This is the second time the Secretariat has successfully applied for the exchangeEU call, a dedicated exchange programme for the EU’s coal, lignite, peat and oil shale regions in transition. The programme provides opportunities for peer-to-peer exchanges with the aim of creating long-term relationships that can accelerate the clean energy transition in different regions of the EU.
Under the exchangeEU programme, two successful exchanges have been carried out by the Coal and Steel Commission Secretariat, with three foreign delegations visiting our region from Western Macedonia (Greece), Upper Nitra (Slovakia) and Zasajve (Slovenia).
The exchange programme focused on three main themes: energy communities, retraining and upskilling of workers involved in the just transition, and stakeholder engagement, with a particular focus on youth participation. During the exchange, 3 thematic workshops and a student roundtable discussion were organised, and field exercises related to the themes were conducted. In the latter, the delegation also visited the power plant in Mátra, the hydroelectric power plant in Kisköre and the social solar park in Tiszabő.
In parallel with these activities, the project manager of the Zasavje Land Promotion Agency spent a full week at the Coal Region Commission Secretariat for job-shadowing. This also included meetings with local stakeholders, mainly on economic diversification and alternative reclamation topics.
One of the tangible results of these meetings was the identification of topics and calls for proposals that will form the basis for future cooperation.
The exchange programme is part of the exchangeEU programme.
News sent by: Zsuzsa Piskóti-Kovács PhD
Photos by: Zsuzsa Piskóti-Kovács PhD