VI. Cluster Conference Opatija, Financing of cluster activities from EU funds – Slovenian Experience

Slovenia is the third most wooded country in EU, with 1.2 million ha of forests, or 62% of Slovenia. The growing stock of Slovenian forests amounts to 322,194,929 cubic metres (coniferous trees 46.62%, deciduous trees 53.38%). In Slovenian forests there is an annual increment of 7,868,521 cubic metres of wood. The cut falls behind the possible one and it amounts to 70% of it and 40% of current increment. The Forest based branch is ranked among sectors of priority for Slovenia! W OOD AS BASIS FOR DEVELOPMENT

WOOD PROCESSING AND FURNITURE BRANCH In Slovenian WP&F Industry (C16 in C31) around 886 companies were operated in 2011 which revenue generated amounted to million EUR. This represent around 4,3% of revenue generated in production sector C. In the Slovenian WP&F Industry around workers were employed in the year This represent around 7,2% of all employees in production sector C. Main export/import markets:  EU and Balcan  E Europa, Russia and CE Asia  Mediterran and Middle East  BRIC

WOOD PROCESSING AND FURNITURE BRANCH The main export articles:  Residence Furniture (kitchens, rooms, upholstery, chairs and tables,..)  Prefabricated wooden houses  Building Joinery (windows, doors,..)  Wood based panels, glued construction elements, veneer,..  Custom made furniture for objects / Engineering  Primary wood products (sawn wood and elements, biomass,..)

The Wood Industry Cluster (WIC) was established by wood-processing and forestry companies in the year 2000 with aim to enhancing cooperation between manufacturers and research institutions and carrying out common R&D projects to strengthening theirs competitive position. Slovenia had active cluster development programme in years After government changes the Cluster policy and development programme stopped in CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of the WIC is to facilitate cooperation between companies and R&D institutions, with the aim of strengthening theirs competitive position. The main fields of WIC activities are; common projects Organizing and leading of common projects for groups of companies. support actions Carrying out support actions for cluster members. international projects Participating in international projects. participation of the companies in the EU R&D programs Facilitating participation of the companies in the EU R&D programs. Technology Transfer, exploitation of RTD and innovations in to the companies Providing Technology Transfer, exploitation of RTD and innovations in to the companies. internationalization Support to internationalization of the cluster members trainings Organizing trainings PURPOSE

After the national Cluster development programme stopped, the main part of newly established clusters cease down activities and just few clusters survive until today. All surviving clusters assure existence with trainings, internationalization and RTD funds (mainly EU). Today WIC sources of financing are 100% from projects and from activities for cluster members. Recently, companies and 5 of the most important sector research and educational institutions are WIC members. WIC members jointly contribute at different projects, which are chosen in accordance with the needs of member companies. There exist very close relationship between WIC and CCIS-Wood Processing and Furniture Association. Namely WIC provide for CCIS- WPFA service of project management, some research and organization of events. CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT

FINANCING CLUSTER POLICY CEASE DOWN FIRST EU PROJECTS EXPANDING PROJECT ACTIVITIES PROGRAMME FINANCING PROJECT FINANCING CONNECTION WITH BRANCH ASSOCIATION

To be successfully in accessing the EU funds; Clarify what benefits for the membership you will follow in EU projects Take decision to take active part in EU project, aware your members, assure appropriate human resources Look around for suitable programmes, funds and calls Join to adequate networks, EU associations,.. to become part of active networks which generate proposals. Also some luck needed. Be a good partner and good learner, acquire confidence of networks members. Become familiar with the EU projects schemes. Take care to achieve you primary goals (funds, knowledge, new projects,..) Transfer new knowledge to your members, bridge RTD Business gap. Be courage and persistant EU FUNDS

WIC has organized and coordinated over 50 collective projects and several hundred meetings/trainings/events till now. Beside this WIC has been involved in several international projects from 6.FP, 7.FP, Eureka, LdV, CORNET Era-Net, SEE Programme,... on some of them WIC act as coordinator. It has established close contacts with most of existing Slovenian educational, research, development and supporting organizations and international networks in forest-based sectors. The professional WIC office staffs have more than 22 years of working experience in the wood-working sector, especially in the fields of technology, project management, R&D, clustering and in TQM. They have also an international certificate for project management awarded by International project management association – IPMA. EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCE

NETWORKNIG WIC take part in several networks: Southeast and Central European Network of Forest-Based Clusters TriNet Innovation Hub – interdisciplinary network of wood, construction and polymere clusters. Slovenian National Center of Clusters and Networks Slovenian Forest-Based Technology Platform The Innovawood – European network to supporting transfer of innovation in the Forest, Wood-based and Furniture industries sector WoodWisdom Era Net - European R&D network on the field of Forestry and Wood processing

REFERENCES WIC has considerable experiences in the field of collaborating in and managing of international RTD projects. At the moment we are involved in 6 ongoing RTD projects. ID:WOOD

REFERENCES WIC has collaborated also in several branch strategical activities; Strategy of development of Slovenian wood processing and furniture branch (2000) The Slovenian Forest-Based Technology Platform(2005) Consolidation of the branch network of supporting organizations ( ) Starting points for the restructuring of Slovenian wood-processing industry (2011) Action plan to increase the competitiveness of the forest-wood chain in Slovenia in 2020 (2012)

CONTACTS Dimiceva Ljubljana, Slovenia T: F: Web: Mr Igor Milavec, Director Mr Bernard Likar, Advisor