Ister-Granum EGTC

On the last day of April 2023, the Ister-Granum EGTC held the closing event of four related tenders in Esztergom.

The guests were welcomed by Eugen Szabó, Co-president of the organisation, Balázs Steindl, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Esztergom, and Péter Nagy, Director of the EGTC. All three pointed out that the event was an important step in a decade-long process. The cooperation involving nearly 80 member settlements has a lot of ambitions and objectives, thanks to the proposals that are now being closed.

Péter Nagy presented the project pairs that were implemented thanks to the support of the Interreg V-A Slovakia – Hungary Cross-border Cooperation Programme within the framework of the IG Heritage Territorial Action Plan.

The CCP – Coordination and Communication Project is a cohesive project that coordinates and socialises the entire action plan. Within the framework of the Ister-Granum EGTC’s proposal called CB_BRAND – Cross-border branding, a cross-border gastronomic and tourism portal (https://istergranum.eu/interaktiv-terkep/) and the elements needed for the implementation of the trademark program were developed. The project called DELIVERY – Development of local product sales infrastructure was implemented in cooperation with Natur Products s.r.o. and Börzsöny-Duna-Ipoly Vidékfejlesztési Egyesület (rural development association). The company acquired modern machines, while the association installed refrigeration containers in Szob and purchased a transport vehicle in addition to other smaller project elements. CB_Sales – Development of local product sales infrastructure was a partnership between the Municipality of Štúrovo and the Esztergom Environmental Culture Association. A building was renovated in Štúrovo, in the pedestrian street, thus the VIZA centre was created, which will have a dual function, as it will be an important meeting point of the region as a market and tourist centre. At the same time, a new transfer point of the Kiskosár Shopping Community in Esztergom was created.

After the short presentation of the project, the partners shared their experiences of nearly two years of cooperation, followed by the most festive moments of the event. Last autumn, the EGTC announced its trademark application. For the first time, local producers and two service providers and craftsmen submitted their application for registration. The applicants were consulted by a five-member jury and the Senate of the EGTC made the final decision, thanks to which the Ister-Granum trademark network will start its operation with forty-three members.

The aim of the cross-border trade mark system is to raise awareness and promote the high quality of local products among consumers by means of a rating system. The long-term goal is to strengthen regional identity, increase the competitiveness of the region, develop cooperative networks, and strengthen the relationship between producers, service providers and consumers on both sides of the border.

The call for the trademark program is still open! Any local producer, service provider, craftsman can apply for registration. The EGTC is looking for proposals to further expand its network and strengthen the identity of the region, bringing people on both sides of the border closer to each other.

Source of the article: Ister-Granum EGTC’s Facebook site