The conference which focuses on operative programmes regarding objectives of competitiveness was successfully organised for the fifth time already. On the two-day international conference, representatives of the Central-Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia), and as invited guests, development policy experts of Latvia and Scotland were discussing on the progress of using EU-sources and their role in managing the crisis and closing up.

During the conference, the experts of the Control Authorities and the Participating Organisations shared their experiences and presented their exemplary good practices. The conference was opened by Mr. Jean-Marie Seyler, Director of the DG Region at the European Commission, who told in his opening speech: “The European Union is facing the biggest recession since 1930, several of its member states in Central-Eastern Europe are in a particularly difficult position. With its financial sources of altogether EUR 347 Billion for the period 2007-2013 provides the European Cohesion Policy a strong support to the stabilisation of the state budget and to the community investments in the member states and regions of the EU.”

You can take a look at the presentations of the conference below:

Ákos Benke: Financial Instruments within the New Hungary Enterprise Promotion Program

Břetislav Grégr: How is the Czech Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovations reacting to the economic crisis?

Julieta Hubenova: The global economic crisis and New Economic Priorities

Tamás Leskó: Evaluation of the Hungarian SME Development Strategy

Nigel Lindsay: Early ERDF support for R&D

Dorina Muntean: "Sectoral Operational Programme "Increase of Economic Competitiveness"

Petr Porák: Support of Industrial Research and Development within the Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation

Edmunds Valantis: Competitiveness programmes and priorities in Latvia

Anita Wesolowska: Structural Funds to counter the effects of economic crisis in Poland

Zita Zombori: The Hungarian Pole Program