The Phase 1 of the project ended in June 2019 and the next phase (2019-2021) will be devoted to monitoring the implementation of the actions inspired by the interregional lessons learnt and good practices.
The most significant achievement of the project so far has been the strategic status it has received in influencing the EU Raw Materials and Mining policies. For example, from some new initiatives in the mining sector, there has been a requirement to have a link to REMIX and H2020 MIREU networks.
There has also been some great achievements in regards to stakeholder work in the participating 10 EU regions. As a result of the project, for instance in Sterea Ellada region, Greece cooperation between the different operators developing the mining sector has widened into actions to advance the digitalisation of the sector in the whole country.
Furthermore, the REMIX cooperation has formulated strong relationships among the participating partners resulting in future cooperation beyond REMIX. As an example, Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León (ICE), Spain and Geokompetenzzentrum Freiberg in Saxony (GKZ), Germany intend to further strengthen and deepen their networking in raw materials sector by means of establishing a long-term partnership focused on linking both regions raw material sectors in upstream and downstream operations.
Due to the co-operation between the REMIX and MIREU projects, one of the most significant achievenments has been the establishment of the European Commission supported S3 partnership in mining and the beginning of the collaboration with the OECD worldwide mining network. Close cooperation between the mining regions is the key if the industry wants to develop towards more sustainable, smarter, greener and in Europe more self-sufficient future. Cooperation is essential to be able to answer to the constantly growing demand for raw materials needed in the development of new green technologies such as the electric cars.
The main purpose of the mining industry S3 Partnership is to operationalise the work started in REMIX and MIREU projects. The next EU funding period will clearly direct more funding to these already existing S3 Partnerships. From the development viewpoint of the mining sector, and the funding available for the work, it is crucial for the mining regions to belong to this S3 Partnership.
In addition to the above mentioned achievements, the feedback from the different stakeholders has been very positive. Their experiences have demonstrated the importance of the learning process during the project.
" At the interregional project meetings I have learnt about new ways to collaborate at different levels and I have also acquired new valuable contacts from other REMIX regions." - Specialist, GTK (Finland)
" We have learnt to view the mining sector in a broader sense, which entails operators from many different levels - operators that we did not even know to think before. In addition, we have learnt to cooperate together despite of the different backgrounds and viewpoints. " Specialist, SIEMCALSA (Spain)
" The best part about these interregional meetings have been the networking opportunities and the new cooperation initatives achieved. " - Senior Researcher, University of Salamanca (Spain)
At the and of Phase 1 in the project the partners produced regional action plans for the next two years based on the initial objectives in the project and the good practices learnt from other participating regions. In the next phase of the project started in July 2019 the purpose is to bring the Phase 1 learnings into actions in the regional development.
All of the materials produced in the project, including the action plans, will become available on the project website as soon as they are validated by the programme.
