Background information

The economy and society of Ida-Virumaa region in eastern Estonia has been built on oil shale mining industry. Current research suggests that the European Green Deal may leave Ida-Virumaa in a socially and economically disadvantaged situation. In order to support the technological transition to more sustainable manufacturing fields, and the social transition that this includes, a research body has been created. The consortium of Tartu University and Tallinn University of Technology has put together 22 research groups whose research will help to develop technologies and monitor social transfer in the Ida-Viru region over the next six years.

The consortium is funded by national and European funds.

Content of measure

With the support of research directions, the consortium helps the companies of Ida-Virumaa to find new research-intensive technologies that would make it possible to build a cleaner industry and create new valuable jobs, thereby promoting social changes. The research is conducted by researchers and scientists from Tallinn University of Technology and Tartu University. The research is focused on 4 broader themes:

• Renewable energy and distributed solutions;
• Digitalization of industry and big data;
• Monitoring transition processes and analysis of governance models;
• Critical raw materials and beneficiation by chemical processes.

Several research groups work on different topics under each of these themes.

The budget is not currently publicly available.

Use of measure

Not relevant.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Other social actors (e.g. NGOs) EU (Council, EC, EP)	European Funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

At the moment of the adoption of the measure, there is no involvement of social partners yet. However, it is very likely that in the coming six years social partners such as local or company-level trade unions and peak level social partners will be involved.

Views and reactions

There is no evidence of views expressed by social partners specifically on this research body.

Sources

• 19 October 2023: Õiglase ülemineku konsortsium toetab Ida-Virumaal nii tehnoloogilist kui ka ühiskondlikku siiret (kestlikuarengukeskus.ut.ee)