CROATIAN LABORATORY CROLAB HRVATSKI LABORATORIJI CROLAB __________________________________________ 9th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 9. MEĐUNARODNA KONFERENCIJA
LABORATORY COMPETENCE 2013 KOMPETENTNOST LABORATORIJA 2013 &
Regional Conformity Assessment Workshop Regionalna radionica o ocjeni sukladnosti
PROCEEDINGS KNJIGA RADOVA OPATIJA, CROATIA 6th – 9th November 2013 6.- 9. studeni 2013.
DRUGO DESETLJEĆE CROLABA Misija , djelatnost i vizija CROLAB-a Udruga Hrvatski laboratoriji CROLAB je osnovana 16.06.2003. u cilju razvoja hrvatskih laboratorija kao infrastrukture razvoja proizvodnje i gospodarstva u okviru zahtjevnog otvorenog tržišta, korištenjem zajedničkih potencijala i sinergijskih učinaka udruživanja. Tijekom deset godina CROLAB je dao značajan doprinos na promicanju kvalitete kao značajnog faktora razvoja gospodarstva i poboljšavanju usluga u svakodnevnom životu Misija CROLABa je trajno unapređenje kvalitete i kompetentnosti laboratorija, povezivanjem u radu temeljem zajedničkih interesa, a koji vode razvoju, podizanju standarda i kvalitete življenja u cjelini. Djelatnost definirana Statutom je povezivanje u radu temeljem zajedničkog interesa sa znanstveno-nastavnim institucijama, tijelima uprave, trgovačkim društvima, te osobama koje obavljaju privatnu laboratorijsku praksu Aktivnosti se provode: Organiziranjem stručnih konferencija, seminara, predavanja i okruglih stolova sa svrhom međusobnog obavješćivanja, sticanja novih znanja i razmjene iskustava. Izdavanjem publikacija kojima se daje doprinos istraživačkoj struci i znanosti iz područja djelatnosti udruge te razmjena obavijesti i iskustva među članovima. Upravni Odbor CROLABa smatra da ovako sumirane i navedene 10 godišnje aktivnosti CROLAB-a na edukaciji, širenju i promicanju kvalitete, međunarodne reputacije zaslužuju pozornost javnosti. To je potvrdila zahvala HZN za dobru suradnju, Povelje za edukaciju HDK i Povelja HGK. CROLAB je član HDK, Eurechema i EUROLABA.
Predsjednica CROLAB-a Prof. dr. sc. Štefica Cerjan Stefanović
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LABORATORY COMPETENCE 9th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Opatija, Croatia 2013 Pregledni čanak
UNDERSTANDING THE APPLICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EU FUNDED PROJECT Vjekoslav Živković, Hrvoje Turkulin Faculty of Forestry at University of Zagreb Svetošimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mail: zivkovic@sumfak.hr
Abstract: EU funded projects present a significant contribution to the development of science and economy of the Republic of Croatia. Advantage of these projects when compared to most of the national funds is that the amount requested, with proper justification, is received entirely for the purpose of project implementation. Default rules greatly facilitate and simplify the application process and project implementation. However, neither the application nor the implementations of the project are easy. Proposed ideas must exactly match the requirements of the call for proposals and be well presented, documentation must be duly completed within proposed deadlines. Changes in activities during the project implementation are permitted only if they contribute to the quality of the results and at the same time require no additional funding, i.e. an increase of the total value of the project. The aim of this paper is to present experiences during the application and implementation of an EU-funded project in order to encourage greater and better use of EU funds.
1. APPLICATION The project entitled Enhancing EU competitiveness of Croatian wood flooring industry has been submitted to call for proposals published by the CFCA (Central Finance and Contracting Agency) with the help of Science and Innovation Investment Fund – SIIF. Through SIIF, The ministry of Science, Education and Sports is implementing the Grant and Technical Assistance contracts within the frames of Operational programme for regional competitiveness 2007. – 2011. Instruments of Pre Accesion Assistance (IPA). The purpose of the call is raising the capacity of higher education institutions and public research institutes in order to co-operate efficiently with the industry in Croatia.
