The Regional Cooperation Magazine - Issue 1

Regional Cooperation Magazine

N. 1

APRIL 2021

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Director’s Editorial To anyone who is reading us, WELCOME! For this first issue of our Regional Cooperation Online Magazine, I wanted to find a representative title both to present our Projects and to welcome all our future readers.

I was looking at some European platforms, strategies, when I found myself reading one of the Regional Cooperation Council’s Strategies (1): which better title than this one here?

Regional Cooperation could be defined in many ways. It is, and should be, an essential element of stabilisation and association, a mix of joint actions’ and best practices’ exchanges among national, regional and local actors from different States. Our 18 Projects do represent those concepts and I am honoured to introduce them to all of you.

The EEA & Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation, after all, is born to support projects tackling common European challenges through regional crossborder and transnational cooperation. Because those challenges are not at all confined by national borders. Not surprisingly transborder actions are laying at the base of this Fund. Under the Fund for Regional Cooperation, indeed, project partners may cooperate in different ways, towards regional cross-border cooperation on broader regional challenges, or towards transnational cooperation focusing on European challenges. In both options, actions are dealing with common challenges. Together, they act to reduce economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area and to strengthen relations of the Donor States Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein with 15 Beneficiary States in Northern, Central and Southern Europe. But alongside the 15 Beneficiary (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia), partnering was possible in terms of any eligible entity within the following countries: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Therefore, our 18 Projects have been selected and awarded because with their mission and recognising regional cross-border cooperation as a key driver, they aim to find shared solutions to certain common issues.

And we are sure they will demonstrate that. They are considered able to enhance socioeconomic and at the same time human connectivity among them, while developing a shared, inclusive and competitive economic space. Their goals, and future activities, are reflective of the most common trends in regional environments, of the regular contacts both at political and technical levels.

(1) https://www.rcc.int/admin/files/docs/reports/RCC-Strategy-and-Work-Programme-2020-22-rich.pdf

Regional Cooperation Magazine Why an Online Magazine and what it is?

Because we, as FO and on behalf of FMO, believe that this platform is needed to give them a space to share their results. The Mag is a tool to give them voice. We can affirm it following the successful experience of the Youth Employment Online Magazine, which is increasing in terms of visibility and new members. I correct myself: our Projects are not just “members”, they are an active part of a Family. A Family that, starting from today, is expanding.

You all, readers and Projects, are now part of our Family. I am also thanking our Grethe, Senior Sector Officer for the EEA & Norway Grants; I believe that she will agree with my words, and please find her reflections below in the following pages.

With the Fund for Youth Employment, we have gone through a pandemic year in which we have all tried to find solutions and our Mag has often been a meeting point for reflections on a common challenge. I do not want to talk a lot about Covid… it is just a practical example I would like to share with you, since I think it is expressing the concept “we are all in this together” (that we used, indeed, in our Youth Employment Mag). And, especially, to demonstrate the sense of the Family we would like to be.

In that sense, also, I believe that transnational projects can better help, and at the same time, the crisis that we are all living (which is not only a sanitary emergency, but also a socio-economic one), can usher in a new era of collaboration. I am convinced that our Regional Cooperation Projects will be the proof of its with their activities.

An enhanced regional and transnational cooperation can bolster the region’s abilities to fight crisis and common challenges, simultaneously in the near term but bringing long-term benefits.

With this last reflection, I renovate my welcome to all of you and my thankfulness and, especially, I renew my gratitude for finally launching our Regional Cooperation Magazine.

I hope you will enjoy it, and that through it we will be able to further expand our Family.

Gian Luca Bombarda, The Fund Director

Regional Cooperation Magazine

From the Financial Mechanism Office The Fund for Regional Cooperation is a novelty of the EEA and Norway Grants.

The Fund explores transnational and regional cross-border cooperation across the beneficiary states of the Grants, focusing on common European challenges that can only be solved through shared efforts.

Since European challenges don’t stop at the EU border, ten neighbouring countries have been invited to take part in the cooperation. The focus of the Fund rests on the programme areas of the EEA and Norway Grants. Under the first call for proposals more than 700 applications were submitted, covering all 23 areas.

This engagement tells me that there is a wish and a capability to find solutions to our shared problems.

I am looking forward to learning more about the projects and how they will work on issues that affect us all, from reducing the use of single-use plastics in our seas, managing cross-border groundwater resources, improving our coastal ecosystems, reducing and recycling our waste, researching the ticks in our forests and finding ways to combatting radicalisation in our prisons, to name but a handful of the project ideas that are being funded under the Fund for Regional Cooperation.

Grethe Haugoy

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Evolution, Not Revolution, Drives Regional Reach Out. “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.”

John F. Kennedy The Family analogy has been used by other writers for this publication in efforts to underline the inclusive, embracing, caring nature of the multitude of Projects under the umbrella of ‘The EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation’. The analogy is a valid one. A family evolves and grows together, learns together and prospers together.

Evolution, defined as a process of development and change from one state to another, refers to the gradual, often incremental, progress made through time and space of people, animals, plants and, when applied to this Family’s case – their offspring of programmes and projects, particularly their methodologies and strategies.

Regional Cooperation allows for the application of important principles in this evolution: economies of scale; benefits of shared wisdom; exchange of best practices; development of durable partnerships; creation of structures and mechanisms for meaningful dialogue fired by mutually beneficial communication.

This is the panorama of your work, and it is important to understand that your programmes and Projects are not working in a vacuum, but can benefit from the knowledge and experience of existing models. They will then assume their own identity and characteristics, and in turn, offer invaluable feedback, input and investment for their erstwhile mentors. The relevance of this approach is underlined as well by the European Commission’s cohesion policy.

The ‘Conference on the Future of Europe’ has been aired as an opportunity to “open a new space for debate” and “address Europe’s challenges and priorities.” These are listed as: Climate change and Environment; Health: Stronger Economy, Social Justice and Jobs; EU in the World; Values and Rights, Rule of Law, Security; Digital Transformation; European Democracy; Migration; Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.

European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), is one of the two goals of Europe’s cohesion policy and provides a framework for the implementation of joint actions and policy exchanges between national, regional and local actors from different Member States.

The overarching objective of European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) is to promote a harmonious economic, social and territorial development of the Union as a whole. It is built around three strands of cooperation: crossborder, transnational and interregional. Despite being one of the oldest EU tools, cohesion is one of the key elements of the recent recovery proposal for a post-Covid world.

The Conference aims to reflect Europe’s diversity, and to bring Europe beyond its capital cities, reaching every corner of the EU, strengthening the link between Europeans and the institutions that serve them. It will do so through a multitude of Conference-events and debates organised across the EU, as well as through an interactive multilingual digital platform. Young people in particular are encouraged to take part and share their ideas.

European, national, regional and local authorities, as well as civil society and other organisations can also organise events to involve as many people as possible.

Regional Cooperation Magazine Europe’s priorities are the Fund’s priorities and are reflected in the multiple and diverse Projects that animate the pages of the Magazine. You are already, inter alia, working on areas of digital connectivity, on strengthening public health infrastructure, on climate challenges, gender in enterprise, democracy and good governance, innovation and development, integration of minorities, Inclusion through sports for children with developmental disabilities and on moving to more sustainable patterns of production and consumption.

This work you are doing, its outputs and analysis, can provide invaluable input to this debate. It can help shape some future policies.

You should be part of the debate. Subject to hierarchical approval, distillations of the Projects can be drawn and aggregated on a sectoral basis over the course of this year, and the findings then prepared and presented next year to the ‘Conference on the Future of Europe.’ The Family continues to expand.

Tom Mc Grath

Regional Cooperation Magazine

About the New European Bauhaus, the Green deal and the Next Generation EU Authors of the future with a foot in the past Several months ago a friend sent me a link in WhatsApp: 'Un nouveau Bauhaus pour faire de la vague de rénovation un projet culturel'. It was the title of a short report published in www.architectes.org after Frau Ursula von der Leyen announced the launch of the New European Bauhaus initiative which is in line with the objectives set within the overall EU policies for the period 2021-2027. The initiative aims to contribute create the necessary cultural ground to face the challenges determined by a rapid environmental deterioration, global warming and climate changes that are severely impacting the whole planet, with a comprehensive approach as foreseen in the Green deal by promoting new economic and social development models after several years of economic, social incertitudes and discontent.

A multidisciplinary innovative school based in Weimar, alike other contemporary movements active in several European countries since the late 19th century, the Bauhaus had the capacity to propose new models of both private and public space, innovative technologies and materials, basically proposing a new possible way of living but also much more, with incursions in the cinema production, industrial design, applied arts, fashion design, photography, theatre and music. A real cultural revolution that gave several concrete signs of its maturity and reached perhaps one of its apical moments when Mies van der Rohe was chosen by the Werkbund to coordinate the project for the Weissenhofsiedlung, a housing complex built to be displayed at the Deutscher Werkbund exhibition that took place in Stuttgard in 1927.

Instantly a mix of sweet and sour feelings reemerged as in a movie linked to my own life experience. In fact, the Bauhaus was one of the most relevant cultural movements of the 20th century and it is still strongly embedded in the imaginary of architects, designers, artists or more in general the variegated world defined 'creative and cultural communities' which I feel to belong to.

The experience of the Bauhaus and the other movements active in Europe between WW I and WW II coagulated in the Modern Movement leaving us a legacy that signed the line between past and future. A totally new language was invented that became viral inspiring most of the following generations of architects and engineers and gave indications for a possible future habitat.

Unfortunately, after WW II the need for a rapid reconstruction, the very aggressive action of estate speculators and an equally aggressive public housing policies caused an heavy impact on the territory. We assisted to the growth a new era centred on land abuse and neglect that strongly contributed to the rapid environmental degradation that in our days is blunt evident worldwide.

Being a member of the middle generation that has enjoyed part of the benefits and suffered most of the degenerative effects left by the so said heirs of the Modern Movement, I can testify most of the damage caused by misinterpretation of the needs and the mismanagement of the human settlement, in whatever its expression. That is how in July 2017, I participated as a delegate to the Congress of the Italian Architects that was held in Rome. A congress attended also by the leaders of the organizations representing architects, engineers, geologists and other professional categories of the sector at the European institutions.

Regional Cooperation Magazine There I met many colleagues and we found ourselves discussing of the urgency of embarking on a new path to place the project again at the centre of a changing process, this time however aimed at the recovery and regeneration of the built territory excluding new consumption of land, and, the return of the anthropised space to nature as possible. We all agreed that reference to the Bauhaus should have been made assuming it as a model, however just as clearly we agreed on the need for a broad sharing of choices according to a participatory and inclusive model, both at a multidisciplinary and inter-sectoral level, most of all through projects shared with the local communities.

We must keep in mind that the Next Generation EU introduces an unprecedented effort with the aim to leave better conditions for the future generations and for the planet as a whole. A new trend that is possible also thanks to the results obtained with the important investments made by the Union in research and innovation programmes, often little known by the most yet able to create most of the preconditions needed for the development of a sustainable environmental pattern where the impact of the human activities is reduced and harmonised with the rest of the planet.

