COVID-19 has caused major disruptions to the Western Balkan economies and the consequences are evident in all parts of society. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are struggling hard and looking for ways to respond to the still unfolding situation. Foresight methods can help to cope with such uncertainties and understand the implications for SMEs and policymakers in the long term. Lessons learned in today’s pandemic could be used to inform tomorrow’s policy actions. Furthermore, foresight can support the WB6’s Smart Specialisation Strategies as it combines participatory elements with systematic exploration of the future that go beyond the strategies’ mediumterm focus.
On behalf of the European Commission, the International Service Facility was implementing a foresight study in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia). The study designed regional and national scenarios for 2035 that were co-created together with stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, academia and government. The scenarios support policymakers in creating an enabling environment for innovation policies to thrive and decide on priorities for strategic investments.
