Face the Future Challenges and lessons learned from

Face the Future Challenges and lessons learned from doing EU projects a contribution by Stefan Moritz, Managing Director European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME European Week of Regions and Cities 7 -10 October 2019 Brussels

Why me? Maybe because… ○ 25 years experience in EU-project planning and management ○ Sociologist ○ Moderator for participatory planning processes (GOPP, OST, World Café) ○ Manager of EU-wide networks ○ Project Evaluation expert ○ Trainer for EU-Project planning ○ Entrepreneur since 20 years, free-lancer since always ○ Lobbyist for the interests of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises ○ German, lived in Italy for 20+ years, now lives in the Brussels bubble Face the Future – Oct. 7 – Stefan Moritz, Managing Director European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME European Week of Regions and Cities 7 -10 October 2019 Brussels

Challenges? Project planning life can be hard, when you have to… ○ Understand what the EU wants ○ Bring this together with the interests and needs of your clients / target groups / the subject you are working on => where is the added value for the EU to finance it? ○ Write not ideal projects, but good, timely, concrete, practical and value for money ○ Win other people for your idea, set up a group of partners, take care for human relations and group dynamics, define together rules, but also: divide et impera and forgive ○ Convince decision makers, not only the final beneficiaries ○ Solve problems, legally correct and economically viable, technically sound and timewise feasible, but always with an eye to the freedom of choice of people Face the Future – Oct. 7 – Stefan Moritz, Managing Director European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME European Week of Regions and Cities 7 -10 October 2019 Brussels

Lessons learned? From the height of my 52. 75 years I allow me to pronounce the following pieces of wisdom ○ Politicians need to be (re-)elected => Give them good reasons to support you and give them visibility ○ Every person in an organisation matters, even the one answering all telephone calls ○ Only when a decision is shared and supported by all, the actions will be carried out well ○ Avoid planning for money, plan for goals… ! But don’t forget that money matters ○ As project manager you must not be an expert, you must be a leader and a care taker ○ When doing cross-border or EU-wide projects, pay attention to cultural differences ○ A project, is a project – not a total organisation ○ Everybody that comes is the right one, everything that happens is the only thing that could happen – Open Space Technology Face the Future – Oct. 7 – Stefan Moritz, Managing Director European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME European Week of Regions and Cities 7 -10 October 2019 Brussels

Thank you! Stefan Moritz stefan. moritz@cea-pme. com Face the Future – Oct. 7 – Stefan Moritz, Managing Director European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME European Week of Regions and Cities 7 -10 October 2019 Brussels