REGIONE AUTONOMA FRIULI-VENEZIA GIULIA

Their core work

Regione Friuli-Venezia Giulia is the autonomous regional government of the northeastern Italian region bordering Austria and Slovenia, with Trieste as its capital. In H2020, the region acted as a public authority testing innovative procurement and sustainable planning approaches — from brownfield remediation and accessibility solutions to e-mobility fleet transitions for public administrations. Their role is that of a policy-driven end user and public buyer, bringing real regulatory authority and procurement budgets to pilot new solutions at regional scale.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

The region's early H2020 work (2015-2016) centered on environmental remediation of contaminated land and innovative procurement for social inclusion (accessibility for visually impaired). By 2016-2017, the focus shifted decisively toward sustainable energy and clean mobility — integrated energy planning with SIMPLA and a full e-mobility fleet transition with NOEMIX. The trajectory shows a move from problem-specific procurement experiments toward systemic green transition of public services.

The region is moving toward full electrification of public fleets and green energy procurement, making them a relevant partner for clean mobility and public-sector decarbonization projects.

How they like to work

Always a participant, never a coordinator — consistent with their role as a public authority providing real-world testbeds rather than leading research. With 38 unique partners across 10 countries from just 4 projects, they operate in medium-to-large consortia and do not repeat partners, suggesting they are open to new collaborations. All four projects were Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), meaning they contribute policy expertise and pilot sites rather than technical R&D capacity.

Broadly connected across 10 European countries with 38 distinct partners from just 4 projects, indicating participation in well-populated consortia. Partner cities mentioned include Bilbao and Seixal, suggesting a Southern/Mediterranean European network with cross-regional collaboration.

What sets them apart

As an autonomous region with legislative powers, Friuli-Venezia Giulia brings something most partners cannot: actual regulatory authority and public procurement budgets to pilot and adopt project results at scale. Their location in Trieste — a border city connecting Italy, Slovenia, and Central Europe — adds geographic relevance for cross-border pilot deployments. For consortium builders, they offer a credible public-sector end user who can turn project outcomes into real policy and procurement decisions.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NOEMIX
  Largest project (EUR 155K, running to 2022), directly transitioning the regional government's vehicle fleet to electric mobility powered by renewable energy — a concrete, measurable public-sector decarbonization effort.
• BRODISE
  Addressed brownfield decontamination in Southern Europe using pre-commercial procurement, with Trieste as a pilot city for soil remediation of heavy metals and hydrocarbons.