The Danube-INCO.NET project and the role of the Central

European Initiative

Alessandro Lombardo, CEI

1st Clustering Workshop

Trieste, 2015-02-03

What is the Central European Initiative (CEI)?

• The oldest intergovernmental forum for regional cooperation, established in 1989 by Italy, Austria, Hungary and former Yugoslavia

• The largest in terms of geographical coverage: currently, the CEI membership includes 18 countries with a total population of over 250 million, a diversified socio-political evolution since 1989 and a different status vis-à-vis the EU

• Multi-faceted geopolitical and economic context

• Different EU Policies addressing the CEI Area: Enlargement Policy (Western Balkans), European Neighbourhood Policy (Eastern Europe), Regional/Cohesion Policy

• All existing and future EU macro-regional strategies involving CEI Member States: Baltic (1), Danube (13), Adriatic-Ionian (7), Alpine (3)

10 EU members 4 candidates (Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia)

1 potential candidate (Bosnia and Herzegovina)3 countries involved in European Neighbourhood Policy (Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine)

What does the CEI pursue?

Regional Cooperation for European Integration

Main institutional

mission

1. Support CEI Member States on their path towards European integration

2. Promote alignment of CEI Member States to EU standards

3. Implement small and medium-sized projects4. Convert constructive ideas into innovative results

Strategic objectives

How does the CEI pursue its goals?

Methodology

Combination of multilateral diplomacy and operations

support to intergovernmental dialogue enhanced by a strong

project-oriented approach

intergovernmental dialogue and confidence-building

• CEI annually-rotating Presidency (Macedonia, 2015; BIH, 2016)

• CEI Summit• CEI MFA Meeting• Sectoral ministerial meetings• Committee of CEI National Coordinators

• Fund management: CEI Trust Fund at the EBRD + CEI Cooperation Fund

• Programme management• EU Project management (design and

implementation)

Focus on CEI project-oriented approach

CEI

Donor (fund and programme

management)

CEI Cooperation Fund

Cooperation Activities + Training Programme for

Young Officials

CEI Trust Fund at the EBRD

Technical Cooperation + Know-How Exchange

Programme

Recipient EU Projects

NetworkingScience & Technology Network +

Universities + Networks of Focal Points + Other sectoral networks

The CEI is both donor (of its own resources, mostly provided by Italy) and recipient (of EU funds). It is also a promoter of

transnational networks in the areas of cooperation tackled by its Plan of Action

CEI Plan of Action 2014-2016

3 thematic pillars, in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy, encompassing 10 areas of cooperation

1. Towards a Knowledge-based Society (Research and Innovation; Life-long Education and Training; Information Society)

2. Towards a Sustainable Economy and Development (Transport, Logistics and Accessibility; Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Climate, Environment and Rural Development; SMEs and Business Development)

3. Towards an Inclusive Society (Intercultural Cooperation; Media; Civil Society)

For each area, 2/3 priorities and related actions agreed upon by the 18 CEI Member States

The Danube-INCO.NET project: creating and improving networks in research and innovation

The Danube-INCO.NET project: basic data

• Coordination and Support Action for International Cooperation in Research and Innovation

• Project start: January 1, 2014

• Project duration: 36 months

• Received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration (FP7)

• EC funding: approx. 2 mio €

19 partners …

… from 14 countries

Implementing a structured project

WP1 Project Management

WP2 Policy Dialogue

WP3 Tackling Societal Challenges: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

in a Bio-based Economy

WP4 Analytical Evidence on Research and Innovation in the Danube Region

WP5 Promoting Innovative and Inclusive Danube Societies

WP6 Scaling up Danube Funding Mechanisms

WP7 Communication and Dissemination

Sharing information

Creating a Platform – www.danube-inco.net – and a newsletter that enhance the information exchange on Research and Innovation in the Danube Region

• around 4000 visitors per month on the web portal • about 7,5 information items published per day• bi-weekly newsletter: information service conveying all news, calls, events,

etc. published on the project website, with 11,973 subscribers/recipients • Facebook: 500 fans so far• Twitter: 72 followers and about 260 tweets• LinkedIN also available

• Creating a database of organizations active in the Danube Region, mapping stakeholders and projects

• Policy dialogue and policy framework coordination

• Highlighting research and innovation actors and projects

• Focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy for the development of bioeconomy

Addressing different stakeholders

Bringing people together

Creating an event calendar and organizing several events on different levels (policy stakeholders, actors active in technology transfer, smart specialization or other support activities for research and innovation in the region)

Increasing funding possibilities

Sharing information about calls for proposals and other funding opportunities, working on the scaling up of Danube Funding Mechanisms by creating a funding partners platform, preparatory steps to implement a Danube Region Research and Innovation Fund (DRRIF) and supporting the “labelling” process for EUSDR projects

Examples of deliverables

• Support of working groups for priority areas of EUSDR• Stakeholder mapping, database (selected societal challenges)• Report on Innovation Union/ERA Framework implementation• Analysis of energy/bio-economy field (stakeholders, working

groups, funding, pilot actions)• Analysis of transferability of RTDI results• Co-patenting and co-publishing analysis• Study on cooperation barriers• Policy Mix Peer Reviews• Smart Specialization peer reviews (IPTS)• Danube Technology Transfer Centers• Support to ‘Project Labelling’ (PA7)• Creation of a funding parties platform, scaling up of joint funding

mechanisms, support to DRRIF, Roadmap towards Article 185 for Danube

WP3 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in a Bio-based Economy - Concept and Tasks

