Description
The proposed project may help to break down real or imaginary barriers and support the integration efforts of Ukrainians. The project focused on building Slovakia - Ukrainian cross-border trade and business cooperation. The project's objectives are Social and economic development of the border region, Creating a new business cooperation between the entities from the border region, Support existing business cooperation between the entities from the border region, Increase mutual understanding on both sides of the border, Improving cooperation between educational institutions, employers and other relevant subjects, Reduce the barriers for cross-border business and trade cooperation, Creating mechanisms for establishing individual cross-border contacts and links, Collection of data on prospective cooperation opportunities. The project expects to create new and support of existing partnerships/networks by creating new and support of existing business cooperation between the subjects within the border region, by collecting data on businness cooperation possibilities and its extend to the target groups and by social and economic development of the border region. The main target group is the business community from the border areas of Slovakia and Ukraine. These are the businesses with the potential to expand beyond the borders of both countries. The donor partner LUTO Norge is a company focusing on human resourse managent. The main benefit of the partnership will be the coordination and help by realisation of chosen activities as presentations on professional conferences related to staff recruitment in foreign countries, using of recruitment agencies and alternative ways of recruitment. The partnership will build and use the existing relationships within the business and cultural area and the cooperation will be used for other project activities.
Summary of project results
The main objective was to lower existing barriers of CBC between SK and UA. To achieve this, there was a need to create set of different tools and structures for long term sustainability for such cooperation. The project addressed existing needs for development of better business relations, better economical, social and cultural cooperation and better mutual understanding of legal frameworks in both countries. A series of meetings, seminars, capacity building workshops, conferences and trade missions were held to build partnership and mutual trust between all partners and project beneficieries. Main part was establishment of the physical infrastructure Družba house where most of the sustainable project results are based. To enhance mutual business collaboration the Office houses in Košice and Uzghorod have been established. For increasing mutual cultural understanding and exchange the conferences PLACE!2016 and MISTO! were organized. For better understanding of the economical and legal frameworks in Slovakia and Ukraine several events such EAST Conference in Košice and Uzghorod, capacity building workshops, trade missions and meetings were organized. The project also focused on students and their possibilities to study and develop their future. For helping to better understand legal and economical context the office and court of arbitration were created. The Družba house serves as base for EASTOFFICE office house, EASTPORT business chamber, EASTARBITER court of arbitration, SKUS organisation of ukrainian students in Košice. It also creates basis for companies, provides them services such coworking, temporary office space, seminar and workshop space, space for meetings and collaboration. There is also the EASTOFFICE branch in Uzghorod to ensure sustainable collaboration between SK and UA businesses. The open doors event of two main universities in Košice was organized. It resulted in increase of the interest expressed by UA students to start their academic studies in Slovakia. Results: 1 Družba house East port 107 registered members 5 individual cross boarder collaborations 7 trade missions 150 000 visits of online Eastportal 40 individual subjects serviced by East Office 16 New products and services introduced by eastportal 98 students associated in SKUS 8 sustainable collaborating structures created 121 CBC partners 22initiatives for better services of employment, education and other relevant institutions
Summary of bilateral results
The non-finacial norwegian partner played important role in knowledge transfer and understanding of how to prepare conditions in the framework of employment and HR management or third countries companies and individual employees. They also achieved results on bilateral level in terms of experience exchange on economical, social and cultural context. The knowledge gained has been leveraged in different fields such as establishing chamber of commerce, delivering trade missions, developing products and services for project beneficieries. They also count on the solid network of our bilateral partner in terms of awareness raising and building relationships. They achieved several direct collaborations which resulted in cooperation agreements such as one with NAKAMA. Their bilateral partner has bring knowledge and experiene in the field of business development and development of the products and services provided in East office, east portal and other project results. It also had important role in intorducit norwegian cultural, economical and social context to the project partnership. This has been very beneficial to all the partners and associated organisation and individuals. Projec in general benefited from the bilateral partner contribution and thus resulted in successfully delivered goals and outcomes.