The FOREST4EU project, in which the Vukovar-Srijem County Competence Centre (CEKOM) participated as the only Croatian partner, has won two awards in Croatia’s Best EU Project competition for 2026. At the award ceremony held during the 10th Regional Development and EU Funds Days in Šibenik, the project was named the winner in the “Contribution to Education, Science and Innovation” category. It also received the Public Choice Award, coming out on top among all 36 shortlisted projects.
The Best EU Project competition has been organised for seven consecutive years by Jutarnji list, the Croatian County Association, the European Parliament Liaison Office in Croatia and the Župan.hr portal, under the patronage of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds.
Putting European Knowledge to Work for the Local Economy
FOREST4EU brought together 329 experts from 25 European countries, with the aim of making new knowledge and proven innovative solutions in forestry and agroforestry accessible to those who can put them into practice.
The project established a European network comprising 86 Operational Groups, five Innovation Hubs and a database containing more than 170 innovative solutions and nearly 175 practical guidelines. These cover sustainable forest management, forest protection and adaptation to climate change, as well as more efficient use of forest resources.
Through CEKOM’s participation, Croatian experts, institutions and businesses have gained access to European expertise, technologies and international partnerships that are essential for the continued development of the forestry and wood-processing industries.
Vukovar-Srijem County Prefect Ivan Bosančić emphasised that this double recognition highlights the importance of connecting science and industry, which has been one of CEKOM’s core missions since its establishment.
“We have the Spačva forest, premium-quality Slavonian oak and hardworking, skilled people. But we also want the knowledge and expertise needed to create even greater value from these resources. That is precisely why we, as a County, established CEKOM – to connect our businesses with researchers, new technologies and European expertise. These two awards are a tremendous recognition of the people working towards this goal, but also an important message to our students and young people: the future of our county is built on knowledge and innovation. I congratulate Director Ivan Ambroš and the entire CEKOM team, all project partners and our Development Agency on this achievement,” said the County Prefect after accepting the award.
A County-Backed Project Recognised at National Level
The FOREST4EU project was implemented under the Horizon Europe programme, with total European Union funding of just over EUR 2 million. The project was coordinated by the University of Florence, while CEKOM participated as the Croatian project partner.
FOREST4EU was nominated for Croatia’s Best EU Project competition by Vukovar-Srijem County and the Vukovar-Srijem County Development Agency.
This double recognition demonstrates the value of international cooperation and the important role of regional development institutions in bridging the gap between scientific research and the needs of industry. The project's results, including the knowledge gathered, practical guidelines developed and partnerships established, will remain available for further use and implementation beyond the project's completion.
Text and photo credits: Vukovar-Srijem County.
