EU funds for South East Europe:IPA II Cross-border Cooperation Programme

BULGARIA-SERBIA 2014-2020

Sofia, 2015

IPA II CBC Programme Bulgaria-Serbia aims to stimulate the balanced and sustainable development of the border region integrated in the European space – achieved through smart economic growth, environmental change adaptation and learning culture enhancement.

Strategic objective

Management structure

Managing Authority (MA) – DG “Territorial Cooperation Management” at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works of the Republic of Bulgaria is responsible for managing and implementing the Programme, in accordance with the principle of sound financial management.

National Authority (NA) - Serbian European Integration Office in Republic of Serbia supports the Managing Authority in the process of management and overall implementation of the Programme.

Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) - formed of representatives of MA, NA as well as other relevant national, regional and local authorities, macro-regional strategy representatives, economic and social partners. The JMC shall supervise the overall effectiveness, quality and coherence of the implementation of the cross-border Programme.

Joint Secretariat (JS) - a common structure that assists the MA, NA and the JMC in carrying out their functions, representing main contact point between the Programme and the potential beneficiaries/project partners.

2015€ 2 099 344

2018€ 5 556 286

Priority axis 1Sustainable Tourism:

€ 11 935 790

35 %

10 % Priority axis 4

Technical assistance

€ 3 410 225

25 %Priority axis 2

Youth€ 8 525 565

30 % Priority axis 3 Environment€ 10 230 676

Funding

2016€ 2 997 996

2017€ 6 885 114

2019€ 5 667 412

EU funding € 28 986 914

Total budget:(EU + National funding)

€ 34 102 256

2020€ 5 780 762

Territory: 43 933 sq. km. Border length: 341 km Border checkpoints: 5 Population: 2 144 054 people Eligible regions (NUTS III):

Bulgaria Serbia

Vidin District Bor District

Montana District Zaječar District

Vratsa District Toplica district

Sofia District Nišava District

Pernik District Pirot District

Kyustendil District Jablanica District

Pčinja District

Eligible area

Lead Partner and its partners must comply with all of the following criteria:

be legally established organizations, according to the national legislation of the state territory they are located;

be registered in the eligible cross border region between Bulgaria and Serbia; be non-profit making organizations; be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action, not

acting as an intermediary; belong to one of the categories, listed in the respective Guidelines for

applicants.

Eligibility criteria for candidates

All levels of regional/local authorities; Regional and sector development agencies; Central and regional offices and structures of

relevant government institutions/ administrations;

Public cultural institutes (museum, library, community centres, etc.);

Non-government organizations; Regional touristic associations.

Potential beneficiaries

Priority Axis 1: Sustainable TourismSpecific Objective 1.1 - Tourist attractiveness:

1.2 Cross-border touristic product: All levels of regional/local authorities; Regional and sector development agencies; Central / regional structures of government; NGOs, Regional touristic associations; Business support structures - CCIs, business

association, business cluster; Education / Training Centres.

1.3 People to people networking All levels of regional/local authorities; NGOs, Regional touristic associations; Business support structures; Cultural institutes (museum, library, art gallery,

community centres, etc.); Education / Training Centres; Local Action Groups (LAGs).

Potential beneficiaries

Priority Axis 1: Sustainable Tourism

All levels of regional/local authorities; Regional touristic associations; Civil society structure

(association/foundation/NGOs); Business support structures; Education / Training Centres;

Cultural institutes (museum, library, art gallery, community centres, etc.);

Local Action Groups (LAGs) established and supported under measure "Leader" within the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 for Bulgaria and within IPARD for Serbia.

Potential beneficiaries

Priority Axis 1: Sustainable TourismSpecific Objective 1.3 - People to people networking:

2.1 Skills & entrepreneurship All levels of regional/local authorities; Universities, research institutes; Education / Vocational training institutions; Training service providers; Civil society /Business support structures; Cultural institutes, local community centres.

2.2 People to people networking All levels of regional/local authorities; Universities, knowledge / research institutes; Education / Vocational training institutions; Training service providers, Business support

structures Youth organizations, NGOs; Cultural institutes, local community centres.

Potential beneficiaries

Priority Axis 2: Youth

Priority Axis 3. Environment

Specific Objective 3.1 Joint risk management: Relevant local and regional structures dealing with emergency situations; Central and regional offices and structures of relevant government institutions/ administrations; Regional and sector development agencies.

Specific Objective 3.2 Nature protection: All levels of regional/local authorities; Central and regional structures of relevant government institutions/ administrations in the

sphere of their competence; Regional and sector development agencies; Administrations of protected areas; Research and academic institutes; Environmental NGOs; Local Action Groups (LAGs).

Potential beneficiaries

All projects must deliver direct cross-border impact and benefits for the partners, target groups, project/programme area, in terms of meeting at least 3 of the following criteria:

Joint development - project must be designed in close cooperation of the partners from both sides of the border;

Joint implementation - activities must be carried out and coordinated among partners on both sides of the border. It is not enough that activities run in parallel;

Joint staffing - project should not duplicate functions on either side of the border. Regardless of where the person is located, there should be a joint project management;

Joint financing - the project shall be awarded with only one grant contract, therefore there must be joint project budget, divided between partners according to the planned activities.

Cross-border impact

Event Place Time

Annual CBC conference Sofia July-September 2015

Photo competition On line August 2015

European Cooperation Day Kyustendil 12th of September 2015

Launching of Call for proposals Sofia & Nis 2015

Info-days and training seminars

5 cities in Bulgaria / 4 cities in Serbia 2015

Partner search Forum Serbia 2015

Draft schedule of events

Thank you for the attention!

Програма за ТГС България – Сърбия 2014 – 2020

Stoyan KanatovHead of Joint Technical SecretariatTel: +359 2 9405 361E-mail: SKanatov@mrrb.government.bgweb page: www.ipacbc-bgrs.eu