EURED – Regional Economic Development Programme, Phase I & II, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Project:	EURED – Regional Economic Development Programme, Phase I & II, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Completion Date:	2003
Client:	Ministry of Economy/Agency for Entrepreneurship Promotion
Project Value:	€5.7 million
Services Provided:	Regional strategic planning; RDA capacity building; Regional study tour; Pre-feasibility study; Development of regional project pipelines; Business plan coaching; Development of regional flagship economic projects.

Project Description

Overall objective - Phase I was to establish an integrated framework basis for regional economic development in Bosnia & Herzegovina. This included the formation of five new economic regions and the preparation of integrated regional development strategies and the establishment of RDAs in each of the new regions. The EURED project also included overall RDA capacity building such as, designing RDA training needs analysis, training plans, promotion of the regional development concept, tourism product development and investment training, RDA viability plan, negotiation with shareholder municipalities, ministries and media relations.

Overall objective - Phase II was to stimulate economic growth and employment generation, thereby contributing to the creation of a basis for sustainable development and social dialogue in BiH. Project activities consisted of the institutional support, capacity building the EURED Fund and the communication and knowledge transfer activities, as:

• To support the establishment of a comprehensive institutional and legal framework for small and medium enterprises (SME) promotion and development, in line with the BiH SME Development Strategy, the EU charter on SMEs and regional development plans;
• To strengthen economic regions and the regional development framework, in line with EU practice;
• To support economic regeneration, job creation and human and infrastructure development in the different regions through the provision of a fund.