International Conference of SMEs „Clusters as drivers of resilient, digital and green economic competitiveness”

Approximately 200 representatives of companies, clusters, RDI organizations, and regional and national public authorities took part in the International SME Conference, entitled „CLUSTERS as drivers of Resilient, Digital and Green Economic Competitiveness”,  on 7th and 8th of December 2021, organized in Chisinau online by the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Moldova and the EU4Moldova: Focal Regions Programme with the support of the Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises Sector Development (ODIMM), Romanian Cluster Association (CLUSTERO), and the Danube Transnational Programme “GoDanuBio” project.

On the first day, the role of clusters as drivers of green, resilient and digital transition was highlighted. This was done in the context of the new European industrial policy of the European Commission, through interventions by officials the Government of the Republic of Moldova, the European Commission and the European Cluster Alliance (ECA).

During the thematic workshops an exchange of good practices was made between the Romanian clusters and the emerging initiatives in the Republic of Moldova. The thematic fields concerened were tourism, agri-food, textiles, wood and furniture.

The second day was dedicated to the bioeconomy. BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg (Lead Partner) presented the project GoDanuBio in the ECA Morning session with around 35 attendees. Later on in the plenary session (around 80 attendees), some funding programmes and funds to support the deployment of bio-based value chains in the Danube region were discussed. Among them was the new Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) and the Green Innovation Programme of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The second part of the second day was dedicated to the best practices on mobilising bioeconomy regional excellence in countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia.

The conference was largely viewed online and can be revisited at:

https://www.facebook.com/clustero

https://www.facebook.com/odimm.md/videos

https://www.facebook.com/Afaceri.ro

Conclusions

During the event, new models of collaboration that would accelerate economic development by revitalizing key sectors and providing a necessary environment for regional research, innovation and development were discussed. In this regard, more attention has been paid to opportunities to incorporate the dimensions of "circular economy" and "digitalisation" in the context of cluster development.

A key takeaway is that the sustainable development of clusters and the growth of their international competitiveness must be the result of the development and application of new technologies and principles. This can be done by updating the technological process, while respecting the principles of environmental protection.

For more information about the debates from the conference and its results, please visit (only in Romanian language):

https://odimm.md/ro/presa/comunicate-de-presa/5326-clusterele-un-nou-model-de-competitivitate-regionala-sustinut-de-uniunea-europeana

For further details:

CLUSTERO

E: contact@clustero.eu

T: +40 721 244 306