A hundred years after the experience of the Bauhaus there is apparently a convergence

between the EU leaders, most of the main stakeholders and the final beneficiaries. The New European Bauhaus well synthesises this convergence that, like all moonlight kisses is a very promising initiative that could also concretely contribute to the development of a shared European Culture of the Habitat, strong of its different souls and histories. However, to prevent the degeneration registered during the latest decades in the development of the human settlement, it is up to us to take part within the whole process, to share part of the responsibility and be vigilant to prevent that a moonlight promising project turns into a nightmare in the sun.

We owe this to the generations to come and to the planet that generously hosts us.

Our cultural heritage expert, Claudio Cimino

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Glocal Thinkers in (and for) Transnational Projects – Admiring a forest through the trees I was scrolling through the Fund for Regional Cooperation Project’s titles and I started thinking about some of the concepts they could mirror. I came up with the thought that, all together, they reflect the idea of a union of glocal thinkers in the name of transnationality. I read the Project’s descriptions and I am even more convinced that the sustainability goals impressed into their different missions, imposed to start thinking global to act locally.

Global thinkers (which can be also projects, not only people) are aware of the place they can have into the wider world, by taking an active role into a community (our Fund), in order to make the entire planet more sustainable and fairer (and why not even more peaceful).

In that sense, the Fund for Regional Cooperation’s Projects can make a difference.

Many times, we focus on what is dividing us: now more than ever the world needs thinkers able to stand up to find common solutions. It is needed to find ways for responsible actions.

Sustainable change is possible if we act as global citizens while thinking locally, as a key for global solutions.

Why? Because connections between local and global are at the forefront of our work, since to develop and find solutions to a specific problem, it is needed to look at a specific local

situation. Because millions of local issues have a global consequence.

It is like climbing a mountain or seeing a forest (as a whole) through the trees of a specific territory. At the same time, embracing a global mindset can involve our specific knowledge, meaning what is really affecting our actions.

Glocal thinkers can adapt their behaviour starting from local realities and I believe that Regional Cooperation Projects are born with these intentions.

It is thanks to this mental setup that they can support a system/structure able to sharpen their glocal thinking, since they are able to connect into a concrete network and inspiring best practices through the exploitation of inspiring examples. And… you won’t be surprised: communication is a fundamental engine of this process. Not because we just “have to communicate”, but because communicating means also encouraging dialogue and resource sharing (sometimes, today more than ever, using technology to the maximum advantage).

And it is for that reason that we would like to stress and highlight the importance of this concept.

If one wanted to achieve change or improvement, he/she couldn’t wait for global and international legislations: that is why regional/transnational cooperation can be a

mean able to anticipate any international decision. And… I believe this is the mission laying at the base of each Project. At the same time, the best action anyone can do is to drive the change himself/herself, since acting locally starts to address what we see as a global issue.

We could think, for example, to the environment – as an international problem – and the reasons why we do recycling, often considered as a singular engagement… what if the entire world did recycle?

It is with this spirit that we, as Editorial Team, like to think about the new adventure on our Regional Cooperation Online Magazine, and we hope that all our Projects will do the same, issue by issue. This can mean sending us reflections, proposing new challenges that worth analysis, inviting friends/experts to become members of our big Family.

We are curious to see what we – as a Family – can propose to our public, thinking locally but acting globally.

Francesca Bombarda

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms Justice and Home Affairs Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Povery Reduction

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy

Resource-efficient and sustainable use of our natural capital, reduced vulnerability to climate change and a push towards a less carbon intensive and more energy secure economy are key factors for economic and social cohesion in Europe. In line with the EU’s cohesion policy, the programme areas in the priority sector Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy aim to ensure good environmental status of our ecosystems, adequate and timely climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, and increased use of renewable energy. Given the great degree of interconnectivity between the three programme areas under the priority sector, measures and activities will seek to exploit cobeneficial outcomes.

Projects: 0137 – EU-WATERRES “EU-integrated management system of cross-border groundwater resources and anthropogenic hazards” 1309 – Circular-based waste management

1141 – Building momentum for the long-term CCS deployment in the CEE region

0572 – Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta

0502 – Improving the energy efficiency of geothermal energy utilisation by adjusting the user characteristics

0477 – Joint Effort for Honey Bee Conservation and Selection – BeeConSel 0284 – BLUE-GREENWAY: Innovative solutions for improving the environmental status of eutrophic and anoxic coastal ecosystems

Regional Cooperation Magazine

The promotion of fundamental rights and freedoms lies at the core of the European Union’s aim to advance its population and safeguard individual dignity. In line with the EU’s cohesion objectives, the programme areas in the priority sector Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms contribute to upholding fundamental rights and democratic freedoms and facilitating individuals’ cooperation to achieve common aims. This is achieved through strengthening active citizenship, empowering vulnerable groups and enhancing the role of civil society. The aim is reinforced by support for activities aimed at cultural dialogue and awareness of diversity.

Projects: 0650 – Co-Deciding Europe: Civic Tech for Good Governance and Active Citizenship!

(CODE Europe) 0379 – Reclaim our Civil Space! – from local to European 0058 – Implementing shared anti-corruption and good governance solutions in Southeast Europe: innovative practices and public-private partnerships

Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Justice and Home Affairs

The priority sector Justice and Home Affairs aims at strengthening European citizens’ confidence in their governments’ ability to ensure civil rights, equal treatment and protection, all which are crucial to the Europe 2020 strategy for inclusive and sustainable growth. Lack of public trust in the judiciary is widespread mainly due to corruption, excessive length of proceedings and chronic non- enforcement of judicial decisions.

Furthermore, crime stretches across European borders with increased complexity, the influx of irregular migrants remains a challenge for Europe, and weak immigration systems risk breaching human rights and international law. Domestic and gender-based violence remain endemic throughout Europe to huge economic and social cost. Man-made and natural disasters are increasing both in frequency and intensity, and investments in disaster risk reduction can reduce or prevent loss of life and property, and reap vast economic benefits.

Projects: 1037 – HOPE – HOlistic radicalisation Prevention initiativE 0662 – “The Portrait of a Judge” – a multi-dimensional model of competencies to be measured during the procedures of selection, evaluation and promotion of judges 0058 – Implementing shared anti-corruption and good governance solutions in Southeast Europe: innovative practices and public-private partnerships

Regional Cooperation Magazine

The programme areas in the priority sector Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness contribute to growth by supporting the further development of the knowledge economy. Sustainable growth is promoted through funding to strengthen the link between education and training systems, and employment and to support a socially inclusive labour market through combating youth unemployment, facilitating the participation of women and promoting social dialogue. The added value of the funding under this priority sector lies in the opportunities it offers for strategic piloting and testing of innovative approaches and for international cooperation and the exchange of knowledge and experiences leading to accelerated learning.

Projects: 1309 – Circular-based waste management 1185 – Strengthening Transnational Co-operation, Knowledge and Technology Transfer in Development of Electric Vessels and Fostering Innovations in SMEs 0824 – Wingate 0682 – Uncorking rural heritage: indigenous production of fermented beverages for local cultural and environmental sustainability 0659 – TBFVnet: surveillance and research on tick-borne flaviviruses (TBFV)

Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Povery Reduction

The European Economic Area is not just about economic cooperation, it is also about empowering people to play their role in society. Sustainable inclusive growth and future prosperity rely on finding a balance between economic progress and social advancement. In line with the EU’s cohesion policy, the programme areas in the priority sector Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Poverty Reduction promote well- functioning societies by supporting social inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable groups, equal access to education, employment and health care, and capable and responsible institutions. The added value of this priority sector is its contribution to breaking the cycle of disadvantage by supporting early interventions, by investing in prevention and boosting systemic change, and by encouraging pilot projects in the area of social innovation.

Projects: 1361 – Inclusion through sports for children with developmental disabilities 0697 – New solutions to old problems – exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0058 Implementing shared anticorruption and good governance solutions in Southeast Europe: innovative practices and public-private partnerships

Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms Justice and Home Affairs

Regional Cooperation Magazine The project’s overall objective is to deliver shared anticorruption solutions to increase the accountability of state institutions and strengthen civil society and the rule of law in SEE through capacity building on implementing best practice European social research innovation instruments and the establishment of knowledge-sharing public-private partnership between civil society and public-sector actors in 9 beneficiary countries. The action aims to close anticorruption policy implementation and public procurement gaps across SEE, which will amplify the impact of the planned increase in EU infrastructure support until 2025. The project’s objective will be achieved by mainstreaming social research innovation instruments, capacity building, and the establishment of a sustainable regional good governance public-private partnership platform in beneficiary countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia). Established Regional Good Governance Public-Private Partnership Platform (R2G4P) is the project’s centrepiece sustainability product. In addition, training modules and manuals will empower NGOs and public authorities to further join forces on delivering shared regional solutions, based on the established public-private partnership path.

Possibility for replication on European and global level will be driven by the public release of all project results and the adaptability of the implemented assessment and analytical tools. Combined, all project resources will empower new actors with innovative solutions in and outside SEE. The project’s inclusive public-private partnership approach will allow target groups to share solutions across EU and non-EU borders in SEE, a critical contribution of the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation.

The action rests on four result pillars: • Established Regional Good Governance Public-Private Partnership Platform (R2G4P). The Platform will combine RCC and RAI’s public sector cooperation capacity with SELDI.net’s expertise to create a sustainable regional public-private partnership for shared good governance solutions. With at least 22 members, holding meetings at

•

•

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least once annually and joint task forces informing the work of the Platform, the R2G4P will be the project’s key added value.

Increased capacity of public institutions and NGOs to diagnose and tackle corruption risks through 4 specialised three-day regional trainings for R2G4P members and annual summer school for 25 outside participants. The training modules will include: a) MACPI: Monitoring Anticorruption Policy Implementation; b) Opentender.eu: big data and network analysis to develop innovative risk indicators; and c) tackling state (policy, regulatory) capture and emerging corruption risks. Manuals will guide each module.

Designed shared management and policy anti-corruption solutions, through producing annual SEE Good Governance Reports, each accompanied by 9 anticorruption management reviews for selected SEE public institutions, based on implementing MACPI and opentender.eu methods.

Communication and engagement strategy, including an opening conference, annual policy forums, and a closing summit, each attracting 100 participants.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

The website will be elaborated after the selection and signing of a contract with a software/webdesign company. However, the project website will be hosted at: http://www.seldi.net Social channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SELDI.network Twitter: https://twitter.com/SELDI_Network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCJd9_ow6Xl1CkAOx93RImGQ

Marieta Ivanova

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0137 EU-WATERRES "EU-integrated management system of crossborder groundwater resources and anthropogenic hazards"

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy

Regional Cooperation Magazine The EU-WATERRES project has been officially launched on September 1, 2020 under the leadership of Polish Geological Institute – National Geological Institute (PGI-NRI). All together nine partners from five countries (Poland, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine) have joined their forces to improve the management of transboundary groundwater resources in two geographical regions: Baltic and Eastern Europe.

The project aims to increase the capacity of public authorities to manage transboundary groundwater resources by creating an integrated information platform, introducing new data analysis tools and solutions for coordinated management and integrated groundwater protection. The overall awareness of groundwater resources protection will be increased during variety of public events organized for stakeholders to tackle each specific project target group.

Project outcomes will enhance coordination, improved international cooperation transboundary groundwater resource quantitative and qualitative management and control. Planned numerous educational activities are aimed at raising public awareness of the issues of transboundary impacts on groundwater. The EU-WATERRES project is a forerunner in the creation of a universal tool supporting strategic decision making in the context of groundwater management in border areas.

