Economic Development Group

Minutes and action points

Present

2.  Welcome

Members of the Business Development Group and the Transport & Communications Group were welcomed by acting Chair Alan Russell (Fife Council).  He thanked Oyvind Dahl (Hordaland County Council) and Gert Rietman (More og Romsdal County Council) for their assistance with the meeting arrangements and hospitality.  AR then outlined the agenda and aims of the meeting.

3.  Apologies

Apologies were received from

The BDG members conveyed their best wishes to Cllr Anne McGovern and hoped she would make a good and quick recovery from her illness.

4.  Presentation by Hordaland County Council - Oyvind Dahl gave a talk on the work of the European Office of Hordaland County Council.  This outlined individual projects, funding sources and the role of their International Working Group.

5.  Agreement of Minutes - Minutes were agreed from the BDG meeting at the MacDonald Thainstone House Hotel, Inverurie, Scotland, Friday 6 December 2002.

6.  Matters arising - Thrond Kjellevold highlighted the need for the Group to have a political dimension to its work eg on Regional Economic Development.  The Group discussed the different interpretations people use for "Business Development" and "Regional Development".  The Group agreed that the possibility of changing the name and remit of the Group could be discussed at the NSC General Assembly in June. 

The BDG Co-ordinator has contacted the Scotland Europa Office and suggested a political meeting on an Economic Development theme could be arranged in Brussels.  This could take place as part of a related event involving the Enterprise Directorate General and politicians.

Action:
Henrik Jensen and NSC BDG Co-ordinator to discuss how to reaffirm the direction of the BDG at the General Assembly.

BDG Co-ordinator to investigate a future meeting of the Group involving Enterprise Directorate General and politicians in Brussels.

7.   North Sea Commission - Henrik Jensen (North Sea Commission Secretariat) gave the Group an update on the NSC's 12th General Assembly (Cuxhaven, Germany 18 - 20 June).  He encouraged Group members to invite their local politicians to take part in the event.  The theme this year will be "North Sea Region: Common Strategies for a sustainable economic development".  A political meeting has also been arranged for Wednesday 18th June on EU regional policy beyond 2006. 

An Interreg IIIB North Sea Programme partnersearch event will take place on Wednesday 18th June for people seeking project partners (forms are available on the Interreg website).  An extra Interreg session on maritime issues is planned for Tuesday 17th June.

The BDG Co-ordinator outlined the content and format of the BDG Study Tour.  She advised that, as the visit would involve travelling by plane to different venues, only 27 places were available for this Tour.  Group members were advised, therefore, to book their places early.  There is, however, an additional Thematic Group Study Tour for delegates this year and there are also a number of the other Tours of interest to BDG members.  More information is available in the conference brochure and on the NSC website www.northsea.org

Action:
BDG members to book places on Study Tour and to encourage local political participation in the General Assembly.

8.   Proposed Interreg IIIB Project on Rural Development in the North Sea Area -    Henrik Jensen (North Sea Commission Secretariat) advised the Group that three interlinked issues have been identified for this project.  A meeting has been planned for April and they hope to have the application ready for the September funding call.

9.  The CPMR CAP Reform and Rural Development Group (Inter Commission Group). 

Action:
BDG Co-ordinator to ask James Knowles (Aberdeenshire Council) for an update and more information.

10.  Transportation and Communication Group - Proposed Joint Projects- The BDG Co-ordinator outlined the aims of the joint meeting on Ports and Shipping which will be held on the Hurtigruten on Thursday 14 March.  It is intended that this meeting will produce new joint project proposals.  It is also intended that a discussion will be held on a proposed joint conference on Broadband and ICT to be held later this year.

Action:
BDG Co-ordinator will circulate notes and conclusions of the joint meeting with the NSC Transport and Communications Group.

11.  Fisheries Group - Joint Project Proposal  - BDG Co-ordinator advised members of the proposed conference to be held this year on the theme of the "Changing role of women in traditional Farming and Fishing Communities".  This is a joint event with input from different NSC Thematic Groups.  (Note:  A provisional date of 25/26 September has been identified and the suggested venue for the event is Aberdeenshire, Scotland).

