BRIDGES (Bridging competence infrastructure gaps and speeding up growth and jobs delivery in regions) is a new interregional project, in which Regional Development Agency of Western Macedonia S.A. is a partner, approved under the first call for proposals of the Interreg Europe cooperation programme, financed by the European Union’s Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the Programming Period 2014 -2020.

The project was initiated in December 2014 and has become a part of a debate between regions on facing challenges deriving from the effectiveness of their RIS3 implementation. The overall objective of BRIDGES project is to significantly improve the RIS3 implementation governance and the delivery of Structural Funds. The aim of BRIDGES project is to improve RIS3 implementation in all partner regions. Among the priorities are excellence-based bio-economy investments, interregional cooperation between RIS3 bio-economy industries and research infrastructures, and improvement of RIS3 implementation intermediaries as industry-led centres of competence.

Regional Development Agency of Western Macedonia, through BRIDGES project, intends to focus on the agro-food sector and on improving products through localized productive chains. According to RIS3 Regional Assessment for W. Macedonia, report from Expert Team to the European Commission, Directorate General for Regional Policy, SMEs in food and beverages may improve their profit margins and boost their sales by better branding and advertising, using new-generation ERP and CRM tools.

10 institutions from 8 European regions will work together in BRIDGES. The project partners are:
• Kainuun Etu ltd. (FI) – Lead Partner
• Regional Council of Kainuu (FI)
• Lubelskie Voivodeship (PL)
• Uusimaa Regional Council (FI)
• Regional Development Agency of Western Macedonia S.A. – ANKO (GR)
• Soča Valley Development Centre (SI)
• Pannon Business Network Association (HU)
• European Business and Innovation Centre of Burgos (ES)
• Centre for Research & Technology - Hellas/Institute for Research & Technology – Thessaly (GR)
• University of Wageningen (NL)
BRIDGES project will run for 5 years starting from 1st of April 2016. The kick-off event launching the project implementation took place on the 20th – 21st of April in Ljubljana (Slovenia).

Contact person:
Panagiotis Ptochoulis
Rural and Surveying Engineer, MSC
Head of Planning and Programmes Management Section
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF WESTERN MACEDONIA S.A. - ANKO
1-3 Fon Karagianni St., 50100 Kozani - Greece
tel. +30 24610 24022, fax. +30 24610 38628
e-mails: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.anko.gr