Italia-Croatia

Work Package 1

Work Package 1 of the NEWS project focuses on identifying legal and administrative barriers to business cooperation among SMEs and associations in the blue and circular economy within the Programme Area. It aims to engage stakeholders such as SMEs, business associations, public authorities, and NGOs to analyze needs, propose solutions, and develop new qualifications aligned with market demands. Additionally, training sessions will be piloted locally to explore the competencies required for cross-border cooperation, emphasizing digitalization and circular economy processes.

Activity 1

Activity 1 focuses on analyzing legal and administrative obstacles to establish a new governance model for SME cooperation in the blue and circular economy. Led by IRIC, it involves reviewing existing knowledge, identifying barriers, and mapping stakeholders, culminating in a detailed analysis report.

Stakeholder engagement, led by Eupolis, includes focus groups, interviews, and outreach to new participants. CNA Abruzzo develops and pilots training modules on cluster management, business opportunities, and AI applications, addressing skill gaps.

The outputs include a comprehensive analysis report, a stakeholder map, and training modules to support cross-border SME collaboration.

Activity 1.1: Analysis of Legal and Administrative Obstacles

Led by IRI Centar, this subactivity involves creating a working group composed of experts from all partners. The group is tasked with identifying and analyzing potential legal and administrative barriers that hinder cross-border cooperation. They will review existing knowledge and previous projects, define cooperation fields, and map key stakeholders, including clusters, business organizations, and SMEs.
The results will be summarized in a state-of-the-art analysis paper, available in English, Italian, and Croatian. This document will serve as a public reference for understanding the current situation and identifying paths forward.

Activity 1.2: Engagement of Key Stakeholders and New Target Groups

Eupolis Grupa leads this subactivity, focusing on involving key stakeholders and expanding the reach to new target groups. This engagement is facilitated through focus groups, roundtables, and targeted interviews with SMEs, business associations, and government entities.
A special emphasis is placed on reaching new stakeholders who are not yet part of existing networks. The aim is to gather insights, ensure broad participation, and lay the groundwork for cooperative solutions tailored to stakeholder needs. Dissemination activities, including surveys and questionnaires, are integral to this engagement.

Activity 1.3: Development of Training Modules

CNA Abruzzo is responsible for designing and implementing three training modules aimed at addressing the skills required for cross-border cooperation. Each module is three hours long and focuses on:

1. Cluster management.
2. Business opportunities in the blue economy.
3. Applications of artificial intelligence in blue and circular economies.

These modules will be piloted in the Programme Area to test their relevance and effectiveness in addressing identified skills gaps. The training will contribute to building the human resource capacity necessary for the new governance model.

Work Package 2

Work Package 2 focuses on developing a practical framework and roadmap for establishing a new governance model to enhance cross-border cooperation among SMEs in the blue and circular economy sectors. The aim is to create a sustainable business association that addresses the challenges identified in WP1.

Activity 2

Activity 2 focuses on designing, planning, and testing a new governance model for cross-border cooperation among SMEs, particularly in the blue and circular economy sectors. This activity aims to create a structured framework and roadmap that addresses obstacles identified in Activity 1, fostering collaboration, sustainability, and innovation across Italy and Croatia.

The governance model is designed through close collaboration with stakeholders such as SMEs, business associations, and public authorities to ensure it aligns with real-world needs and challenges. Eupolis, IRIC, and CNA Abruzzo lead specific subactivities that focus on drafting the model, developing a detailed action plan, and testing its functionality.

Through simulations, piloting, and feedback loops, the model is refined to ensure practicality and scalability. The outputs include a tested and validated governance model, an actionable roadmap for implementation, and a comprehensive evaluation to support future applications.

Activity 2 transitions the project from analysis to practical solutions, laying the foundation for sustainable cross-border SME collaboration.

Activity 2.1: Design of the Governance Model Framework

Led by CNA Abruzzo, this activity involves drafting the governance model for cross-border SME collaboration. Key stakeholders, including SMEs, business associations, and public authorities, contribute to the model's structure to ensure it reflects real-world needs. This framework defines roles, responsibilities, processes, and key areas of cooperation, such as credit facilitation, trade partnerships, and joint energy efficiency practices.

Activity 2.2: Action Plan and Roadmap Development

Eupolis Grupa led this activity, focusing on creating a detailed action plan that outlines the steps, timelines, resources, and responsibilities required to implement the governance model. The roadmap includes simulations and feedback from stakeholders to refine and validate its practicality and alignment with cross-border needs.

Activity 2.3: Testing and Validation of the Governance Model

IRI Centar is responsible for piloting the governance model in local entrepreneurial environments in both Italy and Croatia. This includes simulating real-world applications through AI solutions, gathering feedback from SMEs, and refining the model based on the evaluation. The results were documented in an evaluation report to guide future applications of the model.