COWI helps Hungary access EU regional funds 

COWI has just signed an agreement with the Hungarian government on regional development assistance to the country. The contract value of DKK 125 million makes this the largest agreement of its kind so far.

The assignment, which will be paid for by the Hungarian government and the EU, covers assistance to the Hungarian authorities, local and regional, and ministries in developing projects aimed at preparing the country to apply for investment grants from the EU’s regional development fund when it joins the EU on 1 May 2004. The 150-200 projects are mainly within the fields of e.g. transport, the environment, nature conservation, telecommunications, health-care, tourism, R&D and industrial development.

International expertise

“In many of its regions, Hungary is much in need of development, and the country has already made major preparations for it. It has for instance drawn up a national plan and established the necessary institutions. However, experience from other countries shows that it is difficult to prepare projects to receive grants. Many have come a cropper trying to do so. Therefore, Hungary decided to call in international expertise for the preparatory work,” explains COWI project director, Erling Hvid.

Preparation of the projects comprises aspects such as technical, financial and environmental analyses, project planning and the drafting of applications for EU grants. 3-500 experts covering a broad range of areas will be involved during the two years the project will last.

The accumulation of knowledge and expertise by the Hungarian partners is also an important aspect of the project. Therefore all the teams will be composed of both Hungarian and international experts, and the Hungarian partners will receive systematic training and education. Besides COWI, the consortium consists of six western European and seven Hungarian companies, including COWI’s subsidiaries in Budapest and Brussels.

Sharp competition

COWI won the project in competition with two other international consortia. COWI has been represented by a rapidly growing Hungarian managed and staffed company since 1997, and the contract strengthens COWI’s position in the Hungarian market considerably.

“The very size of the project will raise COWI’s profile and bring us new knowledge and expertise. The experience we gain from the project will strengthen our position in the other new member countries, which also gain access to EU's regional development funds, and which all need assistance from the outside to prepare and implement the projects. Poland, among others, is about to issue an invitation for tenders of the same type,” says Mr Hvid.


Published: 16.01.2004