Economic Development Group

Notes and action points

Present

2.  Welcome by BDG Chair

Members of the Business Development Group were welcomed by Cllr Anne McGovern (Fife Council).  She thanked Ulla Christensen (County of North Jutland) for all the meeting arrangements and hospitality.  She then outlined the role at the meeting, the agenda and the aims of the meeting.

3.  Apologies

Apologies were received from

Thore Westermoen (Vice Chair), Vest-Agder County Council
Tayo Lill Andreasen, Arhus County Council
Richard Baty, East Lothian Council
David Dukes, Norfolk County Council
Enok Hansen, Aust-Agder County Council
Lars Hustvueit, Sogn og Fjordane Council
Arne Monrad Johnson, Sogn og Fjordane Council
Susan Matheson, Aberdeen City Council
Johan Pensgard, Vest-Agder County Council

4.  Agreement of Minutes from meeting at the Nieuw Minerva Hotel, Leiden, the Netherlands, Friday 5 April, 2002.

Gert Rietman (More og Romsdal County Council) asked for the wrong spelling of his name to be corrected. 

Action:
BDG Co-ordinator to alter Minutes.

5.  Matters arising

The Group agreed they liked the format of the minutes and action notes.

6.  Networking - each member of the Group gave a short introduction on their role and their aims for attending the Group meeting.

7.  North Sea Commission Update - Members of the Group were given feedback on NSC General Assembly, an update on NSC activities and an outline of the timescales for Interreg project funding - by Henrik Jensen, North Sea Commission Secretariat.  HJ highlighted the good turnout and feedback from the joint Business Development and Cultural Tourism seminar in Norwich.  The General Assembly was also very successful with approximately 400 people attending the event.  Next year's General Assembly will be in Cuxhaven (Germany). 

HJ outlined the proposal to develop a major new Interreg IIIB funding application on Rural Development.  Viborg will take the lead role in this project.  The deadline for the application is Feb/March 2003.  It is intended that a discussion paper will be circulated to Regional contacts and then there will be a search to identify the project partners.  It is recognised that Rural Development is a very large issue.  It is anticipated, however, that Business Development will be one of the topics included in the application.

HJ reminded all members of the Group seeking Interreg funding that only a small number of projects are likely to receive funding.  Members are advised to check the Interreg website, keep in touch with the Secretariat and ask questions well in advance of the deadlines.

HJ also advised the Group of the recent update to the North Sea Commission website.

Action :
HJ to advise on date of first meeting to progress the proposed Interreg Rural Development Project.

8.  Business Development Group future development and new projects - The Group agreed the existing meeting structure offered a good forum for exchanging experiences and information.  It is important that this format is retained but that the benefits of participating in the Group are identified and promoted.  In addition to networking and project work, however, it was agreed that the Group needed to offer a forum for more political and strategic activities.  The Group discussed the need to have more involvement in policy making and to increase the level of the Group's political discussions and influence in the future.  It is important that the NSC BDG encourages more interest in the unique problems experienced in the peripheral areas in this part of Europe.  It was agreed that, as the first step in this process, DG Enterprise should be approached to provide a speaker for a future meeting.  The Group then needs to consider identifying a specific issue for debate that will attract politicians and European policy officers to attend a special annual meeting or event.

Action :
BDG Co-ordinator to find a speaker on Enterprise policy to attend the next Group meeting.

9.  North Jutland - Ulla Christensen (County of North Jutland) gave a talk on the recent major changes in the local economy in North Jutland.  This involved using expertise from Aalborg University to assist with the development of local companies and increase the skills of the workforce. 

In recent years investment has successfully been made in high technology and human capital in the area.  The current aim is to spread the benefits of IT and ICT to all sectors in the local communities.

UC also highlighted the need to continue influencing future European Policy.  It is important to justify current EU spending and ensure that sufficient attention is given to the issues of peripheral areas in the future (especially in the North Sea area).

10.  Digital North Jutland - Kjeld Jensen, Project Consultant, Digital North Jutland.  KJ gave the Group a short presentation on Digital by Design project.  The objective of this project is to develop and deploy IT and to demonstrate the potential of the network society via real life projects.  The aim is that, through local people, the area becomes a "Learning Region".  For more information check the website www.thedigitalnorthdenmark.com

The Group discussed the increased requirements for Councils to use IT to communicate with their local communities, the problems of installing broadband and satellite technology and the types of information and IT skills required by the public.

11.  Business Development Group project updates

Bridge IT -  E-Business   - Gert Rietman (More og Romsdal County Council) outlined the proposed North Sea e business project.  The "Bridge IT - e-Business Project" has been developed by a number of members of the North Sea Commission Business Development Group.  The aim of this project is to create a generic and accredited e-business training course for economic development advisers and two generic SME e-business support services for rural based SMEs.  It is intended that the project will assist in addressing the rural-urban inbalance and create economic and social prosperity in these areas.

www.SME365.com and the North Sea Exchange Protocol - Thrond Kjellevold (Telemark County Council) and BDG Co-ordinator circulated information and updated the Group on the progress of the joint project involving members of the NSC Education and Research Group.  This project will result in a number of high profile business events throughout the North Sea area, an opportunity to use IT to maximise the exchange of business information and increase people's educational opportunities.   The Group will be kept informed about the development of this project.

12.  Organic Farming issues and opportunities  (Prof Jan Holm Ingemann, Aalborg University).  Prof Ingemann gave the Group a talk about the changes in the agricultural sector and how our food systems have become detached from local communities.   In recent years, however, there has been increasing interest in sustainability - locally and globally.  Organic farming has the potential to bring added value back into an area.  It offers opportunities for improving the environment and can link local economic benefits with social revitalisation.   

The Group discussed the issues of food definitions, labelling, transportation and procurement.

13.  Future projects and topics for discussion 

Business Development for Women in traditional Fishing Communities - the BDG Co-ordinator advised the Group of the proposed joint project with the NSC Fisheries Group.  This will highlight the changing employment opportunities and the role of women in traditional fishing communities in the North Sea area.

Waste Management - Gert Rietman (More og Romsdal County Council) outlined a conference to be held in Norway that will examine the recycling issues facing small boat builders and wind turbine manufacturers (eg the lack of mobile crushers).  The Group discussed the issue of decommissioned oil rigs and the recent Interreg IIC Waste Management projects.        

Bio Technology - the Group agreed this should be a topic for a future meeting.

Business Assistance - Best Practice - Gert Rietman (More og Romsdal County Council) advised the Group of his recent success in providing useful information in a variety of languages to help people wishing to set up business in a different country within the North Sea area.

Wind Energy - Business Opportunities and Local Economic Impact   - the BDG Co-ordinator advised the Group of the Wind Energy conference, due to be held in November, organised by the NSC Environment Group.  This event includes a workshop on the business opportunities and employment aspects offered by this industrial sector.  Daniel Dobson-Mouawad (Suffolk County Council) outlined the successful work undertaken by the East of England Energy Group.  This initiative has helped developed a special business cluster by encouraging traditional energy companies in the area to transfer their skills and exploit the new opportunities offered by the growing Renewable energy sector.

Action :
DDM to provide the BDG Co-ordinator with information on the East of England Energy Group.

14.  Date and venue of next meeting was agreed as the 5th and 6th of December in Aberdeenshire (Scotland).  Venue to be confirmed by James Knowles (Aberdeenshire Council).

Action :
BDG Co-ordinator to liaise with JK on venue and speakers for next meeting.

15.  Close  of meeting. 

At the end of the meeting Ulla Christensen (County of North Jutland) took members of the Group on a tour of various business sites around Aalborg.