Gabriela Pirvu, Presentation TCI2018 European Conference Sofia

1. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY

2. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
ROMANIAN CLUSTER POLICY – ACHIEVEMENTS AND
CHALLENGES
“Turning challenges into opportunities through clusters in South
Eastern Europe”
Parallel Session – BLOCK II - Cluster Practice – Resourcing Cluster Initiatives
Sofia
21st March 2018

3. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
 InovCluster - Developing the concept of regional technological pole and
clusters from regional networks, supporting the increase of the
competitiveness of the economic operators in the manufacturing industry -
„Romanian Cluster Mapping”, 2008-2010, Sectoral Plan in RD&I in Industry –
Ministry of Economy;
 InovCuster II – "Strengthening the competitiveness of innovative clusters
and comparative evaluation of the competitiveness of industrial sectors -
Sustainable Industrial Policy Instruments adapted to the Globalization
Era"(2011-2012);
 POS CCE - Operation 1.3.3. Attracting SMEs in supply chains and
clusters;
 POS CCE - Operation 1.3.1 Development of national and international
support structures / competitiveness poles;
 Elaboration of project proposals for financing from European funds 2014-
2020, including INTERREG EUROPE 2020; Cross-border programs, etc;
 Developing a Joint Action Plan on cluster policy (at regional and national
level) - European Danube Strategy - Priority Area 8
Initiatives of the Ministry of Economy to support
the clustering process (past)

4. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
Projects in European consortia
SEENECO - CIP (benchmarking training, train the trainers for cluster
managers);
Cluster PoliSEE (Developing Smart Specialization Strategies for Cluster
Improvement www.clusterpolisees3.eu ), INTERREG IVC;
CLUSTERIX I - supporting innovation by linking regional clusters,
INTERREG IV C;
CLUSTERIX 2.0 - New models of innovation for strategic cluster
partnerships, INTERREG Europe (ongoing)
Adriatic Danubian Clustering – Transnational Cooperation programme
South-East Europe;
DanuBioValNet - Cross-clustering partnership for boosting eco-innovation
by developing a joint bio-based value-added network for the Danube
Region, INTERREG Danube Transnational Programme (ongoing)

5. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
The project: Cross-clustering partnership for boosting eco-innovation by
developing a joint bio-based value-added network for the Danube Region
DanuBioVal Net
(ongoing)
• Interreg Danube Transnational Programme
• PA1. Innovative and socially responsible Danube Region
• SO1.1 Improve framework conditions for innovation
The aim of the project: to boost eco-innovations by connecting enterprises from
different regions and industries along value chains.
A cross-sectoral multi-level stakeholder approach is applied to harmonise cluster
policies, to increase the impact of clusters and to enable enterprises to
become more competitive.
The outcomes of the project will be: increased capacities of enterprises to jointly
develop bio-based products due to connected regions and clusters, three fully
developed value chains, new cluster services implemented and a common
Roadmap and Bio-based Industry Cluster Strategy resulting in improved
framework.

6. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
Initiatives of the Ministry of Economy to support
the clustering process (ongoing)
National Strategy for Competitiveness, an initiative undertaken by the National
Reform Programme 2013-2020
Project: Development of institutional capacity of the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Relations with Business Environment – Code
SIPOCA:7
With a total budget of 2.5 mil. Euro, the project has the following
objectives:
Designing a system for the development, monitoring and impact assessment
(at all stages) of evidence-based public policies.
Developing an economic atlas of Romania as a tool to be used in the process
of substantiating evidence-based public policies.
Elaborating Romania's industrial policy document, including cluster policy
which will set priorities and directions for reindustrialisation of Romanian
economy.

7. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
• The Romanian government needs to do more to
coordinate its policies in the areas of export, industry,
innovation, clusters and access to finance, human
resources development, cities development;
• Integrated policy measures are essential in order to allow
SMEs to increase their value creation and
competitiveness.;
• In Romania, clusters are essential, but to be effective
they need the right framework of funding, commitment,
and support for smart specialization and creating an open
space for cross-fertilization. Building trust is critical for
cooperation and involves focusing on strengths, adding
value and connecting the right people in certain expertise
domains;
A new Romanian cluster policy

8. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
• Clusters are used today as tools to implement the Regional Smart
Specialization Strategies (areas of excellence);
• “Smart specialisation strategy means the national or regional
innovation strategies which set priorities in order to build
competitive advantage by developing and matching research and
innovation own strengths to business needs in order to address
emerging opportunities and market developments in a coherent
manner”;
• Smart specialization should be promoted at all levels in Romania.
The clusters are integrated in the Regional Smart Specialization
strategies and in the National R&D&I Strategy; clusters and smart
cities determine the landscape of the territory economic
evolution;
• Building trust is critical for cooperation and involves focusing on
strengths, adding value and connecting the right people in certain
expertise domains;
Clusters and Smart Specialization

9. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
Economic Sectors with Competitive Potential
identified by
the National Strategy for Competitiveness as fields of Smart Specialisation
Tourism and ecoturism ICT
Textiles and leather Processing of food and beverage
Wood and furniture Health and pharmaceuticals
Creative industries Energy and environmental management
Automotive and components Bioeconomy, biopharmaceutical and
biotechnology
Ongoing operational programmes financing the clusters
POC 2014-2020, Action 1.1.1 – Innovative clusters (35 mil. Euro)
– increasing the research-development-innovation capacity within the innovation
clusters
– Increasing the economic competitiveness of innovation clusters and creating new jobs

10. MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Gabriela Pîrvu
Co-ordinator of Romanian Cluster Policy
Directorate Industrial Policy and Competitiveness
www.economie.gov.ro
gabriela_pirvu@economie.gov.ro
Tel.: 004.021.20.25.192; 0755.024.880