The specific objectives of the EU-WATERRES are: •

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creating a geoinformatic platform for integrated data processing defining the conditions of transboundary aquifers and their numerical simulation, support for decision makers in creating solutions for the coordinated use and integrated protection of transboundary groundwater, creating the basis for coordinating procedures for monitoring of transboundary groundwater flows, increasing the credibility of the assessment of the state of transboundary groundwater by integrating data,

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testing solutions in 3 case studies within the EU and 1 case study in Ukraine.

Target groups: • • • • •

Managers in the water management and environmental protection sector.

Municipal enterprises providing water supply services.

Practitioners, geological companies.

Scientists.

Non-governmental organizations.

Project Partners: Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, Poland State Enterprise "Ukrainian Geological Company”, Ukraine Geological Survey of Estonia, Estonia Subsidiary enterprise “Zakhidukrgeologiya” of the National Joint-Stock Company “Nadra Ukrainy”, Ukraine Intergraph Polska Sp. z o.o., Poland University of Latvia, Latvia The Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Combustible Minerals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ukraine Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, Latvia Geological Survey of Norway, Norway

Regional Cooperation Magazine

First Event The EU-WATERRES project has started its activities with an online kick-off event on October 26, 2020 organized by the lead partner – Polish Geological Institute – National Geological Institute (PGI-NRI).

The kick-off event already attracted more than 60 participants from five countries – Poland, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine. The event started with the presentation of project aims, planned activities and project consortia, and was closed with Q&A session to engage stakeholders in the project activities from the very beginning.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Two pilot activities Two pilot activities in full progress: hydrogeological models being processed for transboundary areas Pilot 1 – transboundary area between Poland and Ukraine As part of the WP3 – Assessment of the resources of transboundary groundwater reservoirs, the project team is working to create a numerical hydrodynamic model for the assessment of transboundary groundwater flows between Poland and Ukraine. The model will serve as a tool for joint management of groundwater resources between two countries as well as for the sustainable use of resources.

The model area is limited to an area with significant transboundary flow in usable (major) aquifers. The area identified in this way covers the area of about 7,150 km2 and it includes fragments of the catchment areas of the San and the Bug rivers in their upper parts.

The development of the conceptual model began with the preparation of three transboundary hydrogeological sections to create a conceptual model diagram. Within the conceptual model of the research area, two layers were distinguished: 1st layer – alluvial aquifer in the valleys of large rivers; 2nd layer is spatially heterogeneous. In the north it is the Upper Cretaceous fissured aquifer, in the central part – the Neogene fissured-porous aquifer, and in the south – the Quaternary porous aquifer.

The filtration field was calculated using the finite difference method in the Groundwater Vistas ver.6 software. The water-bearing system was mapped by means of a discretization grid with a step of 500×500 m. The variability of the thickness of individual layers was determined by interpolation of the surface of the roof and floor based on approx. 3000 archive drilling profiles.

The basis for the model were series of measurements of groundwater table level carried out in the monitoring network and in selected intakes. A high degree of model compliance with the original was obtained, which is expressed by low error values.

Pilot 2 – transboundary area between Latvia and Estonia Regional hydrogeological model of the Baltic Artesian Basin, called PUMA, is used as a framework for the assessment of Estonia-Latvia transboundary hydrogeological conditions. The model has been developed by the University of Latvia and is adjusted for the EU-WATERRES project needs to estimate groundwater flows between both countries. The area of interest is delineated from the extent of the regional model following the extents of trans-boundary groundwater bodies.

Model geometry is structured layer-wise considering the geological setting of the territory, with continuous hydrogeological properties throughout each layer estimated through calibration process.

Heterogeneous geological data from various sources were used to build the geometry of the model, including information from borehole descriptions as a main source whereas structural maps of key geological interfaces and geological maps of layer distribution extents were used as a supplementary material.

The model is calibrated on the groundwater level measurements in the monitoring wells supplemented with head measurements in exploitation wells. Considering the distinct time dependence of groundwater level observations, the year 2010 is chosen as the reference year for the model scenario where observations from the previous years are considered through the weighting coefficients.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

More information about the project is available at official homepage: http://eu-waterres.eu/

Follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/euwaterres/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EuWaterres ReserachGate: https://www.researchgate.net/project/EU-WATERRESEU-integrated-management-system-of-cross-border-groundwaterresources-and-anthropogenic-hazards

Inga Retike

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0284 Blue-Greenway

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy

Regional Cooperation Magazine The problem Eutrophication has become the primary water quality issue for most freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems in the world. It is a most visible example of biosphere's alteration, and is due to human activities affecting aquatic ecosystems from the Arctic to the Antarctic. As more eutrophic ecosystems face difficulties meeting the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) criteria, the removal of phosphate and ammonium gains high importance in water treatment. In parallel, the prevention of polluting land output into the water environment is critical for making possible a global approach to the problem.

The objective The objective of this project is to review the restoration methods of eutrophic ecosystems, emphasizing remediation of internal nutrient release budget as a major factor to control eutrophication. The use of phosphate inactivation agents as a restoration tool, their capacity and application methods, will be examined.

Moreover, a combined land-water framework will be developed to determine an integrated remediation technique for addressing eutrophication management. The chemical lake restoration methods are not a panacea and should include targeted land-based capacity management as part of an integrated management plan.

The work The BLUE-GREENWAY Project, funded by the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation, aims to provide i) best practices for water bodies restoration from eutrophication and ii) capacity management cocreative techniques to combat eutrophication resulting anoxia at the origin.

In particular, agricultural runoff and municipal sewage are the key factors for excessive nutrient loading to aquatic ecosystems. During the project, innovative materials will be used to absorb phosphorus and nitrogen loads in

two pilot cases, Aitoliko Lagoon in Greece and Liopetri in Cyprus. The methodology will include an autonomous monitoring platform equipped with sensors to frequently assess water body quality. Hydrodynamic models will determine the stressors that result in eutrophic ecosystems producing anoxia.

A range of scenarios will be evaluated to restore oxygen of the water column.

In addition, innovative management will be used to increase the capacity of land users in refraining from using water polluting materials. In particular, the project will actively involve a broad set of stakeholders and end-users.

The project's success is based on the general public's engaged interaction, who will be asked to provide input for exemplary methods/tools previously tested in other applications. Environmental and procurement experts will participate via advisory/evaluation committees and educational/training events. The integration of modern technologies for the benefit of end-users, is expected to help advance the agricultural sector by informing stakeholders on fertilizers best practices according to the current state of the water body they influence.

In the long run BLUE-GREENWAY practices are designed to build community resilience and reduce disaster risk, resulting in a sustainable and cost-effective integrated treatment. The consortium will support areas (AitolikoMessolonghi area and Ammochostos district) to gain knowledge on best practices, and exchange good practices with regions outside the territory, in order for more regions to benefit and disseminate the project results. Further, the project aims to apply innovative materials and propose methods that will contribute to circular economy practices.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Website: blue-greenway.eu Facebook: Blue Greenway Youtube: Blue GreenWay Project Twitter: Blue Greenway/Blue Greenway Project

Ierotheos Zacharias

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0379 Reclaim our Civil Space!

Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms

Regional Cooperation Magazine “Reclaim Our Civil Space!” aims at addressing the trends of democratic backsliding and shrinking civil space observed for the past years particularly in Central and Southeastern Europe.

We came together because we believe in our work and in the power of civil society to build healthier societies from the bottom up. Our organizations are from different countries with different backgrounds, but the challenges we face and the changes we strive for in this region bind us together. This project is our common effort to improve the quality of our democracies through strengthening civil society actors in Central and Southeastern Europe.

The project is implemented by 10 organizations from 8 countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Norway as expert partner.

Our main objectives are • broadening the grassroots basis and constituency of civil society, • mapping, training and mobilizing activist groups and movements, • linking this local level to the regional and the European, • developing together the outlines of a comprehensive European civil society policy.

Activities will be carried out along 3 levels: 1. National: organizing trainings and workshops, mentoring support particularly to organizations/groups in rural regions, while taking into account the specificities of individual countries 2. Regional: holding cross-border workshops and networking meetings with at least 3 countries represented at each 3. European: international conferences in Budapest, Brussels and Prague, developing expert and policy papers.

Our vision is a thriving civil space in a democratic and enabling environment, where people take action, get organized and advocate for their interests together freely, without fear or restrictions. We believe in a society where everybody is capable of improving their own life and environment and is provided with the opportunity to live up to their potential.

Implementing organisations: • Members of the Environmental Partnership Association (EPA) • Bulgarian Environmental Partnership Foundation (Фондация ЕкоОбщност) • Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation (Nadace Partnerství) • Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation (Ökotárs Alapítvány) • Polish Environmental Partnership Foundation (Fundusz Partnerstwa) • Romanian Environmental Partnership Foundation (Fundația pentru Parteneriat) • Slovakian Environmental Partnership Foundation (Nadácia Ekopolis) • Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) • Civil Society Development Foundation (FDSC) • Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) • Youth Initiative for Human Rights - Serbia (YIHR)

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Train the Trainers: How to deal with propaganda media? - preparing for Reclaim Our Civil Space! events in your country We organised a series of events called "Train the Trainers" for our project partners to get ready for the work within the Reclaim Our Civil Space! project. We wanted to be prepared when it comes to project activities (training, webinars or workshops) about how to fight shrinking civil space in your country. So we shared our know-how among partners, scanned the situation specific to each participant country, discussed the nature of assaults by propaganda media and focused on efficient media communication. Now we are one step closer to delivering you what we have learned. Events in your country are coming soon - watch out for them, and let's build a thriving civil space together! Here is what we were at in the past couple of months: November and December 2020 was about Train the Trainers in ROCS project, where all partners met and had a 3 days long training about communication and political participation. The training was held by Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU), a human rights NGO, also a partner in the ROCS project.

There were different aims for the communication and the political participation part of the training. 2 days of the event were focusing on media communication and communication with propaganda media. Unfortunately propaganda media is gaining ground across all participating countries. The same pattern is perceptible everywhere, for example how propaganda media is dividing the society using misinformation and fake news, as well as putting NGOs on the framing of that they are foreign agents and working for someone’s favor but their citizens. Therefore the necessity for preparation was drawn. The last day of the training was about political participation

based on the experiences of partners. All NGOs participating in this project work with active citizens and communities who are trying to make a difference in their communities and neighborhoods. Based on this experience the last part of the training was about sharing knowledge and discussing the potential solutions.

The event was about training other trainers but on the way of self-experience and the method of ‘learning by doing’. It means that participants were part of a training that can be useful for themselves, also, as trainers they can reuse the agenda within their trainings through the project.

Part of the communication training there was a session about propaganda media in general, scanning what is the situation in each participant country, also, to see how affected are project partners with the issue of assault against them by propaganda media.

A major part of the communication session was about media communication, focusing on the following topics: how to prepare for a media appearance, what should be part of a media plan, what are the tricks that reporters do to make interviewee uncomfortable, how to prepare for an interview in a hostile environment. Also, there was a simulation where HCLU members were fake propagandist reporters and made a quick interview with the training participants. It helped participants to experience how they would act in such situations. In the end of the simulation a colleague of HCLU, who has years of experience of media appearance, shared his experiences on getting used to assaults and interview situations resembling the simulation.

