Winners in the category Ongoing Projects

1First classified: project “Support to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development in Kosovo in legislative and policy development and in implementing the Agricultural and Rural Development Program”.

The Award was handed in in by Magistrate Robert van Es Founder of the EPA TCP UK and head of Nautilus PM to Mr. Franz Patschka - Head of the Department of International Cooperation and Ms. Michaela Pichler Resident Twinning Advisor from the Austrian Agramarkt.

2Second placed: project “Developing the entrepreneurial society in Western Balkans and Turkey – made by the South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning”.

The Award was handed in to Ms. Efka Heder the Director of SEECEL, Ms. Sandra Rončević - Assistant Director and Ms. Sonja Segvic - Office and Event Manager.

3Third classified: project “KEY Q - A Key for the Quality in the development and responsible value build up of agro-food resources from both Adriatic coasts” presented by the Agency for Rural Development of Istrian County Ltd. Pazin CROATIA.

The Award was handed in to Mrs. Jasenka Kapuralin - Development Programme Manager at AZRRI-Agency for Rural development of Istria ltd Pazin.

Winners in the category Concluded Projects

1First placed: project “Western Balkans Regional Competitiveness Initiative of OECD France”.

EPA Award handed in by Mrs. Roberta Mancia Layer and Academic Consultant for the European Academy for education and social research to Mr. Alan Paic - Head of Programme OECD, Mr. Milan Konopek - Project Manager, OECD Investment Compact for South East Europe

2Second classified: project “Strengthening of the Data Protection Commissioner Office in Albania for Alignment with European Standards”

The award was handed in Ms. Flora Çabej (Pogaçe) – Commissioner at the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection of Albania and Ms. Elka Dafa - Specialist of the Department of Legal Procedural Affairs and Foreign Relations at the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection of Albania.

3Third placed: project “Vojvodina Metal Cluster for the project Vojvodina Metal Cluster – VMC”

Epa Award handed in to Mr. Zoran Pekez - Cluster manager Vojvodina Metal Cluster, Ms. Milica Jovicic - Assistant to manager, Mr. Vladimir Pandurov - Business Development Manager Vojvodina.

AD PERSONAM AWARDS

A distinctive feature of this year’s Awards were the 6 Ad Personam nominations for the 2013 Award for Outstanding Achievements in Regional and Local Development. To receive the Award were:

+Mrs. Mercedes Bresso, Vice President of the Committee of the Regions, awarded by Mario Baldini

+Mr. Gian Mario Spacca, President of Marche Region (award received by Mrs. Paola Giorgi, Regional Minister for the European Policies, EPA Award handed in by Dragica Martinović, Representative of the EESC and Director of Representative Office of Croatian Chamber of Economy)

+Mr. Oriano Otocan, President of ALDA and Head of the Department for International Cooperation and European Affairs at Region of Istria, EPA Award handed in by Dragica Martinović

+Mrs. Marialuisa Coppola, Regional Minister to the Economy and Development at Veneto Region, EPA Award handed in by Dragica Martinović

+Mrs. Bettina Gilbert, European Projects Manager at Waste & Resources Action Programme in Wales, EPA Award handed in by Dragica Martinović

The European Projects Awards IPA 2013
and the EPA Conference on
Perspectives of territorial cooperation 2014-2020
Expectations after Croatian Accession
at the European Parliament

In the third edition, European Projects Awards IPA 2013, EPA rewarded ongoing and finished projects financed through the Instrument for Pre-accession – IPA (5 IPA components) that had an important impact at the local level. The target groups were public entities, states, counties, cities, governmental agencies, public educational institutions, private organizations, etc.

The beneficiary countries of the IPA funds 2007-2013 were divided into two categories, depending on their status as either candidate countries under the accession process or potential candidates under the stabilization and association process, namely:

• candidate countries: the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey, Iceland;
• potential candidate: Bosnia Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo;
• new Member State: Croatia (as of 1st of July 2013)

Aside from the traditional Awards campaign, during this edition EPA also rewarded actors who, during the period 2007-2013, had an influence and played a relevant role in the field of Regional and Local Development.

The Awarding Ceremony of the European Projects Awards IPA 2013 took place the 7th October at the European Parliament, in the framework of EPA Conference 2013 on Perspectives of territorial cooperation 2014-2020 - Expectations after Croatian Accession. This conference had a specific focus on the changes in cooperation that the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union was bringing to the table

The event was introduced by the EPA Secretary General, Ms. Katarina Sipic and by Mr. Marino Baldini, Croatian Member of the European Parliament for the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group and Member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs who stressed the importance of regional and territorial cooperation in all the sectors of the EU economy and society.

At the roundtable participated also:

Mrs. Mercedes BRESSO, the Vice President of the Committee of the Regions

Mrs. Hande Ozsan BOZATLI, the President of Assembly of European Regions

Mr. Valter FLEGO, the President of the Region of Istria

Mr. Predrag STROMAR, the President of the Varazdin Region

Mr. Witold STEPIEN, the President of Lodzkie Region

Mr. Franco Iacop, the President of the Regional Council of the Autonomus Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia

Mr Miroslav Matesic, Deputy Mayor of the City of RIjeka

Mr. Dino Elezovic, the Representative of the Kanton of Sarajevo

From 350 showcased projects, 43 funded by IPA were evaluated by the largest on line community of European projects experts: www.my-europa.eu.

Honourable guests of the Conference that handed in the EPA Award were Mr. Robert Van Es, Magistrate at Gwent Judicial District in UK, Mrs. Roberta Mancia, Lawyer and Professor at the European Academy for Education and Social Research and Mrs. Dragica Martinovic Director of the Representative Office of Croatian Chamber of Economy and the Representative of the European Economic and Social Committee.