During the current May 23-24, in Chisinau ) was held  the 5th informal meeting of the Research and Innovation Working Group of the Eastern Partnership (EaP. The event was attended by: Ruta ZAURNASKAITE, Head of the Subdivision for Association to the "Horizon Europe" Program of the European Commission, Magdalena MUELLER-URI and Adam GRODZICKI, representatives of the European Union Delegation from Moldova, Anatolie TOPALĂ, Minister of Education and Research, Vadim IAȚCHEVICI, Interim general director of the National Agency for Research and Development, representatives of public authorities and institutions, the research environment in the country and relevant authorities from the member countries of the Eastern Partnership and from the member states of the European Union, as well as the Civil Society Forum. The agenda of the event included topics such as: current achievements in the research and innovation dimension, collaboration perspectives, the integration of researchers in the European Research Area, common priorities of partner countries' programs within the EaP, local implementation methods and in a European context through the opportunities of the EU Program " Horizon Europe". The forum platform hosted as a separate topic information on the current challenges in the fields of C&I in Ukraine, the ways and measures to mitigate the consequences identified by the opportunities made available by the EaP partners, and the restoration of damage caused by military actions in the region, progress achieved in the development the sector of innovation and technology transfer, the path to be followed in the approval and implementation of the Smart Specialization Strategy, etc.

As part of the mentioned event, on May 23, the inauguration of the "Horizon Europe" national office, established with the support of the European Commission and the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, took place. The "Horizon Europe" national office will operate within the National Agency for Research and Development and aims to increase the number of participants from the country in the calls launched by the European Commission through the "Horizon Europe" Program, to increase the degree of recovery of the Republic of Moldova's contribution to the Program budget, collaboration both with the Network of National Contact Points, Official Representatives and National Experts, the Office of the Republic of Moldova for Science and Technology next to the European Union (MOST), as well as with representatives of the research and innovation sector, enterprises, civil society, other people interested.

The representatives of the National Horizon Europe Offices in Armenia, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine presented the structure, experience and challenges of the offices in their countries, while Mrs. Aurelia Sarari, head of the National Horizon Europe Office in Moldova, presented the structure, purpose, objectives and topics of the facilitators for Pillar I and Pillar II, selected within the Office.

After the presentation of the "Horizon Europe" national office, there was a meeting of Mrs. Silvia BOJINOVA, the team leader of the European Commission, with the network of National Contact Points in the country.

Signing of the Scientific and Technological Cooperation Protocol between the National Agency

for Research and Development from Moldova and the National Science Foundation

"Shota Rustaveli" from Georgia

On May 23, during the 5th informal meeting of the Working Group for research and innovation of the Eastern Partnership (PaE), held in Chisinau, in order to strengthen and develop cooperation in the field of science and technologies for mutual benefit, it was signed the Scientific and Technological Cooperation Protocol between the National Agency for Research and Development from Moldova and the National Science Foundation "Shota Rustaveli" from Georgia.The parties agreed on encouraging and supporting cooperation in the field of science and technologies between research entities, higher education institutions from the Republic of Moldova and Georgia.

The protocol establishes the list of forms of cooperation, which includes:

- Bilateral research and development projects, which include the exchange of research results and of researchers and specialists;

- Joint organization and conduct of scientific events, conferences, workshops, training sessions, exhibitions, etc.;

- The exchange of results obtained in the scientific and technological sphere, of information and documents, originating from bilateral scientific and technological cooperation;

- Joint use of research and development facilities and scientific equipment;

- Collaboration between the national "Horizon Europe" Offices;

- Other forms of scientific and technological cooperation, mutually agreed.

The realization of the format of these cooperations is foreseen through the implementation activities of joint projects, dedicated to the fields: natural sciences; engineering and technologies; medical sciences; agricultural sciences, social sciences and humanities and others.