Action:
BDG Co-ordinator to circulate information about proposed joint conference (Provisional arrangements for Aberdeenshire on 25/26 September 2003).

12.  Renewable Energy - Business Opportunities in the North Sea Area - Daniel Dobson-Mouawad (Suffolk County Council) circulated a paper on Offshore Wind Energy.  He then summarised the high level of interest in this subject that has been shown by members of the BDG.  He highlighted the fact that a large conference on this subject is being held in Aberdeen (Scotland) on 21-22 May 2003 (website www.all-energy.co.uk ).  To coincide with this event, Aberdeen City Council has offered to help host a meeting for members of the NSC BDG who are interested in forming a specialist Renewable Energy sub group.  (Provisional date Friday 23 May).  The Group members agreed that there is a need to show the strategic role of encouraging diversification in this sector, and to recognise the political requirements for using sustainable energy sources.   The potential also exists for the Group to investigate new transnational projects on this subject.  DDM agreed that information about the first meeting of this subgroup would be circulated to all members of the BDG (provisional date Friday 23rd May). 

Action:
BDG Co-ordinator to liaise with Daniel Dobson-Mouawad (Suffolk County Council) and Aberdeen City Council.  The Co-ordinator will circulate information on the first meeting of the Renewable Energy subgroup due to be held in Aberdeen in May.  (Provisional date for meeting is Friday 23rd May).

13.  Update on Business Development Group projects :

Bridge-IT, North Sea E-Business Project - Gert Rietman gave an update on the progress of this project.  A new application has been made for Interreg funding and the partners expect a decision in May.  Letters of support will be sent from the Chair of the BDG.

North Sea Exchange Protocol   - Thrond Kjellevold gave an update and outline of the NSEP project.  An application for Interreg funding will be made in September and the project will start in April 2004.  More information can be circulated to Group members.

Action:
Thrond Kjellevold to provide BDG Co-ordinator with project information to circulate to Group members.

14.  Business Development Group future development and new projects:

Linking Business Centres across the North Sea - Alan Russell (Fife Council) circulated a discussion paper on how to develop the concept of linking Business Centres within the North Sea area.   This could offer 'hot desk facilities' for visiting businesses and help share Best Practice on Centre Management and business support.  It could also encourage networking and the exchange of information between SMEs and Business Centres in the North Sea area.  The Group agreed this should be taken forward.

Action:
Alan Russell to provide BDG Co-ordinator with information to circulate to Group members.

Regional Animals Project - Thrond Kjellevold (Telemark County Council) outlined a proposed project based on the "Telemark Cow".  This will be promoted at the Directoria in Cuxhaven, Germany, on Wednesday 18th June. 

Action:
Thrond Kjellevold to provide BDG Co-ordinator with project information for circulation.

Strategic Use of ICT - Merete Gammelmark (Ringkjobing County Council) highlighted the need to encourage companies to use new technology to its full capacity.  Examples of best practice within the North Sea area could be exchanged.  Group discussed existing Interreg funding applications on this subject.  Agreed that this could be incorporated as a topic in the proposed ICT conference later this year.

Action:
Merete Gammelmark (Ringkjobing County Council) to provide BDG Co-ordinator with information for circulation.

15.  Any other business - BDG Co-ordinator updated Group on the Farming Conference that took place in Fife, Scotland at the start of March.  It included a discussion on "New Products from Agriculture" which may be relevant for future work of the BDG.

16.  Date and venue of next meeting
It is proposed that the next meeting of the NSC BDG will be held in Wilhelmshaven, Germany on 16 -17 June.  This will link into the General Assembly in Cuxhaven, Germany 18 - 20 June. 

Meeting note: 
The Group then attended a Dinner in Bergen hosted by representatives from Hordaland County Council and More og Romsdal County Council.   All delegates then boarded the Hurtigruten and departed from Bergen harbour at 22.30.  A joint meeting on the theme of Ports and Shipping in the North Sea area was held with members of the NSC Transportation and Communication Group on the Hurtigruten from Bergen to Trondheim, including a site visit to Alesund.  Discussions also took place on the proposed NSC conference on Broadband and ICT development in the North Sea area.  A meeting note and report on the conclusions will be circulated separately.