Final conference FIT4SMEs 20 YEARS OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN INITIATIVE: CONTRIBUTING TO EUROPEAN INTEGRATION Presentatio

2. Different historical background Different size and economic strength, total population over 250 million Diversified socio-political evolution since 1989 Today, different status versus European Union 9 EU members plus candidates, potential candidates, neighbours… One common mission: regional cooperation for European integration Combining instruments made available by the European Commission and other European Institutions to meet the requirements of CEI members complying with their different status vs. EU Central European Initiative: 18 Member States in 2010

3. Priorities endorsed by the CEI Summit of Heads of Government Sustainable Economic Development Eco-friendly Renewable Energy, Climate and Environment Enterprise Development including Tourism Multimodal Transport Sustainable Agriculture Human Development Science and Technology Capacity Building (education, training, life long learning) Information Society and Media Intercultural Cooperation including Minorities Civil Society Priorities According to CEI Plan of Action 2010 – 2012

4. The CEI Trust Fund at the EBRD, entirely funded by Italy CEI Know-How Exchange Programme KEP, funded by Italy and Austria CEI Cooperation Fund, funded by all member countries, including resources for CEI Feature Events and CEI Awards Fund to support CEI University Network, funded by Italy and FVG Region Fund to support Science & Technology Network, funded by Italy and FVG Region EU Projects, co-financed by European Commission and other partners Main Financial /Support Instruments available for CEI Activities

5. Mission: to support technical assistance at large (grants for prefeasibility and feasibility studies, capacity building, engineering). Since 1992, total allocation of € 32.5 million. 95 projects for total commitment of about €19 million € 8,7 million linked to 34 investments with an aggregate value of € 2.9 billion, of which € 1.3 billion were disbursed by EBRD alone Multiplier effect for TC projects: 161, of which we are very proud! Other projects supported by the Trust Fund for a total investment of € 11 million (transfer of know-how, contribution to regional events, others) CEI Trust Fund at the EBRD (Entirely Funded by Italy)

6. Mission: to support transfer of knowledge and experience from the EU to the non-EU countries within the CEI region, since 2004: Over € 1 million committed for KEP projects by Italy € 600.000 committed for KEP Projects by Austria More than 50 KEP assignments financed so far, up to € 40.000 each Priorities: transfer of technology with focus on: European integration, capacity building and market economy Agriculture, energy and environment Infrastructure planning and development CEI Know-How Exchange Programme (funded by Italy & Austria)

7. CEI Cooperation Fund meant to support seminars, workshops, conferences, training, focusing on mobility of participants It also provides resources for CEI Feature Events and CEI Awards Since 2002: More than 500 co-financed activities (of which, inter alia, 121 for human resources development, 116 for cultural cooperation, 54 for science & technology, 51 for information society/ media events Co-funding of almost € 5 million supporting activities for € 35 million Around 10.000 participants in the period 2008 – 2010 Strategic relevance in the aggregate numbers! CEI Cooperation Fund (Funded by All Member Countries)

8. Mission: to enhance cooperation among universities and other institutions of higher learning in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe Fund is financed by Italian Government and Friuli Venezia Giulia Region 68 co-financed projects Total allocation: € 1 million for a total value of over € 7 million 850 beneficiaries (students, researchers, professors, scientists) Ensuring mobility of post – graduate students and teachers by supporting joint programmes such as PhD and Master's courses Future focus on e-learning (and its multiplier effects) Fund to Support CEI University Network

9. Mission: to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation supporting Centres of Excellence based in Trieste Member institutions which are international by statute: International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology - ICGEB International Centre for Theoretical Physics – ICTP (UNESCO/IAEA) International Centre for Science and High Technology – ICS (UNIDO) Member institutions which are international by vocation: International School for Advanced Studies – SISSA Synchrotron Laboratory Elettra and Free Electron Laser Fermi Consortium Area Science Park (AREA) Cluster in Biomedicine (CBM) Fund is financed by Italy and by Friuli Venezia Giulia Region 60 fellowships (fund mobilization around € 2 million) More than 90 activities such as trainings, workshops, conferences, research projects (fund mobilization around € 2 million) Fund to Support CEI Science and Technology Network

10. EU Projects Co-financed by EC and other Partners Mission: to enhance the involvement of CEI countries in EU projects with focus on transnational and regional cooperation aiming to support European integration, promoting access to existing EC instruments 11 projects implemented in 2004 - 2008 budget administered by CEI: over € 700.000 total funds mobilized: € 8.5 million 6 projects currently under implementation (4 as Lead Partner) budget administered by CEI: € 9.3 million total funds mobilized: € 13.6 million Areas of intervention: transport, energy, sustainable development, information society, SMEs, civil protection, cross-border cooperation, culture, higher education, science and technology.

11. CEI Trust Fund at the EBRD, an extraordinary performance: € 19 million spent have produced a total investment of € 2.6 billion by the Bank, by other Financial Institutions and clients (we are proud of this multiplier 161!) CEI Cooperation Fund: supported more than 500 events, involving 30.000 people, providing limited contributions to support regional mobility; yet aggregate numbers make the strategic difference! Contributions to CEI University and Science & Technology Networks (130 activities, 60 fellowships, approximately 1800 fellows, scientists and professors involved) here also aggregate numbers make the strategic difference! EU Projects, extraordinary perspective in fund raising and financial mobilization€22 million so far for a co-funding of € 1 million for CEI (in the role of broker/manager) In total, over € 50 million committed in twenty years; resources mobilized for almost € 3 billion by a Secretariat in Trieste: currently a staff of 27 Achievements in a Nutshell: Is CEI Relevant?

12. To act as a specialised broker combining existing support resources (EC, EBRD, others) with the requirements and expectations of CEI Members, according to their respective status vs. EU To design, promote and manage EU projects, also with variable geometry of participation by CEI Members and other countries, thus anticipating future institutional developments (Danube strategy, the Adriatic-Ionic region, etc.) To build a closer relationship with the European Commission finalised to implement EU programmes and projects through a privileged partnership To revive CEI economic dimension through a revisited Business Forum giving a voice to business communities and through a new BSO network Main Strategic Objectives for the Future of CEI

13. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION Giorgio Rosso Cicogna, Alternate Secretary General rossocicogna@cei-es.org www.ceinet.org