Including the communication part of the training there was a discussion about communication of an NGO in general, framing the communication of the organisation and what hope based communication means and why it is important especially for a NGO.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

The last day of Train the Trainers was about political participation training.

Most of the participants were experienced trainers on this field. Because of that the session was based on the experience and most worrying questions they have. As a start, participants collected all purposes and aims that a training about political participation can have. These goals were legal aims, community building and -participation, mobilisation and education. These aims completed each other and as a whole they created a “cake”. The slices of the cake were the different kinds of goals and approaches that a political participation training can have.

During this session there was a discussion about the hardships and obstacles participants have with political participation training. In group work participants were figuring out different kinds of solutions for mentioned problems. The solutions can help for each partner during their work when they organise new trainings.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Website: http://civilspace.eu/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reclaimourcivilspace/

Farkas Balint

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0477 Joint Effort for Honey Bee Conservation and Selection – BeeConSel

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy

Regional Cooperation Magazine Bees perform an essential ecosystemic function of pollination, not only in agricultural crops but also in other plants and thus represent a critical link in the ecosystem chain – or to name it more appropriately – a critical stone in the ecosystem pyramid. Managed honey bee Apis mellifera is perhaps the most known and its role in the environment surely most highly appreciated.

So far, more than thirty subspecies of the honey bee have been identified, which are native to the old world (e.g. Europe, Asia and Africa) and were adapted to the local environment. Human migrations and trade flows have spread these species all over the globe, besides the Antarctic.

Bee products have been highly appreciated and become an important source of occupation and income for many beekeepers. Desire to improve the colony management or yield often prompts them to look for the genetic material with traits that are matching their needs. Such traits might be calmness, improved honey yield, resistance to some diseases, etc. Selective breeding of honey bees is therefore an important tool to reach their expectations.

It is not widely known that honey bee queens mate only once in a lifetime with several drones, at the beginning of their tenure, few days after hatching, which happens mid-air. Drones’ genetic material, sperm, is then stored in specialised organ and is used sparingly for egg fertilisation. This genetic reservoir is supposed to last for the duration of the queens’ life. Therefore, installing or replacing the genetic material of the colony is relatively simple.

The queen is the only vessel of genetic material that is involved in reproduction; hence she is the only individual that needs to be replaced in the colony.

Some countries have followed the demand and specialised in honey bee genetic breeding material fostering the production and marketing of their local subspecies. In practise this specialisation has gradually replaced native or local subspecies in most of the countries. However, honey bee subspecies have optimal survival rate and economic yield in their native environment.

Therefore, it is crucial to preserve and improve the local honey bee subspecies.

When setting up the BeeConSel project partners have been driven to prevent the conservation and well-being of local honey bee subspecies.

Our focus is three honey bee subspecies: Carnica (A. m. carnica; Slovenia and Croatia), Macedonica (A. m. macedonica; Northern Macedonia) and dark honey bee (A. m. mellifera; Norway). Each of them bears its respective conservation status: the dark honey bee is endangered subspecies; Macedonica is still often discounted by beekeepers, who are looking for promising and promoted non-native lines, hence pushes Macedonica toward the diversity endangerment; Carnica is threatened due to banned import of genetic material from other countries despite the fact there are legal boundaries to prevent this in Slovenia and Croatia. Breeding programs in the involved countries were designed and implemented to counter such threats and genetic erosion by the improvement of the local subspecies and making them more attractive to local beekeepers. A prerequisite for a successful and efficient breeding program is the mating control, which in beneficiary countries have been neglected, and thus much of the selection effort was watered-down.

Know-how and expertise of the Norwegian Beekeepers’ Association that have been successfully implementing all elements of the breeding, along with the assistance of the Swedish Agricultural University will be accustomed to the needs of the beneficiary states and hopefully transferred to end users and policy makers in the beneficiary countries to protect the diversity and richness of the local honey bee populations and stop genetic erosion.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

The Universe is a Big Place

But what are we? What defines and join us is a concern, concern about the loss of genetic diversity, about the loss of richness of genes and loss of the infinity of possible combinations of genes that gives the species at least chance to respond to an ever-more-demanding environment.

Here, at the edges of the Old World, within the native range of Apis mellifera, there are all reasons for being concerned – but not for the honey bees as the individuals, nor for honey bees as the colonies.

Why such concern of all the sudden?

The concern isn’t sudden, it was building up for quite some time now. On our own, we have limited reach. Therefore we waited for the opportunity which gave us the chance to bring our interests together with other concerned stakeholders in beekeeping. EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation provided such chance through the »Common challenges – Shared solutions« call.

The Consortium In the Universe, the giant clouds later merged through gravity to form galaxies, stars, and everything else seen today. In our world, five partners banded together to address the concern mentioned above. The project partners from Slovenia, Croatia, Northern Macedonia desire to profit from

the experience of the partner from donor country the know-how of the Swedish expert partner and to adopt their knowledge to our local conditions and situations.

The diverse project consortium is lead by Agricultural Institute of Slovenia which is joined by the Norwegian Beekeepers’ Association, Swedish Agriculture University and two non-academic partners, CARPEA from Northern Macedonia and CALS from Croatia, both SMEs involved in research.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Web page https://beeconsel.eu/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BeeConSel Twitter https://twitter.com/BeeConSel Instagram https://www.instagram.com/BeeConSel

Farkas Balint

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0502 Improving the energy efficiency of geothermal energy utilisation by adjusting the user characteristics

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy

Regional Cooperation Magazine The use of geothermal energy for heating and its efficiency is becoming more and more important, in contrast to heating by fossil fuels. In the area covered by the project (Central Europe, Norway, Iceland), energy used in the residential sector for space and water heating accounts for more than 80% of the final energy consumption.

A heating system is characterised by certain technical requirements, e.g. supply temperature and the required flow of water. Heat demand and temperature of the return water are mainly dictated by the efficiency of the heating systems and weather conditions, but also the characteristics of the users and the technology used. The selection of appropriate parameters and management of the system is referred to as the control of power delivery. The inability to reach the temperature required by the energy user results in the need to use additional, peak heat sources. The peak sources generate additional investment outlays and their use occurs when the supply temperature is not high enough.

Fossil fuels are most frequently used as additional supporting heat sources, therefore the main goal of the project is to increase the efficiency and share of geothermal heating in order to reduce the use of fossil fuels for heating during the peak demand. By decreasing the use of fossil fuels to meet heating needs, the User4GeoEnergy project also aims to decrease air pollution and CO2 emissions, and to contribute towards mitigating climate change.

Additionally, this should lead to reduced investment outlays and lower operating costs for peak heating. The amount of energy generated by peak sources can be reduced or eliminated by adjusting the needs of heat recipients to the capabilities of the energy source.

This, however, also requires changes in heating systems. As it involves changes in parts of the installation that are not owned by the energy supply companies, energy companies are not willing to undertake such activities. It is also easier to match the capabilities of the energy source to the customer’s requirements than opposite. The User4GeoEnergy project provides a

quantitative assessment, whether changes in the heat recipients' installations can bring measurable economic, energy and environmental benefits.

Currently available and commonly used technologies in some cases enable the required supply temperature to be reduced to below 40°C (e.g. floor or wall heating). It is also possible to lower the return temperature of the working medium. Increase of the heat exchange surface and the use of other activities favouring the reduction of customers’ requirements can significantly reduce energy supply costs and improve the condition of the natural environment. Lowering the temperature of the return water in heating systems also significantly reduces the demand for the extraction of geothermal water, thus protecting geothermal resources.

Project main activites •

Exchange of good practice in the management of geothermal district heating between the donor countries (Iceland, Norway) and the beneficiary countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary), that will increase economic as well as environmental and climate benefits for all.

•

Mathematical modelling of geothermal systems (energy source – heat distribution – end users), in order to identify optimal solutions for the supply of geothermal heat in the beneficiary countries, considering geothermal conditions and heat prices on domestic markets.

•

The focus will be on individual customers in their homes by providing knowledge, experience, and technical solutions to improve the efficiency of geothermal heating. This will be based on data utilisation and the roles of public and individual sustainable solutions.

The project will also focus on encouraging customers to modify heating installations in their homes in order to increase their heating efficiency.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project objectives

Project target groups

Long-term improvement Our objectives are a long-term improvement in the efficiency of geothermal operations and a decrease in their environmental footprint: direct contributions to a less carbon-intensive and more energy secure economy in Europe.

The target groups of our activities are: • researchers and scientists of the beneficiary partners, • district heating system operators and energy users throughout Europe.

Integrating With EU sources readily available for integrating renewables into DH, our project complements investment measures by reforming the operation of these systems.

Project Partners

Innovative Our goal is to increase the economics of geothermal DH systems and to support their environmental sustainability simultaneously. We wish to achieve this goal by expanding the knowledge of our staff and by providing innovative solutions to operators.

Energy secure economies Moving towards low-carbon and energy secure economies necessitates the use of renewables on the one hand, and, maintaining a good status of the environment on the other. Our intervention logic ensures that these objectives can be pursued simultaneously.

The end-beneficiary of our project is the environment.

Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences (Project Leader) SLOVGEOTERM a.s.

InnoGeo Research and Service Nonprofit Public- benefit Ltd National Energy Authority NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innogeo.kft Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innogeo.ltd/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innogeo-ltd Website: http://user4geoenergy.net/

Aleksandra Kasztelewicz

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0572 Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy

Regional Cooperation Magazine The project titled “Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta”, also known as “SUPMed”, was launched in July 2020. The project runs until June 2023, with a total budget of €1,279,405.00. The project is a transnational cooperation between consultancies in each region and the six partners participating in the project are Aspon Consulting Ltd as the Lead Partner (CY), Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GR), Anelixis Development Consultants S.A. (GR), Cellock Ltd (CY), AIS Environment (MT) and the Cyprus Hotel Association (CY). The project focus on these 3 areas because they are all islands in the Mediterranean Sea with high accumulations of plastic waste, are big producers of waste with low recycling rates and their economies are heavily dependent on tourism.

Through this project, the project consortium aims to implement a common solution to the EU shared and urgent challenge of single-use plastics (SUP), to help the tourism sector in the three regions and in Europe in general, reduce the consumption, disposal and impact of SUP in line with EU Directive 2019/904.

Specifically, the partners will proceed with selecting a sample of at least three tourist establishments per region. Then, the partners will support those samples of coastal tourist establishments in Cyprus, Malta and Greece (Crete) via pilots to move to sustainable resource-efficient business models that will identify and replace commonly used SUP with environmentally friendlier, readily available and affordable alternatives. The pilot samples will be supported in phasing out and replacing SUP via a bespoke free webbased decision-support tool (DST) that will be developed. The DST will present viable and available alternatives to the most commonly used SUP, taking into consideration the cost and environmental impacts of each alternative across its life-cycle.

Following the completion of the pilot in each of the three regions, best practise guides will be developed that will present the findings of the pilots, the impacts of plastic waste on human health and the environment, how to

reduce SUP in the tourism and other sectors and what envirionmentally friendlier and affordable alternatives are available. These guides will be disseminated to SMEs, NGOs, tourist establishments and other relevant stakeholders in the three regions and across Europe, as an additional support tool in replacing SUPs. The DST will continue to be free to use post the project duration to further add transnational value and to scale up the project results, support SMEs and NGOs in all sectors across the EU to replicate the pilots, extending the project sustainability and positive change beyond the end of the funding period.