CEI

SIG

CEIMAPPING

AND ANALYSIST3.1

CLUSTERING AND

NETWORKINGT3.2

PILOT ACTIVITIES

T3.3

WP3 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in a Bio-based Economy - Objectives

• Tackle inter-connected societal challenges (sustainable agriculture & the bioeconomy; secure, clean and efficient energy; inclusive and innovative societies)

• Explore the potential of the Danube Region for R&I in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy

• Identify the most prominent actors and stakeholders• Raise awareness of policy makers through targeted, multi-level

and inter-ministerial dissemination• Facilitate clustering and cross-border synergies (involvement of

the industrial and academic sectors)• Promote 2 Pilot Activities aiming at concrete and durable

transnational/macro-regional cooperation

T3.1 Mapping and Analysis

• D3.7 database of Danube Region stakeholders active in the field of energy efficiency, renewable energy and the bioeconomy

• Objective: mapping stakeholders for T3.2 clustering and networking activities and for dissemination of energy-related/R&I information

• Currently, about 500 entries (all EUSDR partner states represented in D3.7)

T3.1 News Alert

• WP3 - “Energy & Bioeconomy News Alert” is a tool to disseminate information on funding opportunities, open and upcoming calls, national and international events on energy efficiency, renewable energy and bioeconomy in the Danube Region

• Recipients of WP3 News Alert are currently 487 organisations (drawn from D3.7 database)

T3.2 Clustering and Networking

• Promote clustering and «triple-helix» networking

• Identify synergies and complementarities with on-going energy-related activities (such as JRC-DBN; EUSDR PA2; EBTP; DREN; KIC INNOENERGY; other FP7 projects)

• Assess the feasibility and accompany the submission/selection process of 2 Pilot Activities (T3.3)

• 5 Clustering Workshops (3 in 2015, 2 in 2016)

• 1 Brokerage Event “Networking4Innovation” (2016)

• 1 Triple Helix Conference, incl. Brokerage Session (2016)

MAIN ACTIVITIES

MAIN OBJECTIVES

T3.2 Rationale and Main activities 2015

3 Clustering Workshops

• Italy, M14 on ERIC (CEI)

• Germany, M16 on ETP (SIG)

• Germany, M19 on KIC (DLR)

Submission of proposals for

T3.3 Pilot Activities

• M20-M21

Selection of T3.3 Pilot Activities

M22 (announcement at the next GA Meeting M24)

T3.2 Rationale and Main activities 2016

Implementation of selected T3.3 Pilot Activities

• M25-M34

2 Clustering Workshops

• M31-M35 (Hungary and Slovakia)

• Dissemination and capitalisation of results achieved by T3.3 Pilot Activities

T3.2 First Clustering Workshop: expected results

• Provide detailed information on the ERIC legal framework and application process (Council Regulation 723/2009

• Disseminate examples of success stories (CERIC-ERIC; ICOS)

• Raise awareness on the importance to promote the participation of non-EU Danube Region countries in future ERICs

• Establish an informal working group for the elaboration of a proposal to be submitted in the context of T3.3 Pilot Activities

T3.3 Pilot Activities - timing

• 3 Clustering Workshops held between February and July 2015

• A “Restricted Call” opened in the time-frame August-September 2015 for the submission of proposals for T3.3 Pilot Activities

• Evaluation and selection carried out by the Danube-INCO.NET consortium in the time-frame October-November 2015

• Selected Pilot Activities announced at the 2nd General Assembly Meeting (December 2015)

• Selected Pilot Activities implemented between January-October 2016

T3.3 Pilot Activities - procedure

• Proposals for Pilot Activities can be directly submitted by participants in the first 3 Clustering Workshops

• Participants in the Clustering Workshops can also submit proposals elaborated by appropriate stakeholders within their country

• Danube-INCO.NET project partners can support the preparations of the proposals and can participate in the implementation of selected Pilot Activities

• A template will be set up (including information on Pilot Activity’s objectives, involved partners and respective roles, expected results and impact) and circulated as soon as the “Restricted Call” will be opened

T3.3 Pilot Activities – type of Pilot Activities

• Development of a joint research agenda targeting one specific Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy issue

• Assessment (peer review and benchmarking) of existing R&I infrastructures in the Danube macro-region

• Support project generation• Support EUSDR Working Groups• Preparatory actions towards the establishment of a Co-

location Centre (CC) of KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Communities) INNOENERGY

• Preparatory actions towards the establishment of an ERIC (in the field of energy/bioeconomy

T3.3 Pilot Activities – Financial issues

Eligible expenses:

• Travel for partners (where useful)

• Travel coverage/grants for non partners (and associated accommodation)

• Travel coverage/grants for experts (and associated accommodation)

• Expert daily fees

• Meeting rooms/venue

• Catering expenses + working lunches

• Staff costs of partners

T3.3 Pilot Activities

TA

Study on the

establishment of a

Danube Region ERIC on

Bioenergy/Bioeconomy

T3.3 Pilot Activities

T3.3 Pilot Activities

T3.3 Pilot Activities

Thank you for your attention!

Alessandro Lombardo

Central European Initiative

lombardo@cei.int