NORTH SEA COMMISSION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP
Introduction
The aim of North Sea Commission (NSC) Economic
Development Group (EDG) is to create conditions for economic growth in the
North Sea area. The EDG has worked for
a number of years to develop networks and professional contacts where exchange
of ideas and best practice can take place.
The Group offers an ideal resource for encouraging joint working between
areas located around the North Sea.
What we do:
·
Exchange best practice in economic development around
the North Sea
·
Increase knowledge for economic development officers
through a series of international meetings, seminars and Study Tours
·
Influence international debate on economic
development issues
·
Lobby on issues affecting businesses around the North
Sea
·
Provide an international network for professional
economic development officers working in councils located around the North Sea
·
Provide business contacts and industry information
between European countries
·
Provide experienced public and private sector
partners for transnational funding applications
·
Provide an international forum for the exchange of
ideas.
The NSC EDG is Chaired by Ms
Rinske Kruisinga (Council of the Province of Noord-Holland, The
Netherlands).
The group has two Vice-Chair
positions - one is held by Mr Thore Westermoen (Vest-Agder Fylkeskommune,
Norway) and the other is held by Mr Kevan Lim (Suffolk County Council,
England).
Action Plan - Background
In November 2004 and December 2005 the North Sea
Commission Economic Development Group (NSC EDG) held Strategic planning days,
identifying key activities, actions, responsibilities, timescales, resources
and outputs.
The Strategic planning days identified a number of
key practical activities for the EDG.
These included:
- Knowledge transfer between group members
- Strengthening the network of EDG members
- Increasing links with the other NSC Thematic Groups
- Influencing policies and international debate
The group has also discussed new structures and methods of
working. There is a wish from some
group members that our group meetings is held to coincide with the NSC
Executive Committee’s meetings. This will reduce both expenses and the time
group members have to spend on these events.
It was also agreed that the group should consider identifying and
creating a small number of themed ‘specialist clusters’ comprising group
members with a shared area of interest.
By now the Renewable Energy Subgroup is up and going, chaired by Mr.
Albert Moens, Council for the Province of Noord-Holland (the Netherlands). The
subgroups “SME Innovation and Development” and “Rural Development” are still
not established. The EDG working group has decided to await the results of the
possible reorganisation of the NSC before new actions are taken to promote
these subgroups.
The group members also agreed a series of actions that were required in
order to achieve the EDG’s key areas of activity, amongst them a ‘Knowledge
Audit’. The aim of the Audit was to
identify areas of interest and expertise amongst the NSC EDG members.
The Knowledge Audit undertaken during December 2004
identified a number of areas of joint interest including:
- Energy and renewable energy
- SME innovation and development
- Baltic Sea co-operation
- Academic and business knowledge transfer
- Economic benefits of culture, heritage and events
- European funding after 2006
- Food production, promotion and development
- Rural development
- Community economic development
The next
pages show a draft Action Plan, mainly based on the EDG Working Group meeting
in Haarlem 5th December 2005.
NORTH SEA COMMISSION ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT GROUP ACTION
PLAN 2006 - 2007
|
NSC EDG Key
Activities |
Action |
Responsibility |
Timescale |
Resources |
Output |
|
►
Knowledge transfer between EDG members ►
EDG Themed meetings ►
Strengthening the EDG member’s Network ►
Increasing links with the other NSC Thematic Groups ►
Market the NSC EDG work ►
Influencing policies
and international
debate |
1. Provide
a forum for group discussion in order to agree upon strategy, and response to
key policies, and knowledge transfer between EDG members. |
NSC EDG Chair and Vice-chairs, EDG Co-ordinator and active group members. |
As required |
NSC EDG Chair, Co-ordinator and group members’ time and expenses. |
One or more themed and/or strategic discussion group meetings per year. |
|
2. Set up a “ED-Working Group” . |
NSC EDG Chair, Vice-chairs, Co-ordinator |
Ongoing/ As required. |
NSC EDG Chair, vice-chairs and co-ordinator’s time
and expenses. |
Discuss, plan and agree upon future group meetings
/ actions. |
|
|
3. Plan the ED Group meetings to coincide with the
NSC Executive Committee meetings. |
NSC EDG Chair and vice-chairs, EDG Co-ordinator |
Hold the EDG meetings before, during or after the NSC events. |
NSC EDG Chair, vice-chairs, co-ordinator. |
Make our meeting structure more efficient to ensure
participation from a larger number of ED Group members. |
|
|
4. Plan the “North Sea Commission Food Event” in
Dundee, Scotland, 31st August – 1st September 2006 |
NSC EDG Co-ordinator and other Thematic Group
Co-ordinators (Education & Research, Culture & Tourism) |
Ongoing |
The co-ordinators’ time and travel expences |
Target
groups: The food industry / trade / restaurants |
|
|
5. Plan a Virtual meeting for EDG members. Theme: Energy / renewables |
Vice-chair Kevan Lim, Albert Moens, EDG Co-ordinator |
2006 |
Vice-chair Kevan Lim, Albert Moens, the co-ordinator and group members |
Focus on energy and renewables, a major topic in
Europe in 2006 |
|
|
6. Create a
database of group members’ work profiles. |
NSC EDG Co-ordinator |
Is set up. To be developed through 2006. |
Co-ordinator and group members’ time. |
A members’ profile database is published on the NSC
website. |
|
|
7.
Investigate the feasibility of creating a ‘Job Shadowing’ scheme for
group members. |
NSC EDG Co-ordinator and NSC Education &
Research Group Co-ordinator. |
Ongoing / 2006. |
EDG and E & R Group Co-ordinators’ time and
expenses. |
If required, produce a feasibility paper for
discussion by NSC Secretariat and group members. |
|
|
8. Identify
key areas of mutual interest together with the other NSC thematic groups.. |
NSC EDG Co-ordinator, NSC Secretariat and other
Thematic Group Co-ordinators. |
Ongoing. |
NSC Co-ordinators’ time. |
Identify topics of mutual NSC interest for
2006-2007. |
|
|
9. Market the NSC to politicians as well as the
public around the North Sea. Also, market the NSC EDG’s work within the organisation, to group members aso. |
NSC EDG chair vice-chairs co-ordinator |
Publish news-letters and press releases after NSC
and group meetings, forward info re. NSC papers, decisions and minutes from
thematic groups to be distributed to EDG members. |
Chair, vice-chairs and co-ordinator’s time |
Increase knowledge of the NSC and the EDG. |
|
|
|
10. Investigate amongst EDG group members who has
connections with the Baltic States |
EDG Co-ordinator |
2006. |
NSC EDG Co-ordinator and group members’ time |
Survey group members connections and interest for
working towards the Baltic States |
|
|
11. Present and discuss the so-called “Scandinavian
triangle model” – (a method for business development) to EDG members |
EDG Co-ordinator and The BTV region (Norway) |
2006 |
NSC EDG Co-ordinator, people from the BTV Region (Norway)
and group members’ time |
Knowledge transfer on the business developing
schemes: the “Scandinavian triangle model” . Something to be used in other
regions/ countries around the North Sea? |
|
|
12. Discuss and prepare a possible change in the
structure of the NSC Thematic Groups |
EDG Co-ordinator and the ED-Working Group, and
possibly other groups |
Autumn 2006 |
|
|
Erik Lindboe, NSC Economic
Development Group Co-ordinator
2006