The pilots focus on samples of tourist establishments on the three islands, which are the direct target group, along with all SMEs and NGOs in the tourism and other sectors in the EU, while the general public and the environment that is negatively affected by SUP are the end beneficiaries.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Six partners in Cyprus, Malta and Greece come together through the project SUPMed aiming to reduce the consumption, disposal and impacts of Single Use Plastics (SUP) in the tourism sector In July 2020, the project titled “Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta”, also known as “SUPMed”, was launched. The project runs until June 2023, with a total budget of €1,279,405.00. The six project partners participating in the project are Aspon Consulting Ltd as the Lead Partner (CY), Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GR), Anelixis Development Consultants S.A. (GR), Cellock Ltd (CY), AIS Environment (MT) and the Cyprus Hotel Association (CY).

The project consortium aims to reduce the consumption, disposal and impacts of SUP in the tourism sector in these three regions, in line with EU Directive 2019/904 on the reduction of the impacts of plastic products.

Through this project, the partners will support samples of coastal tourist establishments in Cyprus, Malta and Greece (Crete) via pilots to move to sustainable resource-efficient business models that will identify and replace commonly used SUP with environmentally friendlier, readily available and affordable alternatives.

The pilot samples will be supported in phasing out and replacing SUP via a bespoke free web-based decision- support tool (DST) that will be developed.

The DST will present viable and available alternatives to the most commonly used SUP, taking into consideration the cost and environmental impacts of each alternative across its life-cycle.

Following the completion of the pilot in each of the three regions, best practise guides will be developed that will present the findings of the pilots, the impacts of plastic waste on human health and the environment, how to reduce SUP in the tourism and other sectors and what envirionmentally friendlier and affordable alternatives are available. These guides will be disseminated to SMEs, NGOs, tourist establishments and other relevant stakeholders in the three regions and across Europe, as an additional support tool in replacing SUPs. Through this project (SUPMed), tourist establishments can effortlessly replace Single-Used Plastics with the usage of a bespoke decision-support tool (DST). The DST will support tourist establishments in switching to environmentally friendlier, cost-effective and readily available market alternatives to commonly used SUPs, enabling them to make the switch with minimum effort. #SUPMedProject

Regional Cooperation Magazine

The Launch Event of the project SUPMed has been successfully implemented On Thursday April 8 July 2021, the launch event of the project titled “Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta”, also known as “SUPMed”, was held. In the event, several stakeholders participated such as general and waste managers of tourist establishments, representatives from local and national public authorities, members of research institutions and universities in the three regions.

During the event, the participants had the chance to hear more about the problems that the tourism industry is facing due to the usage of Single-use Plastics (SUP), the EU’s agenda on the reduction and replacement of SUP, the project’s expected outputs and outcomes and the role of each partner in the project. Also, the participants had the chance to learn more about the EEA and Norway Grants from representatives of the Fund Operator.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Launch Event was held digitally via Zoom.

All the presentations of the Launch Event will be posted to the project website.

The SUPMed project runs until June 2023 with a total budget of €1,279,405.00. The six project partners participating in the project are Aspon Consulting Ltd as the Lead Partner (CY), Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GR), Anelixis Development Consultants S.A. (GR), Cellock Ltd (CY), AIS Environment (MT) and the Cyprus Hotel Association (CY).

The project consortium aims to reduce the consumption, disposal and impacts of SUP in the tourism sector in these three regions, in line with EU Directive 2019/904 on the reduction of the impacts of plastic products.

Through this project, the partners will support samples of coastal tourist establishments in Cyprus, Malta and Greece (Crete) via pilots to move to sustainable resource-efficient business models. The establishments will identify and replace commonly-used SUP with environmentally friendlier, readily available and affordable alternatives. The pilot samples will be supported in phasing out and replacing SUP via a bespoke free web-based decision-support tool (DST) that will be developed. The DST will present viable and available alternatives to the most commonly used SUP, taking into consideration the cost and environmental impacts of each alternative across its life-cycle.

Following the completion of the pilot in each of the three regions, best practise guides will be developed that will present the findings of the pilots, the impacts of plastic waste on human health and the environment, how to reduce SUP in the tourism and other sectors and what envirionmentally friendlier and affordable alternatives are available. These guides will be disseminated to SMEs, NGOs, tourist establishments and other relevant stakeholders in the three regions and across Europe, as an additional support tool in replacing SUPs.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SUPMedProject Twitter: https://twitter.com/SupmedP LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/supmed-project-b47b40203/ Website: https://www.supmed.eu/index.php?lang=en

Diamanto Giannara

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0650 Co-Deciding Europe: Civic Tech for Good Governance and Active Citizenship!

(CODE Europe)

Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms

Regional Cooperation Magazine Co-Deciding Europe: Civic Tech for Good Governance and Active Citizenship! (CODE Europe) is developing and testing in real life an innovative model for citizen engagement in public policy decision-making based on enhanced tools for e-participation and digital democracy.

Partners in seven countries – beneficiaries of the Fund for Regional Cooperation - Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal and Slovenia – are working in cooperation with organizations with leading expertise in participatory and digital democracy – the Citizens Foundation of Iceland and the European Citizen Action Service, on the development of a crowdsourcing model to solicit the ‘wisdom of the crowd’ and feed it into policy decision making on regional, national and EU level. Crowdsourcing of policy decisions will be carried out in five selected locations in the region on the topic of air quality. The expertise on the environmental aspects of the crowdsourcing politos is provided by the European Environmental Bureau.

The consortium is developing a universally applicable E-Participation Assessment Framework to allow objective comparison of the results of the crowdsourcing pilots. Alongside the crowdsourcing pilots the project will test a ’social listening’ method using advanced information technologies to monitor citizens’ opinions on air quality, allowing researchers and policy makers to benefit from an analysis of big data, while protecting individual privacy and safeguarding citizens against inappropriate access and use of personal data.

The project contributes to the development of a new deliberativecollaborative model using the advantages of information technologies emerging worldwide which include crowdsourcing of legislation. This method has the potential to help create a more engaged and active citizenship and improved good governance by enhancing the participation of a large number of digitally-savvy citizens not typically engaged in public policy deliberations. By engaging digital platforms reaching beyond the usual stakeholders, the project encourages innovative ideas and ‘hidden’ expertise

to participate in the public debate; and last but not least, helps bridge the generational and digital divide and increase the legitimacy of policy-making.

The evaluated results of the crowdsourcing pilots will be used to provide policy makers with recommendations on how to improve digital democracy in Europe; and the citizens’ contributions on ‘air quality’ through the crowdsourcing and the ‘social listening’ experiments will feed into and impact policy-making on national and on EU level.

The project’s consortium is led by the Centre for Social Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and includes as beneficiary partners the Foundation of Public Participation, Latvia, the e-Governance Academy Foundation, Estonia, the Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS, Latvia, the Institute for Electronic Participation, Slovenia, "Science for You" NPC – SciFY, Greece, ProInfo Foundation, Bulgaria, the OneSource Consultoria Informática Lda, Portugal and Dimos Athinaion Epicheirisi Michanografisis (DAEM S.A.), Greece. The European Citizen Action Service, the European Environmental Bureau and the Citizens Foundation Iceland are the Consortium’s expertise partners.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Petko Georgiev

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0659 TBFVnet: surveillance and research on tickborne flaviviruses (TBFV)

Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness

Regional Cooperation Magazine The TBFVnet project is a network of laboratories that aim to study and survey tick-borne flaviviruses. TBFVnet stands for Tick-Borne Flavivirus network to express the mission of the project to bring together laboratories across Europe with long-standing expertise in tick-borne flaviviruses.

TBFVs include many human and animal pathogens causing severe diseases.

These viruses find their way to farm animals, pets and humans through ticks.

Even if ticks are widely spread, the viruses they carry have their own geographical distribution. Surveillance data are important to understand the distribution of a pathogen and to establish risk areas and implement countermeasures. Currently, monitoring capacity is unevenly distributed in different countries and TBFVnet aims to fill this gap. The project focuses on specific viruses belonging to the flavivirus family: Tick-Borne encephalitis virus, Powassan virus, Luping-ill virus and Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus.

Besides surveillance, TBFVnet also aims to develop novel diagnostic tools and antivirals against tick-borne flavivirus infections. At present no antivirals or treatments for TBFV infections are available and a prophylactic vaccine is only available for Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus.

In 2019 in Europe there were 3246 confirmed cases of Tick-borne encephalitis alone (with an incidence of seven per million of habitants) marking an increase over the past years. Tick-borne flaviviruses thus represent a common European challenge that can be best addressed through regional cross-border and transnational cooperation. This Project aims to build an international network of laboratories that collect and share expertise, tools and protocols to investigate the biology and the pathogenesis of TBFVs. The lead partner is the Veterinary Research Institute of the Czech Republic, where the Daniel Ruzek lab works on the pathogenesis of Tick-Borne Encephalitis virus and the development and testing of vaccines and antivirals. The partner institutes are located in five European countries. In Russia, G. Karganova of the Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian

Academy of Sciences focuses on the molecular basis of tick-borne flaviviruses. B. Klempa and his team from the Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Science work on the ecology of new viruses. In Norway, at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Å. K. Andreassen and her team work on the neurological aspects of TBFV diseases. The laboratory of A. Överby is the Swedish partner from Umeå University that brings expertise to study the life cycle of TBFVs. A. Marcello and his team at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Italy develop and study new diagnostic tools and antivirals.

Big challenges such tick-borne diseases can be faced through international and cross border collaboration. A crucial effort of the project is increasing its partnership. Sharing expertise and knowledge is of the greatest importance for the partners, and welcoming new partners will enrich the network enabling it to reach its objects.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Ticks

Research

Cooperation

Tick-borne flaviviruses (TBFVs) are viruses that are transmitted by ticks and that cause severe disease in humans and animals. This project focuses on four TBFVs: Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Powassan virus (POWV), Loupingill virus (LIV) and Omsk hemorragic fever virus (OHFV) that are a health problem in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in other countries. There are currently no antivirals for the treatment of TBFV infections. The only vaccine available is for TBEV.

Research within TBFVnet is at the clinical and veterinary level aiming to (i) share expertise, protocols, and tools for the diagnosis and surveillance of TBFVs; (ii) investigate the molecular correlates of pathogenesis of TBFVs, and (iii) develop new antivirals.

Within this network, researchers work together across countries to study the biology and pathogenesis of TBFV disease. This will lead to develop new tools and procedures to increase prevention and treatment capacities. The integration of research and surveillance will create an international alliance to tackle TBFVs.

TBEV is considered the most relevant arbovirus in Central and Eastern Europe and in Russia, with about 13,000 estimated human cases annually causing severe diseases. Over the last decade there has been a 300% increase in the number of TBEV cases in Europe.

Infection of the vector begins when a tick takes a blood meal from an infected host: usually a wild mammal of the forest. TBEV in the blood of the host infects the tick.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Spread of Ticks Tick-borne diseases are widely spread in Europe and include a large number of human and animal pathogens causing severe disease. TBEV, for example, is considered to be the most relevant arbovirus endemic in Central and Eastern Europe spreading from north to west.

