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

Association (MBA) and the Ministry of International Economic Relations and
European Integration, SMEDA provides a range of specific services tailored to the
individual needs of exporting enterprises and designed to enhance their international
competitiveness. In collaboration with USAID, cluster based approaches within this
framework are being developed to help enhance competitiveness (OECD and EC
2007).
The Directorate for the Development of SMEs (SMEDA) has, in cooperation with
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), prepared the planned
(but delayed) strategy for the opening of business incubators, technology parks and
innovation centres, with which Montenegro is not well endowed. The strategy was
adopted (December 2005) and the short-term objectives included the development of
at least one business incubator and at least one technology park. However, a lack of
funds disables the implementation of the strategy and the short-term objectives
(European Commission 2006).
Concerning innovation and technology (I&T) centres and co-operation, Montenegro is
still in the policy elaboration phase, but has started to implement pilot projects. In
Montenegro, an initiative to establish the University Centre for Design and
Development, based at the University of Montenegro, is being put in place. Once
established, the Centre will focus on the need to service SMEs in the field of design
and development, linking them with relevant members of the design and technology
faculties (OECD and EC 2007).
1.2 Strategic Documents
Strategic documents reflecting National Innovation Strategies (NIS) have been
already highlighted in Science and Technology Country Report Country – D9b
Montenegro (see.science.eu).
Generally, the following policy strategies to support the development of small and
medium sized enterprises are:
- Economic Reform Agenda for Montenegro 2002 - 2007;
- Strategy of development of small and medium sized enterprises 2007 - 2010;
- Multi-annual Indicative Planning Document (MIPD) 2007 - 2009 for
Montenegro;
- Montenegrin agriculture and EU - Agriculture and Rural Development
Strategy; and
- formerly: Policy strategy for support to the development of small and medium
sized enterprises 2002 - 2006.
- ‘Economic Reform Agenda for Montenegro 2002 - 2007’
The goal of the Economic Reform Agenda is to set forth a series of discrete but
interconnected tasks which if completed, will transform the Montenegrin economy.
The Agenda consist of sixteen individual sections each dedicated to a particular
aspect of economic reform. Central themes in the Agenda are: entrepreneurship,
investment, formalization of the grey economy, competition and competitiveness. In
this strategic document attraction of foreign investments is marked as one of the
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