Description
Description (EN): The project involves the cooperation of Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus and FYROM in order to enable joint approaches to common development issues that rural regions are facing. Specifically, they want to mitigate specific structural & socio-economic challenges, such as low income levels, lack of employment opportunities, deteriorating quality of life, depopulation processes and directly improving quality of life for the residents of rural areas.
The project area includes extensive large rural areas in five countries with comparative advantages that are precious asset for regional economy and especially in green, blue, tourism industries & social economy. Intervention area is the same geographical area that covers the LEADER program where knowhow & synergies with local actions groups will be capitalized. The economic downturn provides an opportunity for the reconstruction of production base, considering the endogenous potential & comparative advantages of each region in accordance with the principles of smart specialization, such as the reconstruction of the productive base & local development through a bottom up approach. The establishment of networks could play a decisive role in such a development process in rural areas, which will contribute to serving common interests at local level, exchanging good practices with other local communities with common features, exploiting human potential, knowledge & experience, maximizing the utilization of endogenous socioeconomic potential and local comparative advantages of each region and local community extroversion.
The main goal of the project is the creation of transnational cooperation for the enhancement of entrepreneurship in rural areas for five Balkan countries through SmartRural model specialization based on the principles of innovation, sustainable economic growth & increase of wellbeing. The project seeks to achieve these objectives through the provision of technical, financial and advisory support to entrepreneurs. Parallel, it will provide technical assistance to the rural public authorities for their managing and administrative routine and procedures in order to apply and implement a business welcome policy based on the principles of smart specialization. All these are comprised in a SmartRural development model.
For local authorities and the rest of key stakeholders, the project will allow a deeper insight and access to know how, related to effective methodologies and tools for sustainable rural development. That will be achieved by establishing a business oriented transnational network and through the application of a SmartRural specialized development model in view of mitigate specific structural and socio-economic challenges.
The main outputs of the project will be:
1. Electronic bank of knowledge tools
2. Web Site with e-services
3. Permanent structures of consultation and support services
4. At least 130 enterprises and or startups receiving consultation services
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Website: http://www.interreg-balkanmed.eu/
Expected Results (EN): In long term for local authorities and the rest of key stakeholders, the project will allow a deeper insight and access to know how, related to effective methodologies and tools for sustainable rural development. That will be achieved by establishing a business oriented transnational network and through the application of a SmartRural specialized development model in view of mitigate specific structural and socio-economic challenges such as: low income level, lack of employment opportunities, deteriorating quality of life, depopulation processes and directly improving quality of life for the residents of rural areas.
Other results will be achieved during the implementation of the project:
1. A transnational business oriented network with the participation of enterprises, local authorities and civil society organizations, will be operational after the end of the project through the use of internet portal and support centers. The network will contribute for transfer of knowhow thus promoting of project results & enabling joint approaches to common demands & opportunities for enhancing & promoting entrepreneurship.
2. At least 30 key stakeholders can increase business capacities from adapting methodologies, tools & curricula which will promote the concept of SmartRural specialized development model and the engagement of local communities in the whole process.
3. At least 130 beneficiaries of target groups will receive free consultation services and training regarding specialized & innovative business applications of SmartRural model.
4. Establishment of local business oriented networks with the active engagement of citizens, civil society organizations, local authorities and enterprises for the efficient use of available local resources (i.e. natural and cultural assets) in the framework of SmartRural specialized development model, which will lead to new jobs, promotion of green, blue and social entrepreneurship and higher sustainable growth rate.
Read more Expected Outputs (EN): The main outputs of the project will be:
1. Freely accessible Electronic bank of knowledge tools (SMARTRURAL business development guide, "Business welcome" policy recommendations report, Entrepreneurial Enviroment Current Situation Analysis, etc.).