Partners Bringing specific and complementary expertise from surveillance to research in flavivirus biology, the partners are located in strategic geographic regions to monitor tickborne diseases across Europe: Czech Republic, Italy, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, and Sweden.

Countries TBFVnet aims to raise awareness of tick-borne diseases.

To this end, it seeks new partners and collaborators in neighbouring countries affected by tick-borne diseases and targeted by the Fund.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Communication Manager: Suzanne Kerbavcic

Communication consultat: Fabio De Pascale

TBFVnet website: https://www.tbfvnet.eu/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ICGEBOfficial/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icgeb_official/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/icgeb/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ICGEB

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0662 “The Portrait of a Judge” – a multidimensional model of competencies to be measured during the procedures of selection, evaluation and promotion of judges

Justice and Home Affairs

Regional Cooperation Magazine Project concept and aim This project addresses the common European challenges in the justice and home affairs area. Discussions about the problems related to the judiciary in Europe often mention citizens’ mistrust in the courts and the general misconception that courts and judges are not accountable to the society. One of the reasons of such negative attitude is the lack of transparency regarding the criteria and procedure of the selection, evaluation and/or promotion of judges.

European and non-European countries, which do not participate in the project as beneficiaries’. The creation of the universal system of competencies and methodology will enable the comparability between the countries and give a boost to the possible standardisation and portability of project results.

The aim of this project is to create an innovative, scientifically based, transparent, unbiased and flexible multi-dimensional model of competencies required of a judge and innovative measurement methodology as established by the independent researchers in collaboration with the judiciary and civil society. This would contribute in improving citizens’ perception of the courts’ system and increasing their trust in the judiciary.

About project partners The consortium is formed from partners from Lithuania, Czech Republic, Albania and Norway and is based on close cooperation between the academia and judiciary (3 universities and 2 Highest courts).

The Lead partner: Mykolas Romeris university, Lithuania.

The Expertise partner: The Oslo university, Norway.

Beneficiary partners: The Supreme Court of Lithuania, The Supreme Court of Albania and the Metropolitan University Prague.

Main expected results Creation of the multi-dimensional model of the competencies required of a judge and the corresponding innovative methodology and measurement tools for the procedures of judges’ selection, evaluation and promotion. The developed materials and scientific guidelines how to use the new methodology will be translated to the languages of the beneficiary countries and published in English at the project website for the free use for any other

Vaidotas Norkus

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness

Project 0682

Uncorking rural heritage: indigenous production of fermented beverages for local cultural and environmental sustainability Credit: MIha Godec

Regional Cooperation Magazine The project addresses the problems of rural depopulation, brain drain and underdeveloped local economies faced by rural regions in Central and Eastern Europe. Norway is one of the most developed countries in Europe; however, its rural areas face a similar out-migration problem as the districts of the partners countries Slovenia, Croatia and North Macedonia. On the other hand, in Western Europe high quality agricultural products (such as wine) with a strong regional identity have contributed to sustainable rural development, preserving traditions and preventing out-migration or company relocations. This regionality was based on the concept of typicality and terroir.

Therefore, the project aims to address these issues by building a new cluster of human capital through transnational cooperation and capacity building with a network of research institutions, universities, enterprises and local authorities operating in selected rural areas for the valorisation of local wines and ciders based on typicality and terroircharacterisation. Transnational cooperation will enable unique and essential multidisciplinary exchange of experience, conjunction of existing infrastructure, transfer of promising practices and common activities for this multilevel challenge.

Target groups Researchers, experts, students • Wine and cider producers, farmers, start-ups • General public, policy makers •

Project partners: University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia Municipality of AjdovÅ¡Äina, Slovenia Polytechnic in Požega, Croatia Public Institution Local Development Agency Požega, Croatia TikveÅ¡ Winery, North Macedonia NIBIO Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Reseach, Norway Nofima AS, Norway Hardanger Council, Norway Hardanger Cider Association, Norway

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Uncorking wine & cider typicality A new project entitled "Uncorking rural heritage: indigenous production of fermented beverages for local and environmental sustainability" is a 3-year project with a total cost of about 1.5 million euros (1,500,998.00 EUR), and the EEA and Norway Grants Fund have supported us with 1,359,656.00 EUR. In the project we are nine partners from four different countries, and the University Nova Gorica is leading this consortium. The consortium consists of four research and higher education institutions, the University Nova Gorica with the Wine Research Center and the Faculty for Viticulture and Enology (Slovenia), Nofima As (Norway), NIBIO (Norway) and the Polytechnic in Požega (Croatia). The two partners Tikveš Winery (North Macedonia) and Hardanger Cider Association (Norway) represent the producers, while the Municipality of Ajdovščina (Slovenia), Hardanger Council (Norway) and Local Development Agency Požega (Croatia) represent the local authorities.

The project addresses the problems of rural depopulation, brain drain and underdeveloped local economies faced by rural regions in Central and Eastern Europe. Norway is one of the most developed countries in Europe; however, its rural areas face a similar out-migration problem as the districts of the partners. On the other hand, in Western Europe high quality agricultural products (such as wine) with a strong regional identity have contributed to sustainable rural development, preserving traditions and preventing out-migration or company relocations. This regionality was based on the concept of typicality and terroir. Therefore, the project aims to address these issues by building a new cluster of human capital through transnational cooperation and capacity building with a network of research institutions, universities, enterprises and local authorities operating in selected rural areas for the valorisation of local wines and ciders based on typicality and terroir characterisation.

The concept of typicality has been used for decades around the world to valorise agricultural products and enhance the international reputation and tourism appeal of many rural areas. It is closely related to the French concept of "terroir", which is now widely used in the wine and gastronomy sector.

The terroir concept can be described as an interaction of environmental factors (climate, soil) and human factors (practices) that influence the typicality and quality of a wine from a particular geographical area. Wine professionals and consumers generally unconsciously try to categorize the wine and determine its similarity to the reference for its category. In other words, typicality estimates the degree to which a wine reflects geographic origin or varietal purity from a sensory perspective. The link between a geographical origin and some distinctive sensory characteristics is an essential part of the terroir concept. Indeed, sensory typicality associated with a place brings added value to the wine or other agricultural product due to its unique character that cannot be reproduced anywhere else. According to Willi Klinger1, terroir promotes social, economic and environmental sustainability more than just marketing brands and production recipes. It also creates a regional identity that offers a long list of benefits, from a fair income for farmers to the promotion of local tourism and cultural identity.

Regional identities are not only a heritage but a cultural achievement and become a collective good.

Terroir as a promotional tool, especially in international markets, can enhance the image of a place and the overall perception consumers have of the wines produced in that place. Several consumer studies have shown that a place's reputation is closely linked to presumed wine quality. However, storytelling about terroir should be based on coherent, solid and unbiased scientific facts. Therefore, our project will combine science, knowledge transfer and adoption to develop the concepts of typicality, regionality and terroir for wine and cider production in selected rural areas of Vipava Valley in Slovenia, Slavonia in Croatia, Tikveš in North Macedonia and Hardanger in Norway.

1 Guillaume Antalick, 1 Branka Mozetič Vodopivec, 1 Melita Sternad Lemut, 2 Erika Zuodar and 1Lorena Butinar 1 Wine Research Centre, University of Nova Gorica, Glavni trg 8, SI-5271 Vipava, Slovenia 2 Municipality of Ajdovščina, Cesta 5. maja 6a, SI-5270 Ajdovščina, Slovenia

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Uncorking rural heritage: indigenous production of fermented beverages for local cultural and environmental sustainability is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway Typicality of agricultural products, particularly fermented beverages, is used around the world to bring value to local products, develop the local economy and preserve local demography. This project aims to foster the development of rural areas by improving common research capacity and knowledge dissemination applied to the “terroir” approach for wine and cider production in selected areas of Slovenia, Croatia, North Macedonia and Norway.

Valorisation based on typicality determination of wines and cider produced in rural areas in Balkan and Norway will be achieved through transnational cooperation and knowledge exchange. A common e-training platform and 2 research and development centres, in Balkan and Hardanger, will be set up to concentrate professional knowledge and ensure transfer of knowledge to local producers and communities.

The Cider support centre located at NIBIO Ullensvang will be the first technical platform in the Hardanger region offering the possibility to cider producers to assess the quality of their products according to international standards. The centre will offer sensory assessment and basic chemical analysis of cider.

Eivind Vangdal. Photo: Jorunn Børve

Erika Zuodar

Lorena Butinar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-wine-cider-typicality/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winecider.typicality/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Uncorking-WINE-CIDER-Typicality-109899397848648

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0697 New solutions to old problems – exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration

Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Povery Reduction

Regional Cooperation Magazine The project “New solutions to old problems – exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration” is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation.

With 12 Million members, the Roma are Europe’s largest minority, and its most discriminated one. Antigypsyism is the last ‘accepted form of racism’ and contributes to huge social and economic disparities.

There has been progress in identifying the causes of social exclusion of Roma, but when it comes to designing solutions, we face a general paralysis on how to tackle the multi-layered challenges. Top down approaches – developed far from the communities – leave little room for innovation.

Practitioners agree that grassroots approaches work and bring good results for social inclusion and human rights, but most donors are still reluctant to support such small-scale initiatives.

Our project brings together organizations who are rooted in local communities and work successfully on a small scale in local contexts. Our consortium spans from Lithuania to Turkey, including Roma CSOs from inside and outside the EU. Our project aims at supporting Roma communities in adapting and implementing inclusion and empowerment projects that have already been tried and tested successfully by other partners. At the same time we want to create a more favorable environment for bottom-up approaches to Roma integration, breaking the vicious circle of cynicism that ‘nothing can be changed’.

The project's activities target the following aspects: Community-led project planning inspired by good practices and supported through coaches from other Roma CSO's: • 11 Projects based on community needs that have been identified as good practices in other organizations are adapted and implemented in local Roma communities.

• 20-30 Good practice examples of local Roma inclusion and empowerment projects are identified and disseminated with ideas for adaptation and upscaling.

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Roma community organizing and Roma civil society promoted through film and story-telling.

A tailored capacity-building programme, including peer learning and creative tools: • Staff of Roma CSOs trained in project and organizational management.

• Toolkit on project and organizational management for CSOs published.

• Transparency and accountability criteria implemented by CSOs. Evidence-based advocacy towards national governments international institutions and private donors for a favorable funding environment: • Study on importance of bottom-up approaches to Roma inclusion produced and disseminated.

• Analysis of funding programmes on Roma inclusion conducted and disseminated.

• Donors more aware of the importance of bottom-up approaches to Roma inclusion.

The lead partner is: Nevo Parudimos Association, Romania The expertise partner is: European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network, Belgium BENEFICIARY PARTNERS: • Roma Community Centre, Lithuania • Zero Discrimination, Turkey • Slovo 21, Czech Republic • Autonomia Foundation, Hungary • Roma Advocacy and Research Centre, Slovakia • Integro Association, Bulgaria • Roma Active Albania, Albania • Regional Roma Educational Youth Centre (RROMA), North Macedonia • Women’s Association ‘Romkinja’ Bijelijna, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Regional Cooperation Magazine

The negotiations of our Project Market are finalised, and first deals have been made! For example, Roma Community Centre in Lithuania was successful with their bid for Асоциация Интегро Integro Association's Toy Library and Reading Club!

