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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Thank you for your attention!