Bio-based strategies and roadmaps for enhanced rural and regional development in the EU The macro-environment surrounding BE-Rural’s Open Innovation Platforms September 2019 Anzaldúa, G., Abhold, K., Araujo, A., Chebotarev, A., Cosnita, D., Diaconescu, T., Dimov, L., Duic, N., Iorgulescu, R., Kiresiewa, Z., Lazdina, D., Makovskis, K., Markovska, M., Mihajloska, E., Mytlewski, A., Pauna, C., Pavlova, I., Rakowski, M., Schock, M., Szulecka, O., Tröltzsch, J., Zelljadt, E. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 818478. The macro-environment surrounding BE-Rural’s Open Innovation Platforms 2 Document information Project name: BE-Rural Project title: Bio-based strategies and roadmaps for enhanced rural and regional development in the EU Project number: 818478 Start date: 1st April 2019 Duration: 36 months Report: D2.2: Report on macro-environment in the OIP regions Work Package: WP2: Regional potentials & business models Work Package leader: WIP Task: Task 2.4: Analysis of the macro-environment in the OIP regions Task leader: ECO Responsible author(s): Gerardo Anzaldúa (ECO) Internal peer review: Marcin Rakowski (NMFRI) Planned delivery date: M6 Actual delivery date: M6 Reporting period: RP1 Dissemination level of this report PU Public x PP Restricted to other programme participants (including the Commission Services) RE Restricted to a group specified by the consortium (including the Commission Services) CO Confidential, only for members of the consortium (including the Commission Services) The macro-environment surrounding BE-Rural’s Open Innovation Platforms 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENT & DISCLAIMER This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 818478. The information and views set out in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Cover page illustration © stock.adobe.com/Freesurf The macro-environment surrounding BE-Rural’s Open Innovation Platforms 4 Table of contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. 8 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 10 2 Bioeconomy in the EU: a brief update ..................................................................................... 11 3 Analysis of the macro-environment surrounding BE-Rural’s Open Innovation Platforms (OIPs) ......................................................................................................................... 13 OIP Stara Zagora, Bulgaria ................................................................................................ 13 3.1.1 Political conditions influencing Stara Zagora ............................................................................................ 13 3.1.2 Economic conditions influencing Stara Zagora ........................................................................................ 15 3.1.3 Social conditions influencing Stara Zagora .............................................................................................. 18 3.1.4 Technological conditions influencing Stara Zagora .................................................................................. 18 3.1.5 Environmental conditions influencing Stara Zagora ................................................................................. 19 3.1.6 Legal conditions influencing Stara Zagora ............................................................................................... 20 3.1.7 Outlook for the bioeconomy in Stara Zagora ............................................................................................ 20 OIP Strumica, North Macedonia ......................................................................................... 22 3.2.1 Political conditions influencing Strumica region ....................................................................................... 22 3.2.2 Economic conditions influencing the Strumica region .............................................................................. 24 3.2.3 Social conditions influencing Strumica region .......................................................................................... 25 3.2.4 Technological conditions influencing Strumica region .............................................................................. 26 3.2.5 Environmental conditions influencing Strumica region ............................................................................. 27 3.2.6 Legal conditions influencing Strumica region ........................................................................................... 28 3.2.7 Outlook for the bioeconomy in Strumica region ....................................................................................... 30 OIP Baltic Lagoons, Poland ................................................................................................ 31 3.3.1 Political conditions influencing Szczecin Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon ...................................................... 32 3.3.2 Economic conditions influencing Szczecin Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon .................................................. 33 3.3.3 Social conditions influencing Szczecin Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon ........................................................ 37 3.3.4 Technological conditions influencing Szczecin Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon ............................................ 38 3.3.5 Environmental conditions influencing Szczecin Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon ........................................... 38 3.3.6 Legal conditions influencing Szczecin Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon ......................................................... 39 3.3.7 Outlook for the bioeconomy in Szczecin Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon ...................................................... 40 OIP Vidzeme and Kurzeme, Latvia .................................................................................... 41 3.4.1 Political conditions influencing Vidzeme and Kurzeme ............................................................................ 41 3.4.2 Economic conditions influencing Vidzeme and Kurzeme ......................................................................... 42 3.4.3 Social conditions influencing Vidzeme and Kurzeme ............................................................................... 45 3.4.4 Technological conditions influencing Vidzeme and Kurzeme ................................................................... 46 3.4.5 Environmental conditions influencing Vidzeme and Kurzeme .................................................................. 47 3.4.6 Legal conditions influencing Vidzeme and Kurzeme ................................................................................ 47 3.4.7 Outlook for the bioeconomy in Vidzeme and Kurzeme ............................................................................ 48 OIP Covasna, Romania ...................................................................................................... 49 3.5.1 Political conditions influencing Covasna .................................................................................................. 49 The macro-environment surrounding BE-Rural’s Open Innovation Platforms 5 3.5.2 Economic conditions influencing Covasna ............................................................................................... 51 3.5.3 Social conditions influencing Covasna ..................................................................................................... 55 3.5.4 Technological conditions influencing Covasna ......................................................................................... 56 3.5.5 Environmental conditions influencing Covasna ........................................................................................ 57 3.5.6 Legal conditions influencing Covasna ...................................................................................................... 58 3.5.7 Outlook for the bioeconomy in Covasna .................................................................................................. 58 4 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................ 59 References .......................................................................................................................................... 60 The macro-environment surrounding BE-Rural’s Open Innovation Platforms 6 Figures Figure 1: Factors influencing strategy development and deployment ................................................. 10 Figure 2: Growth of GDP per capita in € for 2013-2017 ...................................................................... 15 Figure 3: GVA in Stara Zagora by economic sector in € Million .......................................................... 16 Figure 4: Deforestation waste .............................................................................................................. 27 Figure 5: Agriculture waste ..................................................................................................................