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Danube-INCO.NET Joint Steering Group meeting with PA7 and PA8

Danube-INCO.NET has held a joint meeting with PA7 and PA8 Steering Groups last week in Budapest.

Danube-INCO.NET focuses mainly on two of the EUSDR Priority Areas: PA 7 „Knowledge Society“ and PA 8 „Competitiveness“. In such a framework it seized the opportunity to hold a joint meeting that took place on 9th December 2015 in Budapest, before the project General Assembly.

The project activities, significant outcomes and next steps were presented by Elke Dall and Martina Hartl. Their presentation focused on the how PA7 and PA8 can use the Danube-INCO.NET results and activities together. Thus it included also information on the mapping of EUSDR, research and innovation stakeholders, on possible funding of cooperation of stakeholders based on priorities identified as well as on the attempt to support the coordination of funding instruments in the Danube Region.

Irina Slosar gave a presentation on the DANUBE REGION CALL 2015 IN FRAME OF EUREKA NETWORK that opened in March 2015 and saw strong interest with a great number of proposal (80) and participants (301). This call demonstrate that the players in the region are well connected: industry (17),SME (172) and academia (101) and that the region has innovation potential. No further calls are anyway to be expected until the running one is not closed.

Moritz Haller furthermore presented the JRC Scientific Support to the Danube Strategy. The JRC addresses the scientific needs related to the implementation of the EUSDR and aims to the strengthening of scientific cooperation in the Danube Region.He also underlined the potentials for S3 collaboration in the EU macro-regions:ICT, Health, Energy, Sustainable innovation incl. water issues.In conclusion the Upcoming S3 Policy Brief – “Smart specialisation in macro-regional dimension: Mapping R&I priorities in the Danube region” as well as some upcoming events were announced:

  • 21-22 Jan, Istanbul:     Thematic seminar on Hydropower energy
  • 4 Feb, Brussels:    JRC-COST workshop “The role of city-regions for a low carbon-economy”
  • 18-19 Feb, Chisinau:    “S3 Design Learning Workshop”
  • Spring 2016        Visit of Danubius Young Scientists

The Danube Strategy Point was also presented as well as its main scope and activities. Find the presentation below for download.

Information from Brussels was also guaranteed by Csaba Hende (DG Regio) who provided an overview of the macro-regional strategies and EU programmes. Mr Hende reminded that coordination between Managing Authorities and the macro-regional governance actors (National Coordinators or Pillar/Priority/Policy Coordinators) is a must. It is therefore crucial for the former to liaise with the latter who – thanks to their extensive knowledge of the strategy – can offer valuable advice regarding projects likely to contribute to macro-regional objectives.