The 6th AER Black Sea Summit took place in Batumi (Ajara, Georgia) on 15 September. Once more an opportunity for AER members from the Black Sea region to share on their priorities and exchange on the topics they wish to cooperate on. The presence of experts from the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014-2020 helped members understand better the subtelties of the programme’s remit and application process, whereas AER experts presented tips on how to give your applications the best chances of success.

This edition focused on funding opportunities, calls for projects and a presentation of the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014-2020. Participants had the opportunity to get deeper knowledge in one of the three workshops on:

1. Business and entrepreneurship in agriculture
2. Environmental challenges in the Black Sea region
3. Sustainable growth using learning networks

The future of the programme was also tackled and AER President, Dr Hande Özsan Bozatli stated “the Black Sea regions need to join forces to ensure the programme grows again in the next programming period. AER plays its part in this advocacy effort, like it does on cohesion policy, but we need the support of our members”. AER Secretary general Mathieu Mori reminded participants of AER’s constant dialogue with the European institutions and added, “this year alone, we have organised no less than 8 meetings with EU Commissioners and there are more planned for the coming months. We encourage our members to get involved in these meetings and to make a difference in advocacy together with AER”. Any one interested in this issue and who has not yet done so should therefore contact the AER secretariat to make sure they are kept informed of the specific actions on the issue.

Agricultural entrepreneurship, saving the fragile ecosystem of the Black Sea and delivering sustainable growth were developed in detail between experts in workshops sessions.
The Chairman of the Government of Ajara Automous Republic, Mr Zurab Pataradze who has already hosted the AER Black Sea Summit twice, stressed the usefulness of the AER Black Sea Summit for capacity building and praised AER for all the work it does for non-EU members, a majority of participants in the room.

The presentations from the event can be found here.