Project objectives:

The project general objectives consisted in:

1. A deeper understanding and implementation capacity of EU principles and standards on sustainable local development by the target groups and final beneficiaries;
2. More added value for the productive sector of the Koprivnica-Kri?evci County by matching EU market driving principles and local civil society standards and expectations.

Specific objectives were the following:

1. To establish in Koprivnica-Kri?evci County a public-private board involving local administration, relevant stakeholders of the SME sector and NGOs of the civil society, in order to address current weaknesses in the awareness and implementation of the European culture on quality standards within the local entrepreneurial environment;
2. To support the competitive upgrading of local businesses in line with the principles of the European Charter for SMEs by the design of innovative approaches to entrepreneurial development.

Project activities:

• Mobilization of the Italian Project leader (IPL) and establishment of a regional working group PPP for the generation of new guidelines and innovative projects on local sustainable development;
• Promotion and management of 3 PPP-based focus groups;
• Organisation of 3 thematic workshops;
• Design and issue of communication tools relevant to the workshops;
• A final public conference;
• Networking on EU information and capacity building experience with other Croatian Counties on European Charter for SMEs.

Expected results:

• A standing innovation capacity of the consultative board based on public-private partnership about sustainable development programming harmonised with EU acquis in place;
• The know-how achievement for the implementation of the European Charter for SME at the regional level enhanced a pro-active participation to the pre-accession process at decentralised level, better qualifying of the County attractiveness for foreign investors and the absorbing capacity of new EU funds;
• The establishment of a long lasting network for the dialogue between the Koprivnica-Kri?evci and Friuli Venezia Giulia societies has further bridged the information gap, contributed to a better mutual knowledge and brought the players of the political and economic systems closer in view of further enlargement of European Union to Croatia.

Type of service

Co-ordination and management of project activities and partnership.

Creation and management of working groups, partnership tables and thematic groups in the County of Koprivnica-Kri?evci.

Organization of seminars, conferences and other public events.

Design of a communication strategy.

Technical assistance and support to FVG companies for the development of economic cooperation with the area of Koprivnica.

Design and creation of a project website.

Project monitoring, evaluation and reporting.