1. Support of cluster collaboration in the European
Strategy for the Danube Region
Csaba Novák PhD.
MAG – Hungarian Economic Development Centre
Director, Directorate for Strategy and International Relations

2. MAG - Hungarian Economic Development
Centre is a crucial grant agency for clusters
and members
• Shareholder: Ownership structure:
– 100% Hungarian Development
Ministry of National Development
Bank
• Offers non-repayable grants
from EU and national sources
• Main clients: Hungarian Development Bank
– Ministry of National
Development
– Ministry for National Economy
– Hungarian Development Bank MAG - Hungarian Economic
Development Centre
– National Innovation Office (NIH)
• Currently 420 employees
• +60 trainees Venture VÁTI Hungarian
• Approx. 30.000 contracts Finance Regional
Hungary Ltd. Development Agency
handled
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
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3. From 2011 the MAG – Cluster Development
Office performs the following tasks in
relation to clusters
Cluster policy
Communication, cooperation,
coordination
MAG – Cluster International activities
Development Office
Complex management of cluster calls
Cluster analysis
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
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4. MAG – Cluster Development Office is a
project-based unit
The most important projects
at MAG Cluster Development Office
Domestic Transnational
Cluster
development ClusterCOOP CluStrat CENTRAMO
in Hungary
(MAG – CDO)
TA funding
from OP
• Managing the cluster
accreditation scheme •All 3 transnational projects are
• … implemented mainly through countries
• Regular analysis of the in the Danube Region
performance of •All transnational projects address
Hungarian clusters similar challenges in these countries
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
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5. Cooperation through clusters is amenable
to the cooperation visualised in the Danube
Region Strategy
Main elements of the Danube Region Strategy
Connecting the Protecting the Building Strenghtening
Danube Region environment in Prosperity in the Danube
the Danube the Danube Region
Region Region
To develop the To invest in people
knowledge society TO SUPPORT THE and skills
through research, COMPETITIVENESS
education and
OF ENTERPRISES,
information technologies
INCLUDING CLUSTER
DEVELOPMENT
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
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6. Countries of Central East Europe in the
Danube region share joint problems in the
field of cluster development
Territorial coverage of the Danube Concerned Central East European
region countries in the Danube Region
CZ
SK
HU
• Joint solutions should be elaborated in order to face the challenges of cluster development
• From among the Danube Region countries, in all 3 projects it is the Czech Republic and the
Slovak Republic that we most intensely to cooperate
• Poland also plays important role in cluster cooperations
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
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7. MAG actively participates in transnational
projects in order to enhance cooperation in
the Central European Region
Main objectives Projects Description
Enhancing Framework Programme: Central Europe
conditions for an Programme
effective Transnational ClusterCOOP Lead partner: Ministry for National
Cluster Cooperation in Economy (HU)
Central European
Countries
Boosting innovation Programme: Central Europe
through new cluster Programme
concepts in support of CluStrat Lead partner: Steinbeis Europa
emerging issues and Zentrum (D)
cross-sectoral themes
in clustering
To raise the level of Programme: Competitiveness and
excellence of cluster Innovation Framework Programme
and network CENTRAMO Lead partner: MAG – Hungarian
management in the Economic Development Centre
member countries and (HU)
region
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
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8. Joint problems shared by the Central East
European countries
Challenges Reactions
•Fragmented cluster policies •Optimization and harmonization
•Lack of joint regional tools ClusterCOOP of cluster policies in the region
to enhance cooperation •Interactive, web-based platform
•Lack of harmony between •Systematic and thematic series of
regional, national and policy dialogues in three different
international policies CluStrat levels
•More emphasis should be •Put the focus on emerging
given to develop emerging industries and cross-cutting issues
industries
•Lots of clusters and cluster •Benchmarking of clusters with a
initiatives but substantially common European methodology
fewer excellent clusters CENTRAMO •Train-the-trainers activities for
•Lack of a commonly used cluster management excellence
cluster quality •This project will be provide the
methodology „testing ground” for the new
Europe-wide training material of
the ECEI
Transnational projects can successfully reflect to the joint
challenges of cluster development in Central East Europe
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
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