Development Agency of Harghita County

The Development Agency of Harghita County (RO: Agenția de Dezvoltare Județeană Harghita, HU: Hargita Megye Fejlesztési Ügynöksége) that was established by the Council of Harghita County Council, based in Miercurea-Ciuc, Romania, on the basis of Council Decision 322/2015. Our main objective is to contribute to the development of Harghita County through our activities programmes, as well as to organize, if necessary, the professional background work related to the Council's activities.
The Agency is an open institution in development which, through its promoter and mediator role, helps local initiatives to materialize, collaborates with relevant agents in a well-balanced developmental process of the county, and if needed, contributes to the concentration of national and international resources oriented on the region's development, as well as to the improvement of the efficiency of local investments.

Through our programs, we aim to contribute to the creation of an entrepreneur-friendly Harghita County, to stimulate the attraction of external resources and support the sustainable development and investment in the region, to encourage new and innovative ideas, to stimulate job creation, entrepreneurship and the implementation of region-wide ideas, and to provide useful information in the field of economic development of the county. In brief, we contribute to the economic and social development of Harghita County. One of our main objectives is to initiate programs and projects aimed at solving economic and social problems for the benefit of local communities.
We carry out our activities in the the heart of Szeklerland in Romania. It is a region in Europe with a rich and living agricultural tradition and cultural heritage that plays a key role in the economy of the rural regions, while contributing significantly to the EU’s many goals, such as sustainable development and smarter, greener agriculture.

We try to gather all relevant information about Harghita County that may be of value to investors, from investment opportunities to natural resources. All this offers simplified solutions and makes them more transparent and easier for investors.

Special attention is paid to increase the focus on supporting vocational education, one of the objectives of which is to change public perceptions that vocational education does not pay. This needs to be shifted in a positive direction and show more and more young people that there is great potential in taking an interest in a profession. At the same time, learning a profession can also provide a secure basis for staying at home, which can give young people financial security. Particular effort is put to affect young people, such as career guidance, application opportunities, calls for proposals and starting a business. Instilling an entrepreneurial spirit among young people will indirectly contribute to an increase in the number of businesses. What is more, we cooperate with high schools in the county to create the possibility for students to do an internship at the Agency, in every year several students and pupils are spending their internship/traineeship at us.

Constantly work is put into the activity to create a climate based on public-private cooperation, with a good flow of information in both directions to help entrepreneurs address their problems and difficulties more quickly and effectively. At the same time, by organizing roundtable discussions on calls for proposals, we act as an intermediary between the institutions concerned and businesses, helping them to attract as much non-reimbursable support as possible and to establish direct contact with representatives of the institutions that are launching these calls.

By supporting various equestrian events, we help to raise interest in competitive equestrian sports and preserve equestrian traditions. It is important to make people aware of the beauty and potential of equestrian sports.

As the first initiative in the county the Agency aims to address forest management, the sustainability and expansion of green zones. There is a particular relevance in defining forestry issues, such as promoting the protection and valorization of forests or the sustainability of biodiversity, biomass and the wood processing industry. In addition, the legal status of public landholdings (so-called “compossessorates”) is specifically addressed, as is the development of a long-term vision for the financial sustainability of the properties they own. Real-time assistance to forest managers and all stakeholders is also vital.

We are proud of the Szekler Product (HU: Székely Termék, RO: Produs Secuiesc) trademark, launched by the Harghita County Council. It is important to strengthen the market position of good quality products of small producers, aiming at sustainable food, maintenance of the agricultural market, short food chain and traceability of food. The Szekler Product trademark counts more than 190 local producers who use the trademark for nearly 1300 products. They are of great value at regional level, but also at national and international level, as the products have been promoted at several fairs abroad, such as in Manchester and Budapest. The review of trademarked products is ongoing, as there are new applications for the trademark. Particular attention is being paid to modernization and digitalization, as we are working on a mobile app that will allow farmers, growers and producers to interact directly with consumers, improve food traceability and give consumers confidence in the quality of the products they buy. At the same time, we are making continuous efforts towards organic products. Our priority is to encourage initiatives to obtain organic certification and to consult stakeholders, as this is the key to sustainability.

On the subject of adult education, it is worth noting that at 19th of December 2023 the Development Agency of Harghita County obtained the authorisation to organise the
qualification course for the occupation of kitchen assistant RO/01/1013/206 COR code 941101.

In summary, the Agency is present in many areas, from our programs targeting the economy, to the promotion of vocational education, to online marketing and digitalization. We are in constant and ongoing contact with young people, students, businesses, small producers and farmers alike. Our goals are achieved through a number of programmes, such as assistance of the vocational training in Harghita County or consultation and technical support in forestry or promotion of equestrian values.