Structural changes in agriculture, the demand for renewable resources and the effects of climate change are three of the major challenges in Europe. Future main tasks are to strengthen the use of renewable resources and to improve its efficiency as well as to develop adjustments strategies in forestry and agriculture due to climate change. Solutions for these issues correspond with the development of rural areas, which have to face difficulties like high unemployment rates, weak economy and decreasing population. The approach of RUBIRES is to develop and implement strategies for a higher use of renewable resources and therefore gain added value to support the development of rural areas in a sustainable way.On the one hand, the growing competition between food and energy production causes new problems and new scientific expertise leads to discussions about the sustainability of renewable resources. On the other hand various possibilities in the use of biomass can generate a large potential for added value for rural areas. Renewable resources offer a great chance for regional added value if integrated in regional economy circles. Until now no instruments exist which help to steer the development and regard other demands rising from tourism or the environment itself. So in many regions this potential for energy production, as well as for other material use, is not used due to the lack of awareness and knowledge, missing technologies and missing management to initiate, develop and implement necessary strategies. To gain regional added value the potential has to be better promoted. Regions as an operating base gain increasing importance by co-operation of regional and local stakeholders to mobilize innovative potential and develop regional adjustment strategies. Exploiting the regional potential will contribute to the strengthening of regional economy, help to reduce the CO2 emissions and therefore support the European climate protection strategies. Achievements: The CENTRAL EUROPE project RUBIRES- Rural Biological Resources aimed to increase the regional added-value,secure/improve job opportunities,strengthen sustainable development, implement new technologies in energy production and reducing the emission of CO2 long term in the involved regions from Germany,Austria,Hungary,Slovenia and Italy. Specific objectives were to increase the use of renewable resources and to create regional added-value. Therefore,new tools and methods were developed and introduced,such as a management for the use of existing space and resources in order to secure a sustainable energy generation. These goals were achieved through an extensive cross-border movement,various technologies and scientific know-how over the course of the project from January 2009 through December 2011. By utilizing modern media the broad public was informed about the topic and interest was raised.The successively carried out (inter)national qualification workshops established the basis forthe implementation of the gainedtransnational findings throughout the project, in particular the on-site working and implementation level got involved. After completion of the regionally relevant data collection(demand in energy and raw materials; existing material flow and management instruments),an improved co-ordination of land-use could be carried out according to national goals.Results are:a small expandable biogas plant was developed according to demand;concrete usable biomass potentials were identified;biogas plants were planned, where lost heat is fully utilized(energy self-sustaining municipalities);it was determined how other agricultural primary–and by-products can be utilized. Furthermore,experimental approaches of cooperation were supported, consideration of agricultural values in local and regional development strategies was established,sustainable concepts for environmentally friendly energy were developed,various value added chains were created as well as optimized and the environmental awareness of the population was heightened. Over the past 3 years of the RUBIRES project the co-operation and collaboration within the partnership has increased and continued, which in turn contributed to the strengthening of the partnership and helped the exchange of experiences.The final conference combined with the 7th transnational Workshop took place from the 11th-13th of October, 2011 in Salzwedel,Germany.Besides all all project partners, developers of new technologies, various organizations administering potentials, representatives from politics and administration, universities and supporters of renewable resources,were invited and participated actively in the workshop,which was dedicated mainly to discuss the results of each work package as well as remaining activities.Communication,knowledge management and dissemination activities were carried out over the past 3 years and were particularly focused on during the 6th period for dissemination of results.