During the next 1,5 years all our project partners will implement new local projects with the support of coaches from those organisations who have already successfully implemented the good practices and now "sold" their ideas to friends and colleagues from other countries - empowering Roma communities across Europe through bottom-up approaches that really have an impact!

Thank you to all the partners for their great involvement!

New solutions to old problems – exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration” is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project Market – 21 and 22 April In recent months, Roma and pro-Roma organizations in 10 countries have recommended good practices to each other. On 21 and 22 April, we will present 23 of these at an online project exchange. After this “project market”, every organisation will select and adapt at least one idea during the next year and a half, supporting each other on the way.

“New solutions to old problems – exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration” is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway GrantsFund for Regional Cooperation.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Website: https://ergonetwork.org/new-solutions/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewSolutionsToOldProblems/

Alexandra Jurca

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 0824 Wingate

Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness

Regional Cooperation Magazine The overall objective of the WINGATE project is to increase the number of successful women enterprises, especially on the innovation fields, contributing to competitiveness and equal opportunities. With the ongoing changes taking place in the world economy because of the revolutionary digital transformation, the Central-Eastern European region should close the gap by a new approach to the development of a fresh inflow of innovative female enterprise funders together with a female and male angel investors.

For this reason, we would like to establish a cross-country collaboration among partners coming from Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Moldova and Norway as different partners bring in different competencies and best practices into the cooperation. Together we can develop a new methodology, train, and motivate a new generation of women entrepreneurs and smart angel investors.

In order to achieve all the above targets on-line and off-line training, community building, go-to-market digital solutions will be provided for the beneficiaries. Extensive communication will be an enhanced part of the program.

Another focus point of the program will address the needs of companies with the capability of scaling up across and beyond the participating countries thus increasing their global competitiveness by the following: • The promotion of female entrepreneurship and trade; • The promotion of financial inclusion • Women empowerment • Increase female participation in the field of innovation

Expected changes

• improvement of engagement and participation of women in the innovative sectors and in Industry 4.0 on the international level • raising the competitiveness of women-owned MSME-s • ease the access to finance of women enterprises • increase the sensibility of relevant decision-makers towards the female-owned enterprises,

• • • • •

active involvement of stakeholders in women enterprise development network the awareness international visibility growth of the number of angel investors

Transnational added value

• improve international awareness • network building • increase the number of innovative women enterprises • inclusion of women-led businesses, in particular MSMEs, in value chains; The new digital platform as a regional knowledge HUB (marketplace) provides a suitable, up-to-date appearance for the otherwise local and isolated companies and gives impetus to their internationalization, as an operating model to the future consumption Reaching the critical mass and visibility by the new network in the project will attract new participants and visitors of the platform which will ensure sustainability in the long run.

Additionally, the growing visibility will attract new angel investors to the projects with high growth potential. The key to the sustainability to outline the WINGATE projects ars poetical which is “cooperation instead of competition”.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Social Skills a Key to Business Success Whether you run a small, medium company or you want to open a business in order to be successful, you must consider on the one hand the social skills, the so-called soft skills and, obviously, the skills that require work experience – the hard skills.

Soft skills are social skills based on emotional and social intelligence, while hard skills are those that can be quantified with the educational level of each and the work experience.

Following a WINGATE analysis based on the responses received from 1400 women in Romania, Serbia, Hungary, the Republic of Moldova and Norway, it emerged the importance of soft skills that women must have to open a business: public speaking, negotiation technique, conflict management and last but not least increased emotional intelligence. These features have been found to allow women to adapt more easily in the business environment, to have a positive attitude and to perform. Social skills are skills that have a great involvement in running a business on their own, they are combined with hard skills so as to achieve success in business.

Most of the interviewed ladies say that they value emotional intelligence more than a structured management plan, because soft skills mean integrating in the market and in the segment where you work, motivating and “selling” your business so as to create value. The ability to communicate effectively in business is an essential element to manage a successful business. Managerial communication is a function of management that makes known the result of managerial decisions and establishes a climate of understanding between those who transmit information and those who receive it.

The ability to resolve dysfunctions, the responsibility to allocate resources and the ability to negotiate are key competencies of a successful entrepreneur.

All these skills and abilities can be acquired through education or experience.

Project management skills will help you lead your own team effectively to achieve your goals.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Yes, You can start a business in difficult times!

Article by Lotte Frost, Norway The Covid-19 pandemic has affected us all in many different ways, both regarding our work life and our personal life. We have shared learnings, we have been digitalized, we spend more time together with our families, we miss interaction with other people, we have started a sustainability journey etc. The list of what is transformed the last year is long and we are affected in different ways. Regarding business we see that green businesses is evolving and growing, new ideas are evoked while traditional companies that can´t cope with the system change are finding it hard to adjust and change.

How does the crises affect female entrepreneurs?

Is this a time for establishing a new business?

According to a newly published study from Kilden Kjønnsforskning [1] (gender research) in Norway, female entrepreneurs are struggling more during the crises than men, especially in three areas: • • •

Female entrepreneurs dominate the businesses regarding closeness to clients; health, social work, travelling etc.

Uneven share of care responsibility regarding home-school and home-kindergarten Women do not take enough advantage of the different schemes and tools offered by the government

The ability to readjust and claim your rights will vary between women, this is general learning of the pandemic crisis so far. The findings are supported in the Nordic innovation study [2], where the impact of the crises is highest in the businesses where there’s a higher share of female entrepreneurs:

Yes it is! If You have a good idea, if You have the guts, if the market wants it; it’s always time for establishing Your own business. And sometimes a crisis is a redemptive success factor. Cecilie Hoxmark, a member of the Women In business network in Norway, is one of the women who made a giant decision in the middle of the pandemic. She chose to leave a well-paid, secure job in order to give fully attention to an issue of great importance for her; involuntarily childless. By putting a very vulnerable and taboo topic on the agenda, she’s expiring huge attention and success. She has within a few months published a book, she has a podcast interviewing well known people and these days she’s launching her own YouTube channel.

So all you female entrepreneurs; follow your heart and launch your idea.

And If You need help, talk to us in the Wingate project, we’re here to help.

Good luck!

(1) https://kjonnsforskning.no/sites/default/files/ notat_bufdir_likestillingskonsekvenser_av_koronapandemien_arbeidsliv_og_okonomi.pdf (2) http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1438362/FULLTEXT02.pdf

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wingateproject/ Wingate: https://twitter.com/ProjectWingate LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wingate-project-135783201/ Website: http://wingateproject.com/

Alexandra Jurca

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 1037 HOPE – HOlistic radicalisation Prevention initiativE

Justice and Home Affairs

Regional Cooperation Magazine HOPE – Holistic Radicalisation Prevention Initiative – is a project that strives to create a network that supports continuous training and knowledge sharing in the Balkan, Southern and Eastern European countries, that is, a European learning hub on Radicalisation. Such a network will be composed of training providers (incl. national sectoral training academies), research centres (from the public and private sector), as well as prison and probation services, hence organisations that play an active role in preventing and countering radicalisation and violent extremism.

This network should also be invested in improving the transition process from prison and/or probation to the community for those at risk of radicalisation or who have already been radicalised.

Hence, the project comes to add value to the European discussion on radicalisation, violent extremism, and deradicalisation/disengagement strategies, with a focus on the vulnerabilities of the Balkan, Southern and Eastern European states. Despite its regional focus, the project should be able to contrast different regional approaches and ensure the transferability of the project results to the wider European context.

The project will achieve the results by promoting a holistic prevention approach focusing on offenders, criminal justice staff, and community organisations.

Main specific goals •

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Develop newly designed, innovative, and multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning, in order to raise awareness, foster overall knowledge, and improve radicalisation prevention skills within a network of stakeholders; Create a network of training institutions, introducing new content and teaching/learning innovations that aim to increase the efficiency and the results of training interventions; Improve the skillset of judicial, prison and probation professionals on how to identify and prevent radicalisation in correctional settings and improve the skills of staff in community organisations (including religious ones) on how to deal with offenders at the prevention, management, and intervention stages;

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Implement a regional-specific approach, supported by active and collaborative methods (with expert partners), that will be not only for collecting and discussing needs, learnings and best practices – training sessions, workshops, high-level seminars and policy forums – but also for the development and implementation of effective training programmes.

Main expected outcomes • Creation of a network for training and knowledge sharing (Balkan, Southern and Eastern European learning hub); • Increased awareness, in detention environments, about the phenomenon of radicalisation and extremism that can lead to terrorism; • Improved understanding about detecting “red flags” of radicalisation and violent extremist viewpoints, as well as in regard to the prevention and detection mechanisms, currently in place in some European countries; • Enhanced capacity to deal with inmates at risk of radicalisation (or with those who are already radicalised) by receiving training and gaining new knowledge (incl. about screening and assessment tools) that is useful for everyday challenges; • Common understanding, by practitioners and decision-makers, of the necessary strategies to be implemented when dealing with the transfer of radicalised individuals in detention or under community supervision (therefore contributing to the application of various European Council Framework Decisions).

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Promoter IPS Innovative Prison Systems (Qualify Just – IT Solutions and Consulting), Portugal Partners University College of the Norwegian Correctional Service, Norway Agenfor International, Italy Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, Spain Bulgarian Association for Policy Evaluation, Bulgaria Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Serbia Slovenian Probation Administration (Ministry of Justice), Slovenia General Directorate “Execution of Sentences”, Bulgaria Bucharest Jilava Penitentiary, Romania Website: http://hope-radproject.org

Silvia Bernardo

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 1185 Strengthening Transnational Co-operation, Knowledge and Technology Transfer in Development of Electric Vessels and Fostering Innovations in SME's (ZEVinnovation)

Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness

Regional Cooperation Magazine ZEVinnovation is a transnational partnership project funded by the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation. The project is supported by multi-disciplinary partners from across the EEA, committed to bringing together enterprises with a significant potential and relatively large interest for innovation and development.

Project partners are devoted to supporting enterprises across the EEA to help them achieve their ambitions for growth through range of activities. The ZEVinnovation project is implemented by multi-sectoral partners from Croatia, Norway and Poland: • Center of Technology Transfer LLC, Croatia; • Baltic Sea & Space Cluster, Poland; • Inovacije I Razvoj LLC, Croatia; • ÅKP AS, Norway; • Vinco Innovation AS, Norway.

Regardless off differences in size and population, partner’s countries face common environmental challenges concerning resource limitations and vulnerability to climate change. The transnational partnership will open up a wider market and help members of the ZEVinnovation HUB to enter the international supply chain.

Our Mission The global maritime industry’s market has undergone disruptive changes over the past ten years which especially impacted European shipbuilding industry. The shipbuilding crisis requires the design of innovative solutions and development of new technologies. Furthermore, in recognition of the need to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants, there is an urgent need to accelerate the development and implementation of innovative zero-emission technologies in maritime. Environmental protection standards, regulations and strategies are one of the main factors that direct development of this traditionally important industry for the European economy.

