RSEDP2 Study Tour to Poland

In period 23-28 October, 2011 key beneficiaries and stakeholders of the RSEDP2 Programme went on study visit to Poland. Key topics explored during the tour included:

• Regional policy programming at national level;
• Regional development strategies and programmes;
• Programmes and measures supporting innovation and competitiveness of the SME sector;
• Role of Regional Development Agencies of NUTS2 and NUTS4 tier in delivering on socio-economic development;
• National SME Services Support Network;
• Regional and local institutions delivering measures and instruments for SMEs, with special attention paid to technology transfer;
• Corporate Social Responsibility in supporting local initiatives and social enterprises.

Delegates from all Serbian Regional Development Agencies, representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, National Agency for Regional Development and National Alliance for Local Economic Development participated in the study tour.

During the study visit all participants had an opportunity to participate in international conference “Effective Instruments Supporting Territorial Development”, held in Warsaw as a part of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2011. The key topic of the conference was the strengthening of the urban dimension and local development within Cohesion Policy. Presentations were given by keynote speakers, including Mr Johannes Hahn (Commissioner for Regional Policy, European Commission) and Mercedes Bresso (President of the Committee of the Regions).

The Ministry of Economy and Regional Development of the Republic of Serbia and their Polish counterparty institution – Ministry of Regional Development signed Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral co-operation, experience sharing and networking.

The study visit programme included meetings with: the Ministry of Regional Development, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego – national development bank, two Regional Development Agencies in Warminsko-Mazurskie region and technology transfer centre at the Warminsko-Mazurski University.