Proof of Concept (PoC) concerns the first phase of an innovation based project, and can help support the transfer of research results from the laboratory to the demonstration phase.

On 21-22 September 2017, the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Unit of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) organised a workshop together with AREA Science Park to exchange best practices in the field of "proof of concept" with focus on the European macro-regions (Adriatic Ionian, Alpine and Danube) and, in particular, the Western Balkans.

A main objective of the workshop was to contribute to the design of a proof-of-concept instrument for the Western Balkan region which could be supported by the Western Balkans Enterprise Development & Innovation Facility (WB EDIF). A first proposal was made by the representative of the European Investment Bank (EIB). There was great interest in the subjects from all participants and very lively debates over the two days.

About 120 selected participants from all Balkan countries attended the event which was opened by Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) representatives and two members of the JRC Board of Governors (Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYRoM)). The event was also broadcasted in streaming to the wider technology transfer community. The program included presentations from the authorities of different Western Balkan countries that have an existing or planned PoC activity (Serbia, Croatia and FYR of Macedonia). The South Eastern Europe – Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) actively contributed to the discussion.