ENERGY - Coal regions exchange programme

The coal regions exchange programme is progressing at full speed. Its most recent in-person visits brought together stakeholders from Serbia and the Jiu Valley region (Romania); Kakanj municipality (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the Stara Zagora region (Bulgaria); Novovolynsk, Lytovezh, Poromiv, Chervonohrad communities (Ukraine) and Małopolska and Silesia Voivodeships (Poland). Participants are eager to learn from each other, and among the main successes of the programme is the formation of new partnerships. Read more below and watch the videos to gain insights into these exchanges!

date: 06/09/2023

More about the exchange programme

The visits provided numerous opportunities for open discussions about experiences, solutions, and valuable lessons learned by coal regions. Participants greatly appreciated the knowledge sharing and direct dialogue with peers, which allowed for the exchange of ideas to address common challenges.

Visit to Jiu Valley (Romania)

18-21 April 2023

Participating delegations led by: Belgrade Open School (Serbia) and Valea Jiului Coalition (Romania).

Among other participants were representatives of: the Ministry of Mining and Energy, Trade Union Confederation "Nezavisnost" (Serbia); Vulcan municipality (Romania).

Topics in focus:

(Public) planning for the transition
Reskilling of workers
Citizen engagement
Mine repurposing
Economic diversification

Meetings with:

Renew Acad project for the retraining of miners
University of Petrosani
National coal company Jiu Valley
Trade union Muntele
Selmi Wood Concept SRL, an SME employing former miners
Regional Development Agency Vest
Representatives of municipalities, local business, and civil society

Field visits to:

Active coal mine Livezeni in Petroşani
Miner’s Saviour Museum at the former Petrila mine

Visit to the Stara Zagora region (Bulgaria)

29-30 May 2023

Participating delegations led by: Kakanj municipality (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the Stara Zagora region (Bulgaria).

Among other participants were representatives of: coal mines RMU Kakanj and RMU Breza, including RMU Breza’s trade union, NGO Aarhus Centre (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Topics in focus:

Job creation, social protection
Re-skilling and upskilling of workforce
Role of clean energy technologies and digitisation
Strategy development and stakeholder engagement

Meetings with:

Stara Zagora, Galabovo and Radnevo municipalities
Vocational training centre Erasmus Hub
Digital Innovation Hub Zagore
Stara Zagora’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria
TPP Galabovo

Field visit to:

TPP Galabovo

Watch this video with some impressions from the visit!

Visit to Małopolska and Silesia Voivodeships (Poland)

4-6 July 2023

Participating delegations led by: Novovolynsk community (Ukraine), Marshal's Office of the Malopolska Region and the Association of Mining Communes (Poland).

Among other participants were representatives of: Lytovezh, Poromiv, Chervonohrad communities (Ukraine), Central Mining Institute (Poland).

Topics in focus:

Economic development, job creation
Land rehabilitation
Infrastructure repurposing
Strategy development, financing opportunities

Meetings with:

Marshal's Office of the Silesia Region
Libiaz, Brzeszcze, Jastrzębie-Zdrój and Katowice municipalities
Pawłowice and Gieraltowice villages
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Sites Foundation
Mining Company Janina
Mine repurposing company SRK
Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas
Katowice Special Economic Zone
Zimbardo, a local NGO

Field visits to:

Mining heap in Libiąż
Guido mine
Historic district of Nikiszowiec (Katowice)

Watch our videos about visits to Małopolska and Silesia to "join" the exchange participants!