Projects

The BE-Rural project aims to realise the potential of regional and local bio-based economies by supporting a wide group of stakeholders to participate in the development of bioeconomy strategies and roadmaps. It focuses particularly on five regions, namely Stara Zagora (Bulgaria), Szczecin Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon (Poland), Strumica (Macedonia), Covasna (Romania) and Vidzeme and Kurzeme (Latvia), each of which had strong potential in specific bio-based sectors (e.g. essential oils and herbs for cosmetics/pharmaceuticals; small-scale fisheries; agricultural residues; and forestry). BE-Rural will stimulate learning and the co-creation of knowledge within each individual region, but also between the five regions, and at a wider European level.

To visit the BE-Rural website, click here.

TRACER aims to support a number of coal-intensive regions around Europe to design (or re-design) their research and innovation strategies in order to facilitate their transition towards a sustainable energy system.

The project focuses on nine regions. These are South East Bulgaria, North West Bohemia (CZ), Lusatian Lignite District (DE), West Macedonia (GR), Upper Silesian Coalfield (PL), West Romania and Wales (UK) within the EU, and Kolubara (Serbia) and Donetsk (Ukraine) outside the EU.

Core activities include:

• bringing together a wide range of stakeholders in each target region to discuss and agree on a shared vision and priorities for coal transition
• joint development of R&I strategies, industrial roadmaps and decision support tools
• identification and analysis of best practice examples of successful and ambitious transition processes in coal intensive regions
• assessment of social, environmental and technological challenges
• the elaboration of guidelines on how to mobilise investment
• activities to stimulate R&I cooperation among coal intensive regions in Europe and beyond.

To visit the TRACER website, click here.  

The evaluation will focus on the Programme’s contributions to NPA targets and objectives, which focus specifically on the needs of remote and peripheral communities, and also to cooperation and development in the Arctic and Europe 2020 Strategy.