Newsletter 2/2018

12-07-2018
 
 

The Czech Hemp Cluster launched

 

 On initiative of the National Cluster Association (NCA), the international DanuBioValNet project has gained a new bio-economy focus, which is the hemp industry value chain.

The Hemp Cluster Initiative meeting took place in Prague on 19 February 2018, attended by the representatives of hemp growers, hemp businesses as well as universities and research institutes from across the Czech Republic. Pavla Bruskova, the President of the NCA, introduced the par- ticipants the cluster concept as a tool for regional develop- ment and pointed out the opportunities and possibilities of cooperation among stakeholders from the hemp industry within the whole Danube Region. The barriers of the devel- opment of the hemp industry in the Czech Republic were defined during a very lively discussion that will serve the formulation of the strategic objectives of the hemp cluster development. A Steering Group was set up to co-ordinate further meetings and concrete steps for the official registra- tion of the “CzecHemp” cluster organisation.

Author: National Cluster Association, Czech Republic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New cluster services training in Sofia

 

 Over 30 cluster managers and cluster policy stakeholders from several countries covering a geographic area stretching from Georgia to the UK participated in the training dedicated to the development of new cluster services, organised by the DTP Project “DanuBioValNet” in Sofia on the 19 March in the eve of the European TCI Conference 2018.

The discussion has been pursued against a wider assistance on the internationalisation panel of the TCI Conference on 22 March, moderated and conducted by the DanuBioValNet team. As location, culture and size have been identified as main factors influencing internationalisation, the Bulgarian Furniture Cluster (BFC) and the Romanian ASTRICO Nord East textile cluster have presented ways of turning the experience of traditional sectors into global opportunities
via the identification of innovative niches (smart re-furnituring - BFC) and/or increasing the length of the value chain in the cluster (centralized acquisition and marketing system – ASTRICO NE).
Author: Romanian Cluster Association, Romania

 


 

 

 

Phytopharma roadmapping workshop

 

On 17 April 2018, more than 30 experts from the phytopharmaceutical sector in the Danube Region gathered on the workshop in Belgrade. The participants had the opportunity to discuss technological, market, policy and socialeconomic challenges related to the phytopharma industry.

The discussion was conducted in 3 parallel sessions devoted to the selected topics: “Gaps in Provision of Services” related to phytopharma, elaborated on current gaps and future needs for the phytopharmaceutical sector, session moderated by Darja Osvald; “Missing Links and Knowledge
Development” addressed the need of supporting R&D infrastructure for farmers & cultivators, and also for high tech applications, session moderated by Zorica Marić. The linkages among business networks were also discussed within this session; “Future Trends and Upcoming Legislation” referred to the need of understanding the business environment and future perspectives, session moderated by Ana
Aleksić Mirić. Following the impulse given by the experts from Baden-Württemberg, Bulgaria and Serbia, trough guided facilitation, the information and ideas from the “real world” were taken. Activities, time frame and the responsible person/ authority were identified through facilitation process for each of the topics. The findings and recommendations will be the inputs for the strategic actions that will support the
creation and expansion of opportunities for value-added activities associated with the phytopharma value chain in the Danube Region.


Author: Innovation Center of Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Belgrade, Serbia

 

Eco-construction Roadmapping Workshop

 

 
     

On Friday 20 April 2018, the Roadmapping Workshop on Eco-construction took place in Linz, Upper Austria.
The workshop was organized by the Austrian Cleantech Cluster as part of the DanuBioValNet project. The workshop
brought together industry, academia, market experts, cluster managers and policymakers from Germany, Austria,
Slovenia, Croatia, Romania and other Danube countries to discuss future trends and upcoming legislation related to
wood construction industry. After a short welcome speech and introduction of the DanuBioValNet project, Klaus Madlmair from Business Upper Austria introduced the participants to the Upper Austria business location. The programme of the event
continued with a lecture of Mr Vervoort, CEI-Bois – European Confederation of Woodworking Industries, on the subject
of Wood in construction: EU issues at a glance. Then the Interreg Foresda project was presented by Pro Wood Cluster
from Romania and the “Lukas Lang Building Technologies” company, which deals with the construction of wooden
houses, was promoted by Mr Szymoniuk. Afterwards, the participants were divided into two working groups to discuss in breakout sessions. 

Author: Business Upper Austria - OÖ Wirtschaftsagentur GmbH, Austria

 

Awareness and Hemp Roadmapping Workshops

 

The National Cluster Association (NCA) hosted the awareness workshop on bioeconomy and hemp industry roadmapping workshop in Prague on 26 April 2018. One of the roads towards the strengthening of the role of bio-based industries has been laid out by The European Commission Bioeconomical Strategy. The EU supports seed treatment, cultivation and processing of crops with a wide use and ambition to replace non-renewable resources, especially crude oil. Based on the NCA initiative, the discussion was opened within the Danu-BioValNet project on the topic of the hemp use as a multifunctional, broadly applicable crop of the future. The roadmapping workshop, visited by Austrian, Croatian,
Czech, Serbian and Slovak experts and project partners, stipulated the priorities leading towards a higher use of
hemp as one of the strategic bioeconomic feedstocks. The topics included the need of education and awareness
building on the role of hemp in different industries based on scientific results, formation of the hemp clusters in the
Danube Region and their cross-sectoral and cross-regional cooperation, harmonisation of legal regulations and standardisation of the hemp industry along its value chain in the EU.


Author: National Cluster Association – Czech Republic

 
 
 
 
 

Managing Authority | Joint Secretariat
Széchenyi István tér 7-8 - 1051 Budapest, Hungary
E-mail: danube@interreg-danube.eu  | Web: www.interreg-danube.eu

 

If you have received this newsletter, you have been included on one or more of the Danube Transnational Programme/projects postal mailing lists. We are committed to respect and protect the privacy of personal data collected. We regard your personal data as confidential information and will never communicate it to third parties. Your personal data are used mainly for the express purpose of receiving the newsletter. Your mailing details may also be used by the DTP and its projects for information and dissemination purposes strictly related to the programme and its projects. If you prefer not to receive more of this newsletter and your data not to be used for dissemination purposes, you can unsubscribe by sending a reply email.

 

Programme co-funded by European Union funds (ERDF, IPA, ENI)