Review of the meeting of the Vincult Project partners in Groesbeek

The kick-off meeting of the new EU VINCULT Project involving nearly all partners of the VINEST Network took place in Groesbeek from the 27th to the 30th of March. This Dutch town has recently joined the VINEST Network, so the meeting has been also its welcome and presentation. Then, the new VINCULT Project -cofinanced by the "Europe for Citizens" Programme- involves the partners of the VINEST Network, seven small European wine areas from Austria, Croatia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain.

The objectives of the meeting were the exploration of new opportunities for cooperation in the field of best practices in wine tourism and the improving of the offer and quality of services.

The meeting was also the context for the Town Twinning between Groesbeek and Bullas, signed by the respectively deputy mayor Sjaak Thijssen and the mayor Pedro Chico Fernandez. This and the next scheduled twinning agreements aim to enforce the links among the different partners involved in the Project.

A conference hold during the meeting also analysed the EU-policy impacts and climate change on small European wine growing areas and their cultural landscapes. The Spanish partners from Bullas presented the actions they are developing in the field of the Climate Change adaptation (the ACT Life Project), which is among the interests of Groesbeek as well, so they also exposed their concerns and work on this issue.

The next meeting of the VINCULT Project will take place at the end of May in Ilok, the Croatian partner which hopefully will join also the Network very soon.