ERVET (Emilia-Romagna Valorizzazione Economica del Territorio) is the Regional Development Agency of Emilia-Romagna. We are wholly owned by public bodies (about 99% by the Emilia-Romagna Region)
Website: http://www.investinemiliaromagna.eu/en/index.asp
CESME
(Circular Economy for Small and Medium Enterprises) – April 2016 – March 2020
The project (financed by Interreg Europe Program) addresses SME inclusion in the circular economy: policy instruments selected by partners (regional institutions and business development agencies) will be analyzed and improved in order to make them more supportive for SMEs and their transition to circular economy; moreover, some practical tool targeted to SMEs will be developed, as a Return On Investment analysis and a white book guiding enterprises step by step into circular economy.
Website: http://www.interregeurope.eu/cesme/
COMPETE IN – Competitive territories through Internationalization: SMEs’ competitiveness in Globalised regions (2016-2021) – Funded by Interreg Europe Program
COMPETE IN tackles SMEs’ internationalization: a key issue for SMEs growth at global scale that still present weaknesses, mainly due to high investments required and uncertainty of investments’ effectiveness. Regions can tackle this, by supporting SMEs’ internationalization via the international relations that each city/regions build, and by leveraging on the proximity they have to the territory. Project’s assumption: Local Authorities must have a key role to play as facilitators of SMEs internationalisation processes, as market failures exist and the role of the local governments is essential to overcome these failures and establish conditions for a long-lasting economic growth. Lead Partner: Municipality of Reggio Emilia. Partners: ERVET- Economic Development Agency of Emilia-Romagna Region, IVACE – Valencia Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness Institute, Upper Silesian Agency for Entrepreneurship and Development, Wielkopolska Region with the seat of the Marshall Office of the Wielkopolska Region in Poznan, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council , Municipality of Gӓvle.
http://www.interregeurope.eu/competein/
IRIS
(Improve Resilience of Industry Sector) – September 2015 -March 2019
The project is co-financed by the EU LIFE Program and aims to support the enterprises, in particular Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), to become more climate resilient and to test the effectiveness of adaptation measures applied through a cluster approach (industrial area and supply chain)
Website: www.lifeiris.eu
PREFER
(PRoduct Environmental Footprint Enhanced by Regions) – ottobre 2013 – dicembre 2016.
The project is financed by the EU LIFE Plus Program and aims to test the PEF method – Product Environmental Footprint of the European Commission, based on the lifecycle analysis, in order to assess the environmental footprint in products and services. PEF will be tested in 8 Italian districts.
Web site: http://www.lifeprefer.it/
PREPAIR
(Po Regions Engaged to Policies of AIR) February 2017 – January 2024
PREPAIR is an integrated LIFE project co-financed by the European Commission (IP LIFE Program). It aims at implementing the Air Quality Plans of 8 European Regions, 7 Italian regions and autonomous provinces of the Po Basin and Slovenia. All the AQPs foresee a set of measures to be realized in the timeframe of the IP and beyond in order to reach the full compliance with directive 2008/50/CE.
Website: not in operation
RaiSE – Enhancing social enterprises competitiveness through improved business support policies (2017-2021)- – Funded by Interreg Europe Program
Social Enterprises (SE) are drivers of social change that operate on the basis of viable business models, providing goods/services for the market in an entrepreneurial and innovative fashion and using profits primarily to achieve social objectives (European Commission’s Social Business Initiative – SBI communication). The potential of SE to promote more and better jobs and generate inclusive growth, while addressing major societal challenges is widely recognized, especially after the adoption of the EC’s SBI in 2011. In view of the above, many European regions have in the past years rolled out initiatives to foster social entrepreneurship. The current issue at stake is, however, on how to effectively promote the competitiveness of SE already competing in the market, taking into account that their support needs differ from mainstream SMEs. In effect, SE business support policies are still rare and, when available, fragmented among public authorities.
Lead Partner: Catalan Agency for Business Competitiveness (ACCIO). Partners: ERVET- Economic Development Agency of Emilia-Romagna Region, IFKA Public Benefit NonProfit Ltd for the Development of the Industry (Hungary), Innovation & Management Centre Limited (WestBIC – Ireland), Region Örebro County, Centre for Social Innovation (Austria)
Web site: http://www.interregeurope.eu/raise/
SOIL4WINE
(Innovative approach to soil management in viticultural landscapes) – gennaio 2017-dicembre 2019
The project is co-financed by the EU LIFE Program and aims at achieving better soil management in the viticultural system and developing mechanisms of Payments of Ecosystem Services of soil. Pilot actions will be carried out in 9 demonstration farms, located in 4 protected areas of western Emilia-Romagna.