2. Web Portal with e-services (i.e. e-platform, networking services, GIS for Rural Business Zones).
3. Permanent structures of consultation and support services (i.e. SmartRural Centers' Support Services).
4. At least 130 enterprises and or startups receiving consultation services .
All the above outputs will provide to policy makers and entrepreneurs tools and methods for the improvement of transnational cooperation and rural sustainable development based on the principles of innovation, sustainable economic growth and increase of welfare.
Specific objectives and main outputs are linked in two levels: Strengthening international cooperation between business clusters, individual enterprises, civil society organizations as well as local authorities, to expand business capacity and create or safeguard jobs in the framework of sustainable urban development. Moreover, new innovative means of training, tools and studies related with exploitation of comparative advantages of the intervention areas and trends in sustainable rural development will be developed as part of the SmartRural model. These means will build on the basis for policy and decision making in private and public sector for economic growth.
The project's main output is the development of a SmartRural specialized development model for sustainable solutions, especially in low income levels, providing employment opportunities, improving quality of life, mitigate depopulation process in rural areas of the programme. That model, as good practice, can be transferred to other regions of the Balkan-MED territory as well as the rest of EU.
No output's or actions from SmartRural shall generate profit, disrupt market conditions & are free of charge for all interested.
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Thematic information
Specific Objective:
Competitive territories: stimulating business performance and extroversion through transnational linkages, clusters and networks
Thematic Objective:
(03) enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs by:
Investment Priority:
(03a) promoting entrepreneurship, in particular by facilitating the economic exploitation of new ideas and fostering the creation of new firms, including through business incubators
Partners (7)
Lead Partner:
Regional Development Agency of Western Macedonia S.A.
Address:
1-3 Fon Karagianni str., Kozani, 50131, 50131 Kozani, Greece
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.anko.gr/index.php/el/
Total budget:
EUR 137 772.79
ERDF budget:
EUR 117 106.87
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Παναγροτικός Σύνδεσμος Κύπρου
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Name:
Παναγροτικός Σύνδεσμος Κύπρου
Address:
Corner of K. Matsi and Samou 15, Building ELVASTI, 1st floor, flat 12, Nicosia, CyprusNicosia, Cyprus
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.anetel.com/
Total budget:
EUR 105 575.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 89 738.75
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Български икономически форум
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Name:
Български икономически форум
Address:
86, Vitosha Blvd., 1463 Sofia, 1463 Sofia, Bulgaria
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.biforum.org/
Total budget:
EUR 103 252.25
ERDF budget:
EUR 87 764.41
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MAJOR DEVELOPMENT AGENCY THESSALONIKI S.A.
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Name:
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT AGENCY THESSALONIKI S.A.
Address:
Address Vas. Georgiou Avenue A, 1 Office 106AThessaloniki, Greece
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.pedkm.gr/
Total budget:
EUR 113 441.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 96 424.85
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Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης - Ειδικός Λογαριασμός Κονδυλίων Έρευνας - Τμήμα Οικονομικών Επιστημών
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Name:
Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης - Ειδικός Λογαριασμός Κονδυλίων Έρευνας - Τμήμα Οικονομικών Επιστημών
Address:
University Campus, Tritis Septemvriou, GR54636, Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
Legal status:
public
Website:
https://www.auth.gr/
Total budget:
EUR 102 868.42
ERDF budget:
EUR 87 438.15
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Центар за развој на Пелагониски плански регион
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Name:
Центар за развој на Пелагониски плански регион
Address:
Tomaki Dimitrovski, 7, 7000 Bitola, 7000 Bitola, North Macedonia
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://pelagonijaregion.mk/
Total budget:
EUR 61 217.00
IPA2 budget:
EUR 52 034.45
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LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY - RAZLOG
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Name:
LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY - RAZLOG
Address:
1 Preobrazhenie Square, 2760 Razlog, 2760 Razlog, Bulgaria
Legal status:
public
Website (not verified):
http://www.leda-bg.org/
Total budget:
EUR 122 302.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 103 956.70
