Regional Overview of Varazdin County

1. Regional Overview of Varazdin County

2. Varazdin County- Location

3. Varazdin County

4. 185 000 inhabitants Pop. Density 152/km² 6cities 22 municipalities 0,18 ha Average Agricultural Plot Size Unemployment: 8.8 % (unofficial rate for 2008, CES) Exports – 643 mil. € Germany (31%), Italy (19%), Slovenia (13%), Austria (12%) Import – 579 mil. € Italy (24%), Germany (20%), Austria (8%), Slovenia (7%) Varazdin County By The Numbers

5. Regional Economy • Strong SME Development • More than 2,000 SMEs • Majority up to 9 employees. • Important for the local economy • EU expansion opening new economic perspectives • Priority on technology development

6. Key Sectors • Traditional Sectors • Textile, Leather, Wood and Metal Processing • Food Processing • Construction • Developing Sectors • ICT, Logistics, Recycling • Emerging Sectors • Environmental Technology, Alternative Energy, Life Science, Biotechnology

7. Foreign Investment CALZEDONIA

8. Microsoft Business Technology Centre - Varazdin "Croatia has always been valued as a possible investment destination for Microsoft. We have developed a business-technology centre model for Croatia, such as the one we opened a year ago in Varazdin." Goran Radman Chairman, Microsoft South East Europe

9. Best practicesFree Zone Varazdin • Basic description and results • Leading customs free zone in Croatia • 11 investors (6 foreign, 5 domestic) • Investment: 40 mil € • Core business: manufacturing • Total export of the Zone: 250 mil € (40% of the County export) • Reasons for Creation • Technology transfer • Quality Employment • Business Development • Industrial Networking

10. Varazdin CountyGoals • Change employment structure and create new jobs • Planned breakdown of traditional industries • Enhance education system • Double the number of people with third level education • Conversion to research and development (R&D) industries • Technological literacy programmes • SMEs are the key players • Development and expansion of technology parks, innovation centres & business zones

11. Antirecession measures in Varazdin County • Reduction of regional expenditures (local rates,urban rents) • Subventions of interests on credits which are given to small and medium enterprises • Additional amounts for regional development agency in order to help the cities and the municipalities while applying for international projects • Continuous eduction of farmers,small and medium enterpreneurs • Help to the cities and the municipalities in creation of urban development plans

12. Antirecession measures in Varazdin County(II) • Implementation of new modern ICT technologies on all levels • Support for Guarantee Agency which approves guarantees to SMES, necessary in obtaining credits; • Credits for improvements in agricultural production (especially of milk and diary products, pork meet etc.) • Concentration of agricultural land

13. Contact Information • For more information, please contact: • Varazdin County • http://www.varazdinska-zupanija.hr • E-mail: savjet@varazdinska-zupanija.hr • Tel: +385 42 390 511 • AZRA (Varazdin County Development Agency) • www.azra.hr • E-mail:info@azra.hr • Tel: +385 42 422 200

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