Brussels, 22/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) are the first non-EU members of the European Economic Area (EEA) to participate in the framework Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) in which the European Commission is planning to promote innovation, the spirit of enterprise and growth of SMEs. The protocol for an agreement formalising FYROM's accession to the CIP was signed on Thursday 18 October between the European Commissioner for Industry Günter Verheugen and Macedonian Minister for the Economy Vera Rafaijolovska. A similar agreement was signed on 1st October between Verheugen and the Croatian representative to the EU, Branko Barièeviæ. The CIP has a budget of €3.6bn for 2007-13 (EUROPE 8923 and 9286). It is based on three pillars: the programme for innovation and the spirit of enterprise; the strategic support programme for communication and information technologies (CIT) and the Intelligent Energy for Europe Programme. Negotiations for CIP participation have been opened with Turkey. Several potential candidate countries from the western Balkans also showed an interest in the programme. (E.H.)