The European Commission, under the Spanish Presidency, has recently hosted in Gijon (Spain) the third edition of the European Maritime Day Stakeholder Conference (from 18 to 21 May). The conference’s central issue was how to foster innovation in policy making for competitiveness, environmental protection, better working conditions, employment and scientific excellence. These themes have been discussed in more than 60 events among workshops and seminars selected out of 120
In particular, within the workshop “CPMR-Regional Maritime Clusters Meeting”, it was possible to deliver the final results of the STARNETregio project as actual pilot experience of promoting innovation in transnational clusters thus involving business, research centres as well as public organisations located in Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (Italy), Slovenia and the Primorsko Goranska County (Croatia).
STARNETregio’s results encompassed:
- the set up of a Joint Research Agenda among the three involved regions
- the development of an International dissemination forum” for the sea economy (see www.forum-maritime.eu)
- the first connection of three Liaison Offices devoted to technology transfer to business
- the sharing of best practices in the field of innovation policy implementation, with particular regard to the DITENAVE pilot initiative promoted by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.
- the contribution to the contents of the Slovenian National Maritime Programme, which is to be issued by the end of 2010
The project results perfectly fit the audience general feeling as all agree on the opportunity to set up “Glocal maritime cluster policies” intended as integrated actions focused on:
- local critical mass activation
- public private partnership promotion
- focused research agendas coherent and synergetic with other European regions
- workforce skills empowerment
- external cooperation and neighbourhood boosting
Now, as the STARNETregio project (partially co-funded by the EC) is approaching its natural conclusion, after 30 month of operation, the Partners decided to set up a joint activity programme to create a stable platform to root future cooperation in the maritime sector.