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LABORATORY COMPETENCE 9th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Opatija, Croatia 2013
Laboratory for wood in construction of the Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb (LDG) fits in both global and specific objectives of the IPA programme for regional development since it enables the direct knowledge and technology transfer from Faculty of Forestry to the woodworking industry, thus developing both commercialization capacities of the faculty and enhancement of the science-industry collaboration to serve the direct needs of the industry. Development of laboratory essential infrastructure shall enhance the commercial activities of the Faculty of Forestry after the project is finished and expand widely in the real sector of the wood flooring industry. Industrially applied R&D in cooperation with business stakeholders will result with development of novel testing methods in cooperation with project partner and associates and their implementation into the factory production control (FPC) system of wood flooring producers. Consequently, the scope of LDGs accredited activities will become broader and much more effective in creating a productive environment for wood flooring industry. Undertaking trials and testing with commercializing partners (both project partner and industrial associates) will result in defining and implementation of alternative testing methods essential for the quality of wood flooring products which are mandatory elements of FPC system. Newly created knowledge will be implemented into associates’ plants via exercising workshops in LDG and individual trainings at production site. Afterwards, new knowledge will be shared to all interested parties (associates, wood flooring manufacturers, wood scientists, students of wood technology, end users of wood flooring products) through technical publications (brochures, production instructions, and journal articles), project leaflets, web page of the Faculty of Forestry as well as through exercise workshops, information seminars, round tables and a conference. General problem in the sector identifies that Croatian wood flooring industry, although producing potentially good quality products, lacks preconditions to maintain competitive share on European market. There is an evident need for education, technical consultancy and establishment of better industrial testing/control procedures of the representatives of Croatian wood flooring SMEs. LDG forms the most relevant national research and technical centre for flooring industry in Croatia with hands on technology development. LDG is well incorporated in wood flooring sector, having already established and fruitful cooperation with 14 companies, 10 of which produce floorings, thus having very clear perspective on these institutions, as well as construction industry, and their needs. Since cooperation already exists, it is the benefit of this project to build on the efforts already existing to expand the effective collaboration. Laboratory is already accredited for testing methods and inspection routines for wood flooring products, 39
LABORATORY COMPETENCE 9th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Opatija, Croatia 2013
flooring adhesives and flooring finishing systems and notified to execute some mandatory tests in CE marking process. Thus the laboratory is in position, through established cooperation with several EU notified institutes, to offer the complementary testing, support services and knowledge transfer for Croatian industrial associates. However, there is an incomplete ability of LDG to execute all the tests for wood flooring products, particularly the mechanical tests and complete surface characterization of flooring elements which directly refers to the problem product competitiveness. On the other side, this equipment enables the LDG to develop alternative methods for everyday use in SMEs (associates in the project) FPC system. Regional aspect is particularly strong since forests cover over 40% of Croatian territory, rendering the forest products sector one of the most important traditional industrial factors for sustainable national development and economic growth. Industrial target group consists of wood flooring producers, most of them located in lagging-behind counties of northern and eastern Croatia. With nearly 1000 employees, these factories sustain important population in forestry-oriented regions and present vital economic factor for local communities and their welfare and appreciable part of them employ rural population. Efficient FPC system will result in improved quality of wood products, which is particularly environmentally efficient, wood being the most efficient carbon sink. The installation of wood in durable and sustainable building practices fits general environmental protection policies. Environmental aspect of such action is greatly emphasized in a country like Croatia, whose dominant national resource rests within vast forest areas of the mainland.
2. IMPLEMENTATION The project, lasting for 18 months, is near the end of its first third. Activities planned for this period are focused mainly on building up the capacities of the laboratory in the aspects of refurbishing the laboratory venue and equipment installation, document formulations for the development and implementation of novel methods and preparing the industrial associates for their implementation in practice. While the preparation of documentation and education of associates go accordingly to plans, activities related to procurement represent a great challenge. Just to illustrate, the end of the first third was supposed to be marked with the opening of the new, refurbished and fully equipped laboratory. Nevertheless, the preparations of tender documentation and contracting according to IPA rules have resulted in only a couple of procedures being completed and selection of the best tender offer. 40
LABORATORY COMPETENCE 9th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Opatija, Croatia 2013
This practically means that the final refurbishment of the laboratory and the start of testing procedures might be postponed for an extra of four to five months. Still, this still enables the LDG enough time to successfully finish all planned activities.
3. RECOMMENDATIONS The steps from application to call for proposals up to notification of contract award is defined by strict discipline, especially regarding the set out dates and forms given in the application forms and instructions to applicants. After the receipt of notification of contract award follows the second stage where it is necessary to submit the documentation proving that the candidate meets the formal conditions of the call. Only then the project gets a contact person in contracting authority and technical assistance. From that moment on, the key word, even though the contract hasn’t been signed yet, becomes communication. Communication is indeed an important aspect of project implementation, but it is also a valuable tool for the beneficiary of the grant contract. Communication with the contracting authority and technical assistance enables the beneficiary, especially to one lacking experience in using EU funds, a head start and preparation for a successful project implementation and in-time clarifications of all uncertain situations in order to avoid the occurrence of ineligible costs. It is important to emphasize the fact that EU funded projects are subject to revisions of EU commission for 7 years after the project was successfully implemented. For that reason, the project implementation has two equally important aspects –achieving the goals set out in the project with eligible costs. Therefore, even if it sometimes seems (even justified) that the project implementation is over formalized and burdened by unnecessary paperwork such as plans, monthly reports, plan revisions, public procurement procedures according to EU rules, .... well prepared forms and their regular use, combined with quality communication with the Contracting Authority and Technical Assistance greatly help in the implementation of this demanding task. Acknowledgements: The project Enhancing EU-competitiveness of Croatian wood flooring industry (contract No IPA2007/HR/16IPO/001-040512) is financed by European Union through Central finance and contracting agency (CFCA). European Union is financing 81,02% of the total amount of 473.579,09 EUR. The Grant Beneficiary expresses sincere gratitude to the Technical Assistance of MoSES, CFCA and EU. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb and do not necessary reflect the views of the European Union. 41