Celebrating fifteen years of institutional support for innovation in Serbia and promoting the specialized exhibition EXPO 2027, 17 March 2026 | Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union in Brussels

The Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union, in cooperation with the Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia, marked fifteen years of institutional support for innovation in Serbia on March 17 this year by organizing a panel titled “The Future of Science and Innovation in Serbia – Driving European Growth and Global Visibility.”

In his opening remarks, the Head of the Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the EU, Ambassador Danijel Apostolović, emphasized that over the past fifteen years, Serbia has made significant progress in building an economy increasingly driven by knowledge, research, and innovation. Through participation in European research and innovation programs, Serbian researchers, startups, and companies have become increasingly competitive within the broader European innovation ecosystem.

Serbia’s ambition is to continue aligning its science and innovation policies with European standards and to actively contribute to the European Research Area. As it advances along its European path, innovation will remain one of the key drivers of economic development, competitiveness, and sustainable growth.

The upcoming Specialized EXPO 2027 exhibition in Belgrade represents an important opportunity for Serbia to showcase its innovative potential, creativity, and technological capabilities on the global stage. EXPO 2027 will bring together governments, companies, research institutions, and innovators from around the world, creating new opportunities for partnerships, the exchange of ideas, and the development of technologies that will shape the future.

The further directions of cooperation between Serbia and the European Union in the field of research and innovation, as well as the importance of the upcoming specialized exhibition EXPO 2027 in Belgrade, were discussed by Dr. Rastislav Stojsavljević, Special Advisor at the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, and Dušan Borovčanin, Advisor to the General Director of EXPO 2027 Belgrade. The results of the development of the innovation ecosystem in Serbia and support programs for technology companies were presented by the Director of the Innovation Fund of Serbia, Dr. Saša Lazović.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union, regional organizations and representative offices in Brussels, as well as members of the academic and business communities.