Project Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” in Croatia

1. ProjectImplementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” in Croatia Regione del Veneto Regione AutonomaFriuli Venezia Giulia

2. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Project Partnership Italian Partners: • Autonomous Region Friuli Venezia Giulia – promoter • Informest – implementing body • Region of Veneto • Unioncamere Veneto – Euro Info Centre Veneto Croatian Partners and Beneficiaries: • County of Istria • County Primorsko-goranska • County Dubrovačko-neretvanska Duration of the Project: • 12 months

3. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia General Project Objectives: • To promote and disseminate the knowledge of principles and purposes of the European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) • To advise Croatian regional authorities in the process of innovating the policies and the projects in support to SMEs

4. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Specific Project Objectives: • To spread the importance of the role of SMEs for the regional and local development • To take steps for adjusting the existing local legislation to the principles of the Charter • To spread the knowledge of the relation between the principles of the Charter and the European Community “acquis” • To promote innovation policies relevant for the development of SMEs implemented by local and regional authorities • To generate innovative project ideas, also on the basis of creating partnerships between the public and private sectors

5. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Expected Results: • Increased awareness of the principles of the Charter and of the role of SMEs • Introduction of measures aimed at adjusting the Croatian legislation to the principles of the Charter • Cultural preparation of civil servants and of relevant subjects of the private sector to the harmonisation with the Community “acquis” regarding SMEs • Development of partnership procedures for the promotion of continual innovation in the field of local and regional policies supporting SMEs • Development of new project ideas aimed at supporting SMEs • Sharing of experiences between Croatian and Italian civil servants • Meetings between Croatian and Italian entrepreneurs

6. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Performed activities: • Identification of the relevant legislation in force in Croatia and benchmarking with the Italian and EU best practices and experiences • First seminar with the stakeholders in 3 Counties • to identify the perception of the SME needs from the point of view of the institutions: • Interview of about 25 companies in each County • to collect concrete information directly from SMEs about their needs in terms of services and support • Production of the “County SME Charter” and distribution to 1,000 selected addresses in each County

7. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Performed activities: • “SME WEEKs” Presentation of the European Charter for SMEs and of the project to the media: coverage in local press, radio, local and national TV • Thematic workshops (all Counties) with stakeholders on: • European criteria and regional experiences in State Aids for SMEs • Innovative Policy Making for SME development: Recent innovation of Regional policies for SMEs in Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto Regions and the influence of EU learned lessons

8. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Performed activities: SME WEEKS’ THEMATIC WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS LINKED TO LOCAL NEEDS Primorsko-goranska County • Seminar with the SMEs on EU market accessibility • Guidelines for competitive cooperation and growth of the wood processing cluster • Benchmarking the County Master Plan on tourism with Italian best practices Istra County • Planning, management and institution building for SMEs support: the model of Veneto Region • Considerations on development and management of industrial zones • From “Industrial” to “Productive” districts: development models Dubrovačko-neretvanska County • EU Policies in support of Regional development • The implementation of the EU Charter for SMEs in the Regional legislation: the model of Friuli Venezia Giulia • Benchmarking project ideas in the tourist sector: analysis of 2 study cases

9. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Performed activities: • 3 working groups in each County with the aim of generating innovative projects: Primorsko-goranska County: • Financial Services to SMEs: Model transfer, procedures and feasibility study for the establishment of a Regional Credits’ Guarantee Fund • Non-financial Services to SMEs: Transfer of models, experiences and good practices from Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto Regions on: • Marketing and Export Consortia • Strenghtening the relationship between Porin and University • Public-Private Partnership: • Identification and support of local emerging clusters

10. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Performed activities: • 3 working groups in each County with the aim of generating innovative projects: Istra County: • Creation of an SME Regional Data Base Model transfer for the creation of a Database of Istrian Economic Activities, with the aim to strengthening the relationship between local Institutions and SMEs and to produce a new tool for the Regional Institutions in support to SMEs. • Communication strategy and use of the Quality Certification for the “Istrian Malvazija” wine. Support to IDA and “Vinistra” for the preparation of a communication strategy and identification of the procedures for the quality certification of the Istrian wine “Malvazija”. • EU Project preparation and management Training course for Regional Institutions’ and Municipalities’ employees on EU Projects Identification, Preparation and Management

11. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Performed activities: • 3 working groups in each County with the aim of generating innovative projects: Dubrovnik-Neretva County: • SME Development through the valorisation of regional capacity and local products Support to the local authority and to the art-craftsmen of Konavle Region in the valorisation of the local art-production: creation of a show room of art-products, drafting of a new tourist itinerary discovering traditions and art-crafts of Konavle Region. • Creation of a EICC Relay within the local Chamber of Economy TA to the local Chamber of Economy in the preparation of the request to the EICC Zagreb for the creation of the “EICC Relay Dubrovnik” • Creation of a Regional Development Agency TA to the County administration and other local institutions for the establishment of a Regional Development Agency including a Regional Credits’ Guarantee Fund.

12. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Achieved Results: • Increased awareness of the principles of the Charter and of the role of SMEs on local level. • Improvement of the local measures in SMEs support according to the principles of the Charter • Cultural preparation of a number of civil servants and relevant subjects of the private sector to the harmonisation with the Community “acquis” regarding SMEs • Development of partnership procedures for the innovation of local and regional policies supporting SMEs • Development of new project ideas aimed at supporting SMEs • Sharing of experiences between Croatian and Italian civil servants • Meetings between Croatian and Italian entrepreneurs

13. Implementation of the “European Charter for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Croatia Thank you for your attention! Informest Project Manager: Laura Trevisan +39 338 2108418 +385 98 618210 E-mail: lauratrevis@gmail.com