EU STRATEGY FOR THE DANUBE REGION - PRIORITY AREA 8 DIJANA BEZJAK Assistant Minister, Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts

GENERAL INFORMATION Prioritiy Area 8: To support the competitiveness of enterprises including cluster development PA 8 Coordinators: Ministry of Finance and Economics, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts, Croatia 4th Steering Group Meeting - Stuttgart, 14 November 2012

5 WORKING GROUPS IN PRIORITY AREA 8 1. Innovation and Technology Transfer Members: Prof. Höptner and Mr. Raizner (BW) 2. CLUSTERS EXCELLENCE Members: Mr. Plocek, Mr. Schauer (AT) and Ms. Mesić (CRO) 3. Vocational Training (VET) Members: Mr. Kiss (HU) and Mr. Frank (BW) 4. Competitiveness in Rural and Urban Areas Members: Ms Schaefer (BW) and Ms Goranova (BG) for rural areas; Mr. Bartha (CODCR, RO) and Mr. Langer (BW) for urban areas 5. Entrepreneurial Learning Members: Ms Karaić (CRO) and Ms. Ljubić (CRO/SEECEL) 4th Steering Group Meeting - Stuttgart, 14 November 2012

WORKING GROUP FOR CLUSTERS EXCELLENCE 1st Workshop of Priority Area 8 “Cluster Networking and Development Prospects in the Danube Region” was organised in Vukovar on 11/12 September 2012 Workshop gathered about 100 participants from Croatia, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Serbia and Sweden Workshop was divided into 3 panel frameworks: Wood processing , Food processing and Tourism and Medicine 4th Steering Group Meeting - Stuttgart, 14 November 2012

1ST CLUSTER WORKSHOP CONCLUSIONS Open questions of financial framework for cluster development within the EUSDR - scarce financial resources currently available until financial envelope for the period 2014-2020 is adopted Important to create framework for institutional support in further steps regarding cluster development in the Danube Region Solution is to set up s strategic group (country representatives from the ministries/innovation agencies) with the purpose of strategic alignment of national policies and exchange of best practices 4th Steering Group Meeting - Stuttgart, 14 November 2012

1ST CLUSTER WORKSHOP CONCLUSIONS Aim is to enhance networking of the existing clusters in the Danube Region (good example is Baltic Sea Region) – potential areas identified at the workshop are: metal, food, wood, tourism Collecting projects referring to Danube Region in the next period, before new programming period in 2014 Strengthening of information on the possibilities of applications for the CIP, IPA and other EU funds which are appropriate for cluster involvement and the PA targets Next Workshop on cluster development – Croatia, spring 2013

ENTREPRENEURIAL LEARNING WORKING GROUP FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL LEARNING In the framework of the WG for Entrepreneurial Learning „Entrepreneurship - Education Regional Summit” was organised on October 23rd, 2012 in Zagreb Regional Summit was organised by the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts and South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (SEECEL), with the support of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports and the EC 4th Steering Group Meeting - Stuttgart, 14 November 2012

CHARTER FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL LEARNING On that occasion 8 respective ministers or their appointed envoys signed a Charter for Entrepreneurial Learning: The Keystone for Growth and Jobs Signatory countries – 8 SEECEL member states: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey 4th Steering Group Meeting - Stuttgart, 14 November 2012

The goal of this Summit was further development of regional cooperation in the field of strenghthening human resources as a key factor for sustainable growth and development with a competitive small and medium-sized enterprises and increasing employability By signing the Charter, the participating parties reconfirmed their full support to the systematic development of lifelong entrepreneurial learning as a key competence through continued policy improvement, good practice sharing and regional cooperation  4th Steering Group Meeting - Stuttgart, 14 November 2012

ACTIVITIES in 2012/2013 1st Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region – Regensburg, 27/28 Nov 2012 Croatia and Baden-Württemberg will be presented on a ministerial level 2nd Cluster Workshop in Croatia (spring 2013) – Service Industry (like regional wine roads – gastronomic offer potentials, wellness and fitness tourism, services) Collecting projects – PA8 Visibility – stronger presence on MINPO and EUSDR web sites, banners, folders, note pads, pens, table flags… Strong national cooperation, bringing up awareness (inline ministries, SEECEL, county level participation) 4th Steering Group Meeting - Stuttgart, 14 November 2012

Thank you for your attention!