1. Newsletter of Fostering Economic Development of the City of Osijek and County of Zala Through Trade Development and Investment Promotion – with a Special Focus on Renewable Energy and Environment Sector (FEDREE), HUHR/1001/2.1.1/0006 project
1. Newsletter of Fostering Economic Development of the City of Osijek and County of Zala Through Trade Development and Investment Promotion – with a Special Focus on Renewable Energy and Environment Sector (FEDREE), HUHR/1001/2.1.1/0006 project
This is the first newsletter of FEDREE project with the amount of approximately 200.000 EUR which project is supported under the Hungary-Croatia IPA Cross-border Co-operation Programme 2007-2013 within the second call. This first newsletter introduces the project, project partners and kick-off conference.
Introduction of the project
The Lead Beneficiary of the project is City of Osijek from the Croatian part and the two Hungarian partners are Fenntartható Fejlődésért Egyesület (Association for Sustainable Development) and Européer Alapítvány (Européer Foundation). The project started on 01.09.2011 and will be finished on 31.08.2012.
The main objective is fostering of economic development of cross border region that includes the City of Osijek and its region and County of Zala through attraction of foreign investment and export promotion with special focus on clean and renewable energy and environment sectors. Osijek and Slavonia region are underdeveloped compared to the rest of Croatia and current world economic crisis has made the problem even worse. Therefore, the city and regional institutions must ensure new approach in dealing with crisis and growing unemployment. The City of Osijek has started developing a number of business zones/parks in order to attract investments. The county of Zala undertook similar initiatives. Cross-border cooperation, attraction of foreign direct investments (FDI), and promotion of exports are best ways to ensure creation of new businesses and jobs. Focus on renewable energy represents innovative approach to economic development.
All partners have previous experience in EU energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. City of Osijek also has experience in developing business incubator. Project partners want to combine this experience in these innovative sectors to create economic benefits for Osijek region, County of Zala and the entire cross-border region. We will undertake activities that will lead to increased capacity of all potential participants in targeted sectors: entrepreneurs and potential domestic and foreign investors, as well as local governments, various organizations and institutions. We will achieve this goal through various studies and strategies that will be developed during this project. Also, number of workshops, trainings, seminars and study trips will contribute to those objectives. We will also undertake activities that will promote economic opportunities in cross-border region abroad through attraction of investments and support to the export in the third markets.
Entrepreneurs from both communities will benefit from increased business opportunities and, possibly, from networking in cross-border region. Various organizations and institutions will benefit from increased capacities for FDI attraction, export promotion and support to entrepreneurship efforts in this field.
City of Osijek
The Lead Beneficiary of the project is City of Osijek. Osijekis the fourth largest city in Croatia, the population is 114.616 people in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja County.
The city economy used to have personal traditional structure with several industrial branches export oriented. As far as activities are concerned, the most represented ones are trade, processing and construction industry following total income criteria, employment rate and export orientation.
City of Osijek changes its outlines. Through private investments in trade centres, Osijek has been recognized as city of great economic possibilities. Introducing low costs flights at the Osijek Airport, city has been additionally opened towards Europe and world and new enthusiasm in continental and transit tourism has been raised. Entering into new projects with the City of Osijek, domestic and foreign inventors get a unique opportunity to participate actively in creating new city contours with the final aim of life quality upgrading.
Fenntartható Fejlődésért Egyesület – Association for Sustainable Development
The Association for Sustainable Development was established in 2006 in South Zala. The main object of the Association is the environment, like the promotion of public activities, particularly the help of sustainable development and a new energy system, the spreading of the use of different renewable energy types, the takeover of the foreign, particularly European best practises and examples. They pay attention to the support of the Hungarian landscape, the research and development, promotion, use and spreading of opportunities of environmental-friendly energy systems.
Their mission is the sustainable rural development and spatial development and the related public promotion. In order to achieve these goals we give information, presentation, publish articles and make studies. The Association apply for some calls for proposals to get financial resources to achieve its objects. The main project of the association is the creating a Green Energy Centre in Nagykanizsa with the aim to ensure a place where the organizations which deal with renewable energy sources, can cooperate under a roof, exchange their experiences and appear together.
EUROPÉER Alapítvány - EUROPÉER Foundation
The Européer Foundation is a public benefit organization which was established in 2009. The Foundation is targeted to promote the implementation of - the Lisbon and Gothenburg- strategy objectives outlined by the European Union, paying special attention to competition and cohesion; the prevailing of the theory and practices of the areas defined as horizontal targets by the European Union – sustainable development (economic development, environment protection and social responsibility being its pillars) as well as equal opportunities; the transfer of know-how and information connected to – primarily European Union – assistance programmes; the creation and cooperation of national and international partnerships (among experts, institutions and organizations) supporting the achievement of the above objectives.
The achievement of the Foundation’s objectives is intended to be ensured by the performance and support of the following activities in particular: organization and implementation of programmes, events, conferences; enhancing transfer of knowledge and experience; organization and implementation of projects and sample projects; participation and cooperation in activities organized by other organizations or institutions; development of infrastructure required for achievement of objectives.
Opening conference
The kick-off conference was on 06.10.2011 at 10.00 a.m. in Osijek, in the Conference room of BIOS, J.J. Strossmayera 341.
The Vice Mayor of the City of Osijek, Mrs. Danijela Lovoković announced the start of the project FEDREE at the Kick-off conference in Osijek; by the year 2020 20% of energy in the EU member states will have to be produced from renewable sources. Croatian government has set the goal to produce 17,6% energy from renewable sources by the same year. Having that in mind renewable energy becomes sector with high growth and economic development potential.
“Renewable energy will bring new economic growth opportunities in cross-border area. Project FEDREE will help us prepare for them, and to provide best possible solutions to potential investors, and to create best suited models together with our partners, learning from best practice examples from both side of the border”, said Zvonimir Prgomet, head of the Administrative Department of Economy of the City of Osijek.
After that the representatives of two Hungarian partners, Association for Sustainable Development – Nagykanizsa, and Européer Foundation – Siófok have given speech. Éva Gredics, the Head of Office of Association for Sustainable Development has spoken about her organisation and about the future opportunities and Krisztina Severnyák from the Européer Foundation has shown the opportunities and Hungarian experiences of the EU programmes. The conference was closed with a Swedish buffet lunch.
