1. Transnational Cluster Development in Adriatic Danubian Area: ADC Agro-food processing network FINAL CONFERENCE Venice, 13 – 14 March 2012

2. Participating partners: Veneto Region Friuli Venezia Giulia Region Emilia Romagna Region Molise Region Bulgaria Economic Forum Maribor Development Agency Centre for Promotion of Entrepreneurship Piran Institute of Economic Forecasting Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency Directorate for Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprise, Montenegro City of Nis Republic Agency for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises of Republic of Srpska Entity Regional Development Agency of Dubrovnik-Neretva county (DUNEA)

3. First SWG Meeting, 25-26 November 2010, Sofia: -Presentations on the clusters and clusters structures in the agro-food processing sector in the participating countries and regions - Sharing best practices in clusters organization: Agro-food Networks in Veneto Region: the wine case cluster (LP) Agro-food Cluster in Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (PP1) Bulgarian Dairy Processing Sector (PP4) Agro Machinery Industry & Pole Program and cluster development in Hungary (PP6)

4. First SWG Meeting, 25-26 November 2010, Sofia: First versions of SWG documents/outputs – PEV leaflet & registration form, customization of cluster manager profile, advantages for the organizations joining the future agro-food network, types of cooperation for the transnational cluster agreement on agro-food Choosing the sub-sectors for transnational clustering: production of fine quality wines dairy production agro-food processing machinery

5. Second SWG Meeting, 14-15 February 2011, Udine: Sharing best practices: the Emilia-Romagna agro-industry cluster and the fruit and vegetable chain (PP2) agro-food industry in the Molise Region (PP3) agro-food industry in Romania (PP8) Adding the fruit and vegetable processing to the subsectors for transnational clustering

6. Second SWG Meeting, 14-15 February 2011, Udine: Discussion on the preparation of PEV event: involvement of agro-food sector stakeholders data base of clusters/associations/branch organizations/SMEs First draft of the transnational cluster agreement for comments by the partners (LP) PEV flyer (PP4)

7. Second SWG Meeting, 14-15 February 2011, Udine: Visit to San Daniele agro food Cluster: cheese production: Caseificio Di Bidino from Coseano smoked trout: Friultrota from San Daniele ham production: Prosciuttificio Dok Dall'Ava from San Daniele

8. Third SWG Meeting, 19-20 April 2011, Dubrovnik: Transnational cluster agreement (TCA) on agro-food: final version, initial list of signatories Presentation of best practices: Podravje Agro-Food Network (PP6) Food processing industry in Republika Srpska Entity in BiH (IPA PP3)

9. Third SWG Meeting, 19-20 April 2011, Dubrovnik: Preparation of PEV: selection of best practices to be presented publicity measures discussed recruiting participants - data bases business match-making – sectoral round tables ideas for future projects

10. Third SWG Meeting, 19-20 April 2011, Dubrovnik: Visit of the Business and Innovation Center for Aquaculture (MARIBIC) Local conference on clusters: Clustering in Croatia – Policies and Procedures Agro-food cluster development: the experience of Emilia- Romagna Cluster "Slavonian Apple“ San Daniele Agro-food cluster Benefits of mergers in terms of market competition

11. Partnership event, 15–16 June 2011, Sofia 15 June 2011: Officially opened by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Bulgaria and the Chairman of Bulgaria Economic Forum and the Lead partner Presentation of SWG results – the best of the best practices: Bulgarian Roads of Wine, Plovdiv Regional Vine and Wine Chamber “TRAKIA” The Emilia-Romagna agro-industry cluster and the fruit and vegetable chain, Centuria RIT A successful cluster: the case of Agro-food Park of San Daniele del Friuli, Italy, San Daniele AF Park