Website: not in operation
SUSREG
Co-financed by the IEE-Intelligent Energy for Europe program, the project aimed to integrate the objectives of energy sustainability with urban planning regulation and processes and urban renewal projects, and by mainly working with people’s knowledge, skills, attitudes. In Emilia-Romagna, ERVET and the Municipalities of the Union of Romagna (Forlì) are working to develop processes of urban renewal and energy qualification in historic centers of rural towns, through the training of local municipal officers and professionals, and the drawing out of strategic and operational lines to be carried out in the territory. One experience, one model for the entire Emilia-Romagna.
Web site: http://susreg.eu/
CLOSED PROJECTS
ATTRACT SEE
The project, financed by the SEE Program (EU), aimed to support the policies for territorial attractiveness in South East Europe (SEE), by establishing a common territorial monitoring system and improving the policy coordination process, with the engageent of local policy makers and stakeholders. The 10 partners are institutions and organizations from Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Macedonia, sided by associated partners and observers. The main outputs of the project are: a ‘Common Territorial Monitoring Framework’ based on a common set of indicators; ‘Reports on Territorial Quality and Attractiveness’ at regional, national and transnational level; a ‘Policy Coordination Process Handbook’ focusing primarily on stakeholders and actors in public administration. The project finished in 2014.
Web site: http://www.attract-see.eu
FAMI
ERVET supports the Emilia-Romagna Region in the implementation of projects on migrants’ integration. It participated as partner in 3 projects (2012-2015) managed by Emilia-Romagna Region entitled “PIG -Parole in gioco (Words at Play)” aimed to deliver courses and classes in Italian as a second language (L2) and civic ducation addressed to adult migrants (14+). The pojects are financed by the European Fund for the Integration of non-EU Immigrants (EIF). Partners of PIG projects are adult education centers (CPIA -Centri Permanenti per l’Istruzione degli Adulti) of Emilia-Romagna and other stakeholders (i.e. third sectors associations delivering courses to migrants, asylum seekers and refugees). Within the framework of the PIG projects, ERVET realised activities focused on digital tools in the delivery of L2 courses, training for Italian L2 teachers about the use of digital technologies in language learning. ERVET promoted and supported 2 pilot experiences on the use of tablets in Italian L2 learning with low educated migrants, and of distant learning tools (Moodles’s BigBlueBotton virtual classroom) with A2-B1 students. ERVET designed and developed a web App www.fareparole.it for illiterate and low educated adults in their first language. Moreover ERVET participated (LP Emilia-Romagna Region) in the project “SOURCE” focused on the orientation to the labour market for migrants, in cohoperation with training centers of Emilia-Romagna (2014-2015) financed by the European Fund for the Integration of non-EU Immigrants (EIF).
LEEAN
Financed by the miniprogram Interreg IV C EnercitEE, the project aimed to develop tools for local services of information and support to citizens on energy efficiency and renewable sources
lifePROMISE
(PROduct Main Impacts Sustainability through Eco-communication)- gennaio 2010 – giugno 2012.
Financed by the EU Life plus Program, the project aimed to define and carry out communication strategies to increase the awareness of the various actors to lower the environmental impact of products, from production to distribution to use. In particular the project has worked on the impacts generated by large consumerism domestic products (e.g. detergents, electrical household appliances).
Web site: http://www.lifepromise.it/
PACMAN – Promoting the attractiveness, competitiveness and internationalization of agro-food clusters of the MED area
The project, financed by the MED Program (EU), aimed to simulate the dynamism and innovativeness of the agro-food sector in the Mediterranean area, thanks to the transnational cooperation of local stakeholders and institutions. The 10 partners are institutions and organizations from Italy, France, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Spain. ERVET designed and implemented the Project as leader partner. The main outputs of the project are: the mapping and analysis of the different sectors of the agro-food chain; company survey for in-depth analysis of selected agro-food sectors; online database of the organizations in the Med area to support networking; the Code of Conduct on agro-food sustainability in the Mediterranean area; pilot governance actions; handbook on green packaging; joint marketing activities; e-guide for operators. The project finished in 2013.
Web site: www.pacmanproject.eu
Ongoing projects
ERVET supports the Emilia-Romagna Region in the implementation of 2 projects financed by Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund
- FUTURO IN CORSO aimed delivering Italian as a second language (L2) and civic education courses addressed to adult migrants financed by the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund in collaboration with 9 adult education centers (CPIA -Centri Permanenti per l’Istruzione degli Adulti) and the Regional Educational Office.
- ReACT – Antidiscrimination Network of Emilia-Romagna Region aimed at combating institutional discrimination in delivering services to migrants in collaboration with the Municipalities of Ferrara, Modena, Bologna, Ravenna, ASP Cesena and the University of Modena and Reggio-Emilia.
Implementation of the three year plan of international activities of Emilia-Romagna
ERVET international Unit provides technical assistance to the Regional Administration in order to qualify and consolidate its position on the international scene. In particular ERVET supports the planning, monitoring and capitalization of the international activities carried out by the different sectors of the Regional Administration. ERVET works to strengthen the synergies between regional policies and European financial lines, and to promote the creation of partnerships and cooperation networks between public institutions and other entities of the priority country areas.
