The goal of the relevant call is to develop and improve the quality and availability of the infrastructure in the existing entrepreneurial zones through encouraging investments in areas where it is necessary to construct new infrastructure, or upgrading or expanding existing common infrastructure in the existing zones, with the goal of attracting investments and creating opportunities for new jobs. The relevance and importance of the proposed project, when compared to the goals of the relevant call, is in the fact that the proposed project enables the activation of the existing zone, which now, in stage I, has the surface area of 739,821 m2, its occupancy is 27% and its active occupancy is 14%. The available land area for entrepreneurs is 587,584 m2.

The project will provide additional availability of 9 plots with the surface area of 334,366 m2, which would increase the available plot area from 203,293 m2 to 537,569 m2 and increase the intensity of the activation to 91% of the total available area of stage I.

The goal of the project holder is connected to local, regional, national, and European development goals: – Development Strategy of the City of Nova Gradiška until 2020, – Development Strategy of the Brod-Posavina County, – Strategy for the Development of Entrepreneurship of the Republic of Croatia until 2020 and the Strategy of the European Union for the Danube Region.

The main goal of the project is to invest into the construction of basic infrastructure in the entrepreneurial zone Industrial Park Nova Gradiška, which will create the environment for further development of entrepreneurship in the City of Nova Gradiška. Investments into business infrastructure of entrepreneurial zones are made in order to improve the quality of such infrastructure and services, and to attract investments and create opportunities for creating new jobs for small and medium enterprises.

The goal will be realised by using the funds according to the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014 – 2020 and the defined Investment Priority 3 – Promoting Entrepreneurship, by specifically facilitating the utilisation of new ideas and encouraging the creation of new businesses, including business incubators, and its accompanying Specific Goal 3a2 – Enabling a Positive Environment for Establishing and Developing Businesses.

The project for the development of the Industrial Park Nova Gradiška has been integrated into the local Development Strategy of the City of Nova Gradiška until 2020 and falls under the Strategic Goal 1: Smart Growth – Increasing the Competitiveness of the Economy, Priority 1.1. creating a business environment that encourages and strengthens the competitiveness of small and medium entrepreneurs and businesses, Measure 1.1.4.: Business Infrastructure Development.

Measure 1.1.4.: Business Infrastructure Development should ensure the following:

• Development of a better entrepreneurial and investment climate
• Support for new investments aimed at modernising the entrepreneurial infrastructure
• Support cooperation among local entrepreneurs and ensure better entrepreneurship promotion among the local population
• Better promotion for the City as a quality investment location