12. Partnership event, 15–16 June 2011, Sofia Agro - foods Networks in Veneto Region: A Wine Case Cluster, Research Center for the Viticulture and Oenology Nord Est Packaging Italian cluster, Nord Est Packaging Mechanizing Technologies and Technical Equipment for Agriculture and Food Industry, National Institute of Research-development for Machines and Installations Designed to Agriculture and Food Industry, Romania Signing the Adriatic – Danubian partnership agreement for agro-food transnational clustering

13. Partnership event, 15–16 June 2011, Sofia Signatories: Veneto Region, Italy Nord-Est Packaging Cluster, Italy CIRVE “Interdepartmental Centre for Research in Grape Growing and Oenology”, Italy Agro-food Park “San Daniele”, FVG, Italy Emilia Romagna Region, Italy Centuria RIT, Italy Molise Region, Italy Bulgaria Economic Forum, Bulgaria Bulgarian Association of Business Clusters, Bulgaria National Association of Milk Processors, Bulgaria Bulgarian Eco-flora Cluster, Bulgaria

14. Partnership event, 15–16 June 2011, Sofia Bulgarian Association of Dairy Processors, Bulgaria Maribor Development Agency, Slovenia Centre for Promotion of Entrepreneurship Piran, Slovenia Institute for Economic Forecasting, Romania Bucharest-Ilfov Agro-food Cluster, Romania Romanian Meat Association, Romania Romanian National Association of Clusters, Romania Cluster Agro-food Crisana Banat, Romania Regional Agro-food Cluster Covasna County, Romania Directorate for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, Montenegro

15. Partnership event, 15–16 June 2011, Sofia National Association of Wine- growers and Wine-producers, Montenegro City of Nis, Serbia Cluster Cheese “South”, Serbia Association of Cattle Breeders ‘‘Nis’s Chance'‘, Serbia Association of Goat and Sheep Producers ''Nis’s Sheppard'‘, Serbia Association ''Nis’s vegetable producer'‘, Serbia Center for Viticulture and Winery, Nis, Serbia Association of Fruit Growers, Vinedressers and Vintners “Čegar “ Nis, Serbia Republic Agency for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, Republic of Srpska, BiH

16. Partnership event, 15–16 June 2011, Sofia Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Srpska, BiH Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Srpska, BiH Cooperative Union of the Republic of Srpska, BiH Association of Wine-growers and Vine-producers of East Herzegovina „VINOS“, Republic of Srpska, BiH Regional Development Agency of Dubrovnik, Neretva County, Croatia Total: 35 signatories Ideas for future joint projects were discussed

17. Partnership event, 15–16 June 2011, Sofia 16 June 2011: Round Tables per Subsectors and Match-making Meeting Dairy production, moderated by Ugo Poli, on behalf of Veneto Region, Italy Main findings: Mainstreams of the cluster activity for all sub-sectors, dairy included, are as follows:  product quality upgrading and control  territorial branding of products as a leverage for rural innovation, including tourism development.

18. Partnership event, 15–16 June 2011, Sofia Fruit & vegetables processing, moderated by Alessandro Zampagna, on behalf of Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy Formulation of initiatives to be supported:  establishing contacts with companies producing equipment & productive lines for processing, sorting & packaging, trade companies & companies producing refrigerating equipment for fruit and vegetables storage  transfer of knowledge & technologies for organizing a whole sale market for fruit and vegetables in the city of Nis  establishing fruit brands e.g. the apricot of Silistra region

19. Partnership event, 15–16 June 2011, Sofia Fine wines production, moderated by Silvia Baldassin, project manager, Veneto Region, Italy Participants joined around the idea to promote and improve wine tourism based on autochthonous wines. Equipment & machinery for agro-food production, moderated by Angelo de Luca, Molise Region, Italy Cooperation on transfer of sorting and packaging technologies was recommended Common recommendation: Cluster approaches can be adopted & implemented in all fields of EU development policy within the frame of Europe 2020 Strategy Follow-up of the network activities

20. THANK YOU FOR THE KIND ATTENTION! NADIA DANDOLOVA BULGARIA ECONOMIC FORUM n.dandolova@biforum.org