During the one-week professional practice program, employees of the Public Institution County Development Agency of Osijek-Baranja County stayed in Brussels.

On the first day of professional practice, colleagues from Osijek had the opportunity to learn more about the work of the European Committee of the Regions, with an emphasis on the legislative framework of cross-border cooperation in the context of the preparation and implementation of EU projects, from Osijek resident Slaven Klobučar, an employee of the European Committee of the Regions.

Among the first activities of professional practice, we held a meeting with the Representation of local self-government units of the German federal state of Bavaria in Brussels. The topic of the meeting was the previous work of the Representative Office, which began its work in 1992, as well as topics that are currently high on the priority list of Bavaria. Colleagues also presented the work of the Public Institution County Development Agency of Osijek-Baranja County, as well as strategic projects implemented in the area of ​​Osijek-Baranja County.

On the second day of professional practice, we visited the European Parliament and held a meeting with representative Karl Ressler. We talked about the budget of the European Union, the multi-year financial framework as well as the perspective of the Republic of Croatia in the financial period ahead. The day was rounded off with a visit to the Parlamentarium explaining the path towards European cooperation.

Colleagues had the opportunity to learn more about the work of the EU Council from the Minister of Cohesion Policy, Macroregional Strategies and Outermost Regions Ivan Zeka-Pivač, also from Osijek. The Council of the EU is the place where the voice of the governments of the EU member states is heard. The Permanent Representation of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union is the key voice of Croatian interests.

Part of the professional practice was the organization of the exhibition and participation in the exhibition "Wind from the Plain" in the premises of the Representative Office. Through the organization of the exhibition of paintings, the cultural riches of Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem, as well as the beauty of the landscape, were presented to a wider audience in Brussels, and the exhibition presented only a small part of these treasures and the landscape of our region.

Professional practice in the office of the Representative Office enabled the employees of the Public Institution County Development Agency of Osijek-Baranja County to become familiar with the work of European Union institutions and the perspective of the role of the Republic of Croatia in the creation of European policies, as well as opportunities for involving local and regional communities in their creation.