Unit E.2 – Subsidiarity Network /
Europe 2020 Monitoring Platform/
Covenant of Mayors / EGTC
Application form
'Building Europe across borders'
Award for European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation
Edition 2014
Title of the action
“Together without borders - partnership for economic
development of Gate to Europe territories”
Applicant EGTC
Gate to Europe European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation
with Limited Liability
0. Contact details
Contact person
Post in the EGTC
Postal address
Phone
E-mail
Website of the EGTC
Csetnek Tímea Tünde PhD.
Director
4254-Hungary, Nyíradony, Árpád Tér 1.
0036-704114610
[email protected]
http://en.europakapu.eu/
1. Description of the action (*)
Please describe the action including information on duration and budget (max. 2000 characters)
The Agricultural Cluster is a strong partnership that started in July 2012. The initiator of this
program was the representatives of the local authorities of the EGTC. The mayors and the EGTC
team realised that the development in the cross border area was possible only with the creation of a
functional partnership between the actors who live in the localities within the EGTC. As a results of
these initiatives was established the Agricultural Cluster with the participation of 39 representatives
of local SMEs, persons who work in production and distribution of agricultural products and mayors.
The program is one of the permanent programs of the EGTC. Regarding the budget, we need to
underline that we implemented the program without any costs. We think this is the strength of our
program. We proved through this initiative that we could help the development of economic
partnership only by organizing meetings, presentations and showing to the actors the best practices
that were implemented on the other part of the border. We think that helping the local actorsrepresentatives of SMEs- we offer them new possibilities in a long-term cooperation that can be
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EN
-2realised with help of EU funds or only maintaining the economic partnership. Our motto is
“Together without borders”. Organizing the events, we did not need money: as the local authorities
provided the place for our meetings and our partners assured the protocol (foods, soft drinks, etc.) as
donation.
2. Outline of achievements (*)
Please describe the actions implemented and their outcome (max. 2000 characters)
Since July 2012 the followings actions have been implemented:
1. Many meetings in Újfehértó, Nyíradony, Derecske (Hungary) and Székelyhíd, Érkörtvélyes
and Diószeg.
2. Setting up the working group for SMEs in Nyíradony
3. Elaborating the inventory of development opportunities
4. An international conference takes place in 2014 March.
The program and the actions implemented, offer the support to elaborate a project idea that will help
to strengthen the partnership between the actors and at the same time to mediate our initiative. The
project was submitted in December 2013 and we are now in the phase of signing the financing
contract. The project was submitted to the Ministry of Administration and Justice. Through this
project, we will accomplish the following: one inventory with the traditional agricultural products in
the border area (it will be published in Hungarian, Romanian and English language), one exhibition
with the border products and one conference. The conference is entitled “The Hungarian-Romanian
economy development in Gate to Europe EGTC territory.” The conference will be organised in Satu
Mare (Romania) and we want to invite representatives of European Union institutions, ministries
from each involved countries, representatives of SMEs, civil organisations, local public
administration, universities, etc.
3. Questions for assessment
Impact and outcome of the action, based on measurable indicators (max. 1000 characters) (*)
The output indicators of the program:
- 1 inventory with the agricultural products
- 1 study case, best-practice meeting realised at Zold-Kertész (Agricultural cooperative) in
Szakolykert (Hungary)
- Number of organized meetings and working groups – 11 events
- Established professional network – 1 Romanian-Hungarian agricultural cluster
- 1 inventory with the developing possibilities – 8 project idea
The results indicators of the program:
- Number of the participants at the events - aprox.150 person
- Number of the best practices presented at the meeting - 2 examples
- Number of experts involved in the works – 5 individuals
- Number of institutions affected by the elaborated plans, inventory, works – 60
- Inhabitants influenced by the economic development – 187.087 people who live in the
localities of the Gate to Europe EGTC
Innovative approach (max. 500 characters)
.../...
-3The first innovative element of the program is that all the activities were realised without money.
