, €44 are supporting competitiveness and innovation.
• Policy simulations using CGE modelling techniques show positive macro-economic effects of the IPA funds for competitiveness and innovation both in the short run and in the long run thanks to productivity improvements.

Authors:

DIUKANOVA Olga, CONTE Andrea, SALOTTI Simone