The first day of the meeting focused on combined instruments, with contributions from representatives of the Fi-Compass network, a European platform managed by the European Commission with the technical support of the EIB and regional financial institutions. A brief overview of combined financial instruments for urban and regional development was presented, coordinated by the FLAG Fund, a Bulgarian fund managing an advisory and investment platform established in Bulgaria with the support of the EIB to finance municipal investment projects.
The discussions centered on lessons learned from previous programming and the outlook for the 2021-2027 programming period. Additionally, the Managing Authority’s perspective on combined instruments was presented, along with insights from the EAPB expert group on Structural Funds and financial instruments. The topic of bonds was also covered, with presentations by Elite-Euronext Group and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, who shared their experiences in regional basket bond operations. On March 20, the event continued with in-depth sessions on the Piedmont ecosystem supporting SMEs and startups. The day concluded with a visit to OGR Tech, a hub dedicated to innovation, business acceleration, and scientific, technological, and industrial research.
The two-day event provided valuable insights and shared examples of best practices that can be adopted by other regions and countries in Central Europe.
