S&T Country Report - Albania - WBC-INCO Net

in the Republic of Macedonia’ has undergone a thorough consultation process, which
resulted in revisions and improvements, prior to receiving Government approval.
1.3 Specific Programmes and Instruments
The FYR of Macedonia has gained candidate country status for accession to the
European Union (EU), which has major implications for the SME strategy and
programme in regard to accelerating the harmonization of national with EU legislation
and the need to implement the revised European Charter for Small Enterprises.
Moreover, new initiatives such as the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance
(IPA) and the EU Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme 2007-
2013 (CIP) present new challenges in relation to science, technology and innovation
(STI) as well as information and communications technology (ICT) as means of
enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs. The Government of FYR of Macedonia with
its Programme (2006 - 2010) placed strong emphasis on the development of SMEs.
The focus is on increasing the competitiveness of local companies and on domestic
and foreign direct investment (FDI) as well as on improving the capacity of public
institutions to implement reforms.
Special programmes/projects supporting innovation infrastructure by
international offices can be indicated, e.g.:
- USAID Macedonia’s Competitiveness Activity (MCA) with the goal of the
‘Macedonia Competitiveness Activity’ to provide assistance to the Macedonian
enterprises to shape their vision and actions, which would eventually result in
higher competitiveness on the domestic, regional and international markets.
This project involves enterprises of all sizes, and helps them to produce and
market complex products and services. Five clusters were created through this
project (tourism, IT, lamb and cheese, wine and apparel).
- GTZ’s technology transfer is to Programme to encourage technology transfer
with the creation of a network of specialist agencies, a technology park and
facilitated links between SMEs and both of the country’s universities (and with
German universities) to support innovation development and technology
transfer.
- ICE (the Italian Office for Trade Promotion) promotes Macedonian and
Italian products in each others countries. This Office also provides for the
‘matchmaking’ of companies from both countries, organising fairs, making
contacts and organising meetings between the companies, etc.
- SINTEF Macedonia (the office for Norwegian - Macedonian cooperation).
Through the ‘matchmaking’ programme, this office links Macedonian and
Norwegian companies. Macedonian companies need assistance in how to
enter foreign markets. The type of cooperation is not limited so it could be
import deals, joint investments, joint performance on third markets (partnering
on international tenders), etc.
- SIPPO (the office of the Swiss embassy). The goal of the office is to promote
Macedonian products in Switzerland and other EU countries.
- DIHK (the German Chamber of Commerce for International Cooperation). A
project of the German Chamber of Commerce, whose goal is to increase
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