The PAN EU Initiatives: The ARCA NOVA project – new business opportunities FINAL CONFERENCE Gorizia, April 2005 Iliana Philipova Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa Bulgaria

The PAN EU Scheme Call for proposals “Pan-European Business Cooperation Scheme for SMEs in the Framework of Enlargement”, September 2003 Entire budget: 6 mln. Euro; Per project: min grant: Euro max grant: 1,2 mln Euro Contribution of the Commission: 75% Maximum of 8 projects supported Over 60 project proposals handed in 5 projects granted in the EIC Network

The pan-European EIC-consortiums EU-Matching BE001 Namur Europe Auto Parts ES225 Zaragoza B2Fair DE106 Stuttgart Cross-Bo SE633 Västeras ARCA NOVA DE127 Wiesbaden Fit for Europe Eurada

EU Matching, BE001 Namur Sectors: Electrotechnics and Electronics; Transport and logistics; Construction Structure: 15 partners, 13 countries, 3 events Target group: companies per event WEB site:

B2Fair, DE106 Stuttgart Sectors: Metal cluster Structure: 32 partners, 20 countries, 5 events Target group: 200 companies and 50 exhibitors per event WEB site:

Europe Auto Parts, ES225 Zaragoza Sectors: Car components Structure: 15 partners, 10 countries, 4 events Target group: 150 companies WEB site:

Cross-Bo, SE633 Västeras Sectors: Wood and wood processing; Metal working, machinery, tools Structure: 18 partners, 13 countries, 3 events Target group: companies for matchmaking events, 80 companies for a reverse auction event WEB site:

Arca Nova, DE127 Wiesbaden Sectors: ICT; Food processing industry; Optic, Opto-electronics and Medical devices; Structure: 21 partners, 11 countries, 3 events Target group: 210 companies per event WEB site:

Activities (for all projects) Preparatory activities: local seminars, information on new markets, analysis of business cooperation capacities of companies, definition of the company profile … During the event: pre-arranged face-to-face meetings, meetings on the sport, personalized assistance Follow-up measures: assistance for the conclusion of cooperation agreements, identification of new market/meetings opportunities, provision of further specialized information …

Arca Nova – the partners 21 official partners + EIC FR 285 Bordeaux 11 countries: Italy: Euro Info Centre of Promofirenze – Special Agency of the Chamber of Commerce of Florence (EIC IT361) Euro Info Centre of Azienda Speciale “Sportello di Informazione e Documentazione per le Imprese”, Ravenna (EIC IT369) Germany, Spain, France, Great Britain, Denmark Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary 19 different European regions

Arca Nova - activities Three cooperation events organized during well-known fairs Preparation seminars organized before the cooperation events An intercultural management seminar for young directing managers

Arca Nova – cooperation meetings CeBIT Sector: Information and communication technologies Location: Hannover, Germany Date: March 2005 CibusTEC Sector: Food processing industry Location: Parma, Italy Date: October 2005 Optatec Sector: Optic, opto-electronics, medical devices Location: Frankfurt, Germany Date: June 2006

Some highlights Marketing actions Quality of profiles = business card On-line registration Integration with BCD Quality management High benefit for the participants

Here is how it looks like …

Just to remind you … CibusTEC Sector: Food processing industry Location: Parma, Italy Dates: two days during CibusTEC, October 2005 Closing date for registrations: September 2005 Detailed program: on the web site from May For more information: or CCI/EIC Vratsa:tel fax:

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