CZECH-SERBIAN CROSS-CLUSTERS FORUM October 13-14, 2016, Nis, Tammy Residence

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The first CZ-RS Cluster Forum was held in Nis, Serbia from 13 -14 October 2016

http://cz-rs-clusnet.clusterhouse.rs/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/GRADJEVINSKA-INDUSTRIJA-Klaster-DUNDJER-Nis-Srbija.pdf

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CONSTRUCTION CLUSTER DUNDJER AT CZ-RS CLUSTER FORUM IN NIS

http://cz-rs-clusnet.clusterhouse.rs/klasteri/srbija/

Within the accompanying business matchmaking event between Czech Republic and Serbia in Novi Sad in September 2015, under the patronage of the Czech Prime Minister Mr. Bohuslav Sobotka and Serbian Prime Minister Mr. Aleksandar Vučić, supported by the Czech and Serbian Chambers of Economy, the MoU between the Czech National Cluster Association and the Serbian Cluster House had been ceremonially signed.

The six-month project CZ-RS CrossClustersNETworking SME Trade Bridge, based on the setting up of trade cooperation between export-oriented SMEs in Czech and Serbia using the clusters as an efficient tool for transnational connections, started in May 2016. The mission of the project is to encourage cross-border cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises – members of the export-oriented clusters through trade cooperation, joint ventures and investments, exchange of knowledge, transfer of know-how and access to new markets.

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Initiators and authors of the project are the Global TCI Network members:

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The project is implementing in the framework of Aid for Trade Programme – Serbia, co-funded by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, the Check Development Agency, the Serbian Cluster House and non-financially supported by the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia and the Czech Embassy in Belgrade.

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The Forum had been opened by representatives from national and regional officials from Serbia:

Mr. Zeljko Stojanovic, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunication of the Republic of Serbia

Mr. Milan Krstić, Mayor of the Medijana Municipality, Niš, Serbia

On behalf of the President of Kursumlija Municipality Mr. Dragan Simić, cluster manager, Tourism Cluster Radan, Kuršumlija Municipality, Serbia

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The Forum gathered 12 representatives of the Czech clusters and companies and over 70 Serbian clusters and SMEs in the following areas:

EU funded projects. Food processing. Wellness and Health Tourism. Metal sector. Machinery industry. Packaging, chemical industry, bio medicine, recycle industry/waste collection and treatment. Energetics, ecology, oil and gas processing. Wood-processing, Furniture production. Nanotechnology – Agriculture and Food Industry, Chemical Industry (Plastic Material Production) Textile industry – functionalized membranes, application of special composite Nano fibrous yarns.

The Cluster House hosted over 100 SMEs, clusters and academia representatives from Czech and Serbia in Nis, Serbia and contribute to over 60 B2B, C2B and C2C matchmaking meetings.

During the CZ-RS Cluster Forum in Nis, representative of the Serbian Business Women Association and their members supported by the Cluster House initiated the first Serbian Women Cluster Initiative.

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October 14, 2016 Check delegation attended the Tourism Cluster Learning Trip „Davil’s Town“ UNESCO protected location within the frame of the Tourism Cluster Radan Kursumlija, South Serbia, with the aims of getting better overview of the development of cluster-based value chain, hearing the Serbian cluster best practice and to contribute to the further internationalization of the clusters and SMEs cooperation in this part of Serbia.

The special importance of this event is that it was organized during the week when the Serbian Prime Minister with Ministries spend a week in the City of Nis with the aim to better understand needs and challenges of Serbian people from the South East Serbia which is the poorest part of Serbia but with the huge capacities in agriculture and food processing, textile, construction, wood processing and furniture production, metal, energy and IT.

From 1-3 November 2016 the Serbian Cluster Family will visit Prague with the aim to further develop business cooperation which started in Serbia and to support transfer of lessons learnt and the best practices in the field of cluster-based economic development.

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The following project outputs will be achieved:

– export-oriented clusters and SMEs in the CZ & RS is  mapped and business cooperation is initiated

– interactive web platform/forum for direct business cooperation between the CZ & RS developed

– case studies of the successful internationalization of SMEs in clusters in CZ & RS are created

– Internationalization strategies of two clusters in CZ & RS are prepared.