Implementation of the address document for the cooperation with developing countries and countries in transition
ERVET international Unit supports the Regional Administration in the planning, evaluating capitalizing of activities in the field of development cooperation. ERVET promotes the integration among the international activities of the regional System and the participation of the different stakeholders. In addition it provides technical assistance to the activities of the “Country Area negotiating tables” (i.e. coordination meetings with the regional stakeholder of the decentralized cooperation, local bodies, volunteering associations, NGOs) and supports the communication activities, among which is the running of the web site www.spaziocooperazionedecentrata.it
Implementation of integrated program
One of the tasks of the Unit is to provide technical assistance to the regional Administration in the presentation of proposals and in the carrying out of strategic projects with the cooperation of different regional sectors and stakeholders, within European/national financing programs, following a logic of integration and concentration of financial resources. Within this framework, the Unit supports the implementation of the Brasil Proximo, Program – financed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 4 Italian Regions (Tuscany, Umbria, Marche and Liguria). The project is aimed to the improvement of the regulatory legal framework of the cooperative system in a bilateral view between Brazil and Emilia-Romagna. In addition, the project “Innovative social services for vulnerable groups: standards for decentralization”, financed within the IADSA-Albania call for tender (Italian-Albanian Debt for Development Swap Program), is the outcome of the technical assistance activities carried out by ERVET in cooperation with the Regional Administration within the framework of the SEENET Program. The project consolidates the previous institutional diplomatic activities carried out by the Italian central Ministry in the Scutari area, and optimizes the already allocated financial resources for the decentralization of services and experimenting of innovative welfare models according to the aquis communitaire.
Promotion of the Regional System to the community institutions
In cooperation with the Emilia-Romagna European Service in Brussels, Ervet supports the promotion of the regional System within the EU political agendas and to the European Institutions; moreover it contributes to enhance the participation of the Region in European platforms and networks, even through the creation of transnational platforms and partnerships.
The European Territorial Cooperation in the regional cohesion policy
The main objective is to qualify and integrate the activities of European Territorial Cooperation carried out by the Emilia Romagna Region, through the monitoring, evaluation, capitalization of the experiences already carried out, and the coordination of the running initiatives. The Unit provides technical assistance in all the Territorial Cooperation programs; moreover it runs a database of the projects financed in Emilia-Romagna within the 2007-2013 planning period, it has developed a model for the evaluation of the European Territorial Cooperation Projects and supports the application of the model within the MED transnational cooperation program. Through the setting up and animation of Focus Groups, the Unit creates project laboratories in interested territorial areas.
Support to ADER (Emilia-Romagna Digital Agenda) 2016-2019
The Regional Law 11/2014 for the development of the information society promotes the Emilia-Romagna Digital Agenda 2016-2019 (ADER), in coherence with the guidelines of the European Digital Agenda. ERVET has sided the Regional government in the definition of the Program since the beginning. Every year, ERVET draws up the Operative Program aimed to the identification of particular projects and supports the Region in the monitoring of the plan, In addition ERVET evaluates, promotes and communicates the results obtained by the yearly projects.
Monitoring of the Projects carried out by Lepida SpA
ERVET monitors the outcomes of the initiatives implemented by Lepida SpA (the regional agency for the broadband infrastructures). ERVET carries out audits about the progress of activities, cost, achieved results every four months. Among the monitored initiatives are the investments in telematics infrastructures for the reduction of the digital divide and the introduction of the ultra broad band in schools, firms, Public Administrations.
Benchmarking activities in the Information Society
Thank to its benchmarking, ERVET is able to deduct the level of the services and information supplied on-line by the web sites of the regional local public administrations. ERVET draws the qualitative framework of the use of interactive services by citizens. In particular ERVET gathers and analyzes data concerning the e-government and the smart cities in Emilia-Romagna. It updates the georeferenced map of the public wi-fi spots and updates the database of the interactive services in Emilia-Romagna.
ADRION Cooperation Program
The Emilia Romagna Region is the Managing Authority of the new transnational cooperation program, ADRION. In this framework ERVET supports of the carrying out of the activities of the Managing Authority, by hosting in particular the Technical Joint Secretariat of the program, with international qualified staff employed in the managing, monitoring, communication activities of the program aimed to guarantee the effective implementation of the program.
Information and sensitization on European Policies and programs
The activities of the Unit facilitate the identification of the financial opportunities promoted by the EU and a good knowledge of the European sectorial policies. The communication tools are mainly three: the web portal EuropaFacile, dedicated to the European financial programs and to the most important calls for tenders; Eurolettera, the on line bi-monthly newsletter which contains constant updates about the EU policies; InfoMail, a customized e-mail service concerning the same themes.