Our mission is to bring together members, interested in zero-emission vessels, and provide lasting and tailor-made solutions that should increase innovation ability across the EEA. ZEVinnovation facilitates supporting

innovators, SMEs, ROs, clusters and other organisations and help them with taking successful and efficient steps into managing innovation processes.

Our Objectives The aim of the ZEVinnovation project is to establish a sustainable and efficient network for the development of innovative zero-emission vessels and bring together relevant and active stakeholders. The ambition of the ZEVinnovation is to contribute to the strengthening of the transnational ecosystem through the implementation of pilot programs focusing on the collaborative development and market uptake of zero-emission vessels, while connecting the capacities of the EEA countries that have a strong maritime tradition and current pioneering initiatives.

ZEVinnovation address the following European challenges: • Unfulfilled potential of existing environmental policies; • Transnational action towards maritime sustainability; • Integration of innovative zero-emission technologies; • Scaling up investments and supporting sustainable projects and businesses; • Build more knowledge and dominate on the global ZEV market.

Key outcome indicators of the project: • Enhanced cooperation and improved mutual knowledge and understanding between the donor and beneficiary states; • Increased innovation, competitiveness and business development for enterprises.

The Project Timeline Project No. 2018-1-1185 will run between July 2020 and January 2024.

Extensive dissemination through a series of transnational events are planned.

ZEVinnovation will associate professional stakeholders and provide them with networking opportunities, professional development and range of resources related to the zero-emission vessels and related technologies.

Furthermore, ZEVinnovation will focus over the next four years on broader community awareness of the importance of environmental protection standards, regulations and strategies, while supporting innovation and development of sustainable zero-emission technologies.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Website: https://zevinnovation.eu (alias: https://zevinnovation.com/) Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zevinnovation/ Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/ZEVinnovation/ Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCmG1bHN8IBOBB8KR2J-_Bvw/featured

Lovro Frković

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness

Project 1309 Circular Based Waste Management

Regional Cooperation Magazine In line with the EU’s plans and targets to transition to a circular economy by reducing pressure on natural resources, the Circular Based Waste Management project works towards implementing circular based waste management practices.

Within a circular economy, waste is considered a valuable resource. It is based on expanding the life cycle of products through reuse, recycling, repair and renovation so that the materials products are made of play a part in the economy for as long as possible.

During the Circular Based Waste Management project, innovations in waste collection, sorting and recycling are to be reviewed, studied and assessed.

The ultimate goal is to address infrastructure, technologies and legal issues to improve environmental performance in three municipalities located in three different countries. The outcome of the project will be the establishment of a long-term path towards the circular economy of the future in a sustainable manner.

To do so, feasibility/concept studies, capacity building through training, education and technique piloting, and practice exchange in the areas of environmental innovations are being employed.

The municipal administrations, local population and regional waste management centres are engaged in activities. Since the project aims to create a long-lasting effect, the national environmental policy makers, other municipal governments and national population also form indirect target groups for the project.

Each of the five project partners have different challenges to solve and achievements to accomplish in reaching EU targets: • The lead partner of the project, Mažeikiai municipality in Lithuania, aims to improve on household waste collection, sorting and recycling and wishes to explore the feasibility of installing a modern waste sorting station.

• JSC Telšiai regional waste management centre, is targeting the improvement on household waste collection, sorting and recycling in the Telšiai region in Lithuania as well as sorting and recycling of

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digestate and exploring possibilities for the regional recycling of plastics.

Paide town government in Estonia, aims to encourage its citizens to sort waste and recycle and maintain the sorting infrastructure through implementation of a pilot educational project.

Sumy city council in Ukraine, aims to establish a background for waste management, to build capacity and gain knowledge as it faces multiple waste collection challenges. The goal of the project for Sumy, is the formation of a concept for an integrated waste management system.

Green Business Norway as the expert partner, with years of experience working with the public and private sectors on waste management topics, has a unique insight in offering expertise and guidance to meet the scope and ambitions of the project.

The transnational nature of the project is thus a valuable element, as it provides a platform for knowledge transfer among partners of different traditions seeking the common EU waste management targets.

The project further aims at strengthening cooperation among municipalities, waste management organisations, companies, and educational institutions from different countries through experience exchange and capacity building on environmental and circular economy development pathways.

Finally, the project will develop concepts and solutions for sustainable environmental management and will contribute to environmental awareness building and changing perceptions and attitudes towards waste among youth and the broader population.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Webinar: Source separation practices and collection systems for MSW In this week’s webinar we were offered a glimpse of the source separation system used in the municipalities of the Grenland region in Norway as well as source separation and waste minimization initiatives on a national level.

Mr. Erik Høines, Head of development at Renovasjon i Grenland IKS (RIG), highlighted achievements, planned advancements and future targets in MSW recycling. He gave an overview of the history of waste management and how deeply it is interconnected with economic and technological developments along with rising ecological awareness and laws.

RIG is the intermunicipal company responsible for waste collection covering 4 municipalities in the Grenland region. RIG develops and executes the source separation system, administrates waste collection tenders for households and operates waste collection and recycling stations in the region.

RIG has currently extended the source separation system to collect glass and metal packaging, with ID marking and household waste bins having recently been launched as a new initiative.

Mrs. Hildegunn Iversen, CEO of LOOP in Norway shared insights on source separation and waste minimization practices. LOOP is an NGO supported by private and public entities in the waste management industry. They have coordinated a national initiative on a new colour coded labelling system for source separation that aims to make it easier for disposers to separate correctly.

LOOP also operates a national communication platform www.sortere.no, for waste management, source separation and recycling, covering both MSW and commercial waste. The platform provides a national overview on waste management and relevant regulations, source separation practices, waste

categorisation and marking, and guidelines on collection and recycling of packaging materials, EE waste and other fractions.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Website: http://circular-waste.eu Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CircularBasedWasteManagement/ about/?ref=page_internal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/circularwaste/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CircularWaste Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBM20VIDxI_dywQvBTndwA

Maritsa Kissamitaki

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 1361 Inclusion through sports for children with developmental disabilities

Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Povery Reduction

Regional Cooperation Magazine The context for the project "Inclusion through sports for children with developmental disabilities" is demonstrated by World Health Organization’s numbers: 200 million people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in the world face stigma and isolation. According to WHO people with ID have poorer health status, lower educational access, experience barriers in daily life, mainly in accessing health care and education. Meanwhile, research shows a strong correlation between participation in organized sports and a range of positive outcomes: individuals with ID experience improved social skills, self-confidence, self-determination, and independence (Weiss, J., Diamond, T., Demark, J., & Lovald, B. (2003).

The outcomes cannot be achieved without the participation of organizations from the target countries. Each organization brings a specific set of expertise, local outreach and project delivery capabilities. The findings of the project will be shared across the SO network in 52 countries in Europe/Eurasia.

Through our project, we want to give a new opportunity to children with intellectual disabilities to overcome isolation. Over 5,200 children and youth with and without intellectual disabilities from 55 cities located in Central Europe, Southern Europe and the Balkans will participate in sports competitions that will encourage social inclusion and will help improve the cognitive, social and motor abilities in children with intellectual disabilities (ID), aged 6-12.

The project aims to encourage children with and without intellectual disabilities to learn and play together, in this way helping those with ID in developing essential skills through activities and team games, to promote inclusion in the community and among youth without intellectual disabilities and to help family members of those with ID in regaining trust in their children’s abilities.

Over the course of three years, from January 2021 to December 2023, the European project "Inclusion through sports for children with developmental disabilities", coordinated and managed by Motivation Romania Foundation in partnership with Special Olympics (SO) Romania, SO Iceland, SO Slovakia, SO Bosnia and Herzegovina, SO Montenegro, SO Europe Eurasia Foundation and Poznan University of Physical Education, will facilitate the organization of competitions for team sports, such as football and basketball games.

Monica Tautul

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Project 1141 Building momentum for the long-term CCS deployment in the CEE region

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy

Regional Cooperation Magazine Building momentum for the long-term CCS deployment in the CEE region is a project which focuses on the renewal of the discussion on the long-term deployment of CCS in the CEE region, leading to new policies and joint projects. Project will examine the socio-economic and socio-political aspects of CCS deployment in several European countries: Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Baltic states and Ukraine.

Project is divided into three steps. First of all, we will assess the current state of affairs: technological options, the European policy landscape and national contexts. In the next step we will develope national roadmaps and regional cooperation roadmap for CCS deployment in the CEE region. We will suport implementation of the roadmaps through networking and capacity building events.

The project aims to renew the discussion on the long-term deployment of CCS in the CEE region, leading to the new policies and joint projects. It is expected that building evidence-based consensus among key stakeholders will pave the way to implement concrete policies and ventures. This will be achieved through combining analytical work with outreach, communication and capacity-building activities, in the form of series of national and regional publications and events focused on the importance of the timely CCS deployment and associated international cooperation.

Project will examine the socio-economic and socio-political aspects of CCS deployment in several European countries: Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Baltic states and Ukraine.

Project is lead by WiseEuropa with partners Civitta, EPG and Europeum.

Bellona Foundation is the expertise partner.

Project is divided into three parts: • Determination of the starting point: assessment of current state and potential of technological options, as well as European policy landscape and national contexts, • Development of national roadmaps as well as regional cooperation roadmap for CCS deployment in the CEE region, • Supporting implementation of the roadmaps through networking and capacity building events.

The project addresses the “Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation” programme area by focusing on the challenge of achieving the deep reduction of GHG emissions across all sectors of the European economy by 2050 through deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.

Recent advances in several key areas (RES, energy storage, electric vehicles) allow significant GHG cuts but are not sufficient to reach deep decarbonisation consistent with Paris Agreement, as recognised by IEA in its technology assessments and various modelling studies by both EU institutions and independent researchers.

CCS deployment may reduce industrial emissions, provide low-carbon industrial heat and improve the security of electricity supply by complementing short-term energy storage. However, its large-scale implementation requires a long-term policy framework. At the moment, the topic is not present in the mainstream debate on climate policy in the CEE countries. This may lead to uneven progress in CCS deployment across Europe, resulting in increased catching-up costs as well as missed opportunities for national development and regional cooperation. The project is designed to counteract this scenario.

The project will target national and local policymakers, business sector, research institutions and civil society. This will support the emergence of a socially accepted mix of appropriate policies, R&D and deployment activities. The project will ultimately benefit the CEE societies by supporting the timely implementation of CCS technologies which will ensure smooth low- carbon transition.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Website: https://ccs4cee.eu/ LikedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ccs4cee/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccs4cee

Aleksandra Ziębka

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Contributors & Credits From the Fund Operators Grethe Haugoy (with the greetings of the FMO) Mateusz Wiśniewski Francesca Bombarda Sara Barbi External Contributors Tom Mc Grath

Claudio Cimino From the Projects Marieta Ivanova Inga Retike Ierotheos Zacharias Bálint Farkas Spela Kodre Aleksandra Kasztelewicz Diamanto Giannara Petko Georgiev Suzanne Kerbavcic Fabio De Pascale Vaidotas Norkus Erika Zuodar Lorena Butinar Alexandra Jurca Katalin Szitter-Patka Silvia Bernardo Lovro Frković Maritsa Kissamitaki Monica Tautul Aleksandra Ziębka Director Gian Luca Bombarda The contents of the Magazine are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Donors.

Regional Cooperation Magazine

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ISSN 2784-9465