However, as a results of these meetings, experience exchanges, etc. we started something that would
help the development of the region. The representatives of the SMEs from the border region started
to work together, to sell and buy from each other. The cluster is another innovative part of the
program, however, it has not been established yet, but we are looking for the legal way of
registration.
European added value (max. 500 characters)
The program aim is to help the economic development of the border area. Thus, we do think that our
initiative is in concordance with the provisions of “Europe 2020: Europe’s growth Strategy”. Our
implemented program helps the economic development, therefore it creates new jobs, reduces the
risk of social exclusion and offers new opportunities for the young school graduates. Our initiatives
is sustained by the content of “Small business Act for Europe” adopted by European Commission.
Multi-level governance and bottom-up approach (max. 500 characters)
Within the framework of partnership, we created a multi-level system covering the following:
1.border level (SMEs, NGOs from the EGTC territory take part in the program), 2. Scientific and
planning level (the institutions involved and the implicated counties, countries and EU strategies
were taken into account) and 3.governance level (the task is to offer new perspectives and tools for
cross border economic development). Involved institutions from local, county and regional level
participated in the activities.
Contribution to the implementation of the Strategy Europe 2020 in generating growth and jobs (max.
500 characters)
The program helps local firms to increase the profit level and to diversify their activities. The
realised activities aim to create new jobs and help the families who are involved in agriculture to sell
their products. The innovative approach in agriculture helps to offer new possibilities for the young
people. The program helps to reduce the social exclusion. If the elaborated project idea is
implemented the entire target area will develop. In this way, our accomplished activities are in
concordance with the Europe Strategy 2020.
Sustainability and integration of the action in a wider strategy (max. 500 characters)
The results obtained are used in the Agricultural ITI- Integrated Territorial Investment of Gate to
Europe EGTC (the elaboration is ongoing together with CESCI-Budapest). The realised project idea
was sent to LEADER LAGs in the territory helping to integrate these in their own strategies. Five
major project ideas will be implemented by Gate to Europe EGTC, in the HU-RO ETC OP. Our
office team helps firms, NGOs, local actors to promote their own projects at the county, regional and
national level.
Visibility and dissemination plan (max. 500 characters)
In order to improve and develop the prestige of cross-border cooperation in the field of
economy, especially in agriculture and processing the agricultural products, it was necessary to
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-4-
display the results of the program. Every meeting, working group, experience exchange were
published in regional and local newspapers. From every locality, we selected one representative
(totally 35 persons) who were in charge of communicating with us, moreover, they were
responsible for mediating the initiative at the local level. In march, 2014 we will organize an
international conference where we intend to invite the representatives of national and regional
mass media.
Potential of transferability (max. 500 characters)
The most important task of the cluster (networks, partnership) is to come up with suggestions
and recommendations, elaborate individual solutions, develop ideas that will help the economic
development in the border area. In the period of 2014-2020, the involved actors will obtain
funds for development. The cluster institution will also be responsible for the maintenance and
further development of the results and it will be in charge to present the “recipe” for successful
economic development in other regions, border areas.
4. Communication activities (*)
Please include video links, audio-visual material, publications etc.
Additional material can be incorporated as annex.
http://nyiradony.hu/onkormanyzat/hirek/2012/07/31/193630/mezogazdasaggal-es-kerteszettelfoglalkozo-gazdalkodok-talalkozoja/
http://www.haon.hu/nyiradony/szukseg-van-a-hatarmenti-egyuttmukodesre/2044673
http://nyiradony.hu/onkormanyzat/hirek/2012/10/14/181012/nyiradonyi-akacmez-a-regiokbizottsagaban/
http://www.civishir.hu/eletmod/racsodalkozott-brusszel-nyiradonyra/1016120153
The fields marked with an (*) are obligatory
Please submit your application for the EGTC Award 2014 in English to: [email protected]
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due signature
Deadline for applications: 25 January 2014