South Muntenia RDA presented the SENSES project at the public hearing organized by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on "Towards a better economic convergence and competitiveness within EU Macro-Regions".

South Muntenia Regional Development Agency (Romania) through a representative of the Development Department, Development and Communication Directorate, presented, as SENSES partner, the project at the Public Hearing organized by the EESC on 21 May 2019, at the invitation of Mr. Radu GORINCIOI, National Coordinator of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region in Romania, within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The SENSES project aims to improve the framework conditions for social enterprises in the Danube Region. In this respect, the project partners elaborated the Social Enterprise Strategy for the Danube region,  document that was presented at the event. After presenting the project and the strategy, Mr. Petru Sorin DANDEA, EESC member stated that the strategy priorities are very interesting, showing an increased interest for the ones related to training and funding for social enterprises.

The impact of the EUSDR was analyzed and the discussions contributed to the debate on the strategic development of macro-regions in the European Union. Roundtables were attended by academics, researchers and civil society representatives, debating ways to target project-oriented policies towards the development of transnational networks to reflect the added value of transnational clusters in achieving economic convergence and reducing territorial disparities.

Among the invited guests were Mrs. Melania-Gabriela Ciot, Secretary of State for European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Mr. Alexandru Cumpănaşu, President of the National Coalition for Modernization of Romania (CNMR), Mr. Ciprian Preda, Secretary of State, Ministry of Research and Innovation in Romania, Mr Dainis Turlais, Member of the European Committee of the Regions, Mr Roland Mayer-Frei, Policy Officer, DG REGIO, European Commission. The EESC held this hearing in preparation for an exploratory opinion on the role of transnational clusters in achieving better economic convergence and competitiveness in macro-regions. The opinion, which will be drafted at the request of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will be put to the vote at the EESC plenary session in June 2019. The Romanian presidency intends to use it as part of preparations for the meeting of EUSDR states' ministers of economy.

Our project partner from Romania, SMRDA introduced the SENSES project with the following presentation: