BULGARIA-TURKEY CROSS BORDER COOPERATION PROGRAMME 2014-2020
The Interreg - IPA CBC Bulgaria – Turkey Programme is designed in the framework of the European strategy for a smart, inclusive and sustainable growth and the relevant national strategic documents. The Programme is co-financed by the European Union through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance II and the two partnering countries Bulgaria and Turkey.
Programme document was adopted by the European Commission with Decision № C (2015) 5280 of 22 July 2015. The Programme document was drafted jointly by the two countries through a large partnership with national, regional and local stakeholders.
The First Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) meeting under the Programme was held on 27th of October, in Sofia. The Application package under the First Call for proposals was approved within the JMC meeting. Interreg-IPA CBC Bulgaria - Turkey Programme will finance projects related to development of sustainable tourism and environment. The total amount of funds under the programme amounts to € 29.642.896 of which € 25.196.460 are from IPA and € 4.446.436 - national public co-financing provided by the two partner states.
The eligible area of the Programme covers NUTS III regions or equivalents, situated on the border between the both partnering countries and covers the following regions:
Eligible NUTS III:
For Republic of Bulgaria:
- District of Burgas: 13 municipalities – Aitos, Burgas, Kameno, Karnobat, Malko Tarnovo, Nesebar, Pomorie, Primorsko, Ruen, Sozopol, Sredets, Sungurlare, Tsarevo;
- District of Yambol: 5 municipalities –Bolyarovo, Elhovo, Straldzha, Toundzha Yambol;
- District of Haskovo: 11 municipalities – Dimitrovgrad, Harmanli, Haskovo, Ivaylovgrad, Lyubimets, Madzharovo, Mineralni bani, Simeonovgrad, Stambolovo, Svilengrad, Topolovgrad.
For Republic of Turkey:
- Province of Edirne: 9 districts - Edirne, Enez, Havsa, İpsala, Keşan, Lalapaşa, Meriç, Süloğlu, Uzunköprü;
- Province of Kırklareli: 8 districts – Babaeski, Demirköy, Kırklareli, Kofçaz, Lüleburgaz, Pehlivanköy, Pınarhisar, Vize.
Determined eligible co-operation area includes districts Burgas (including all 13 municipalities), Yambol (5 municipalities), and Haskovo (11 municipalities) on the Bulgarian side and the provinces Edirne and Kirklareli on the Turkish side. The Bulgarian eligible area in square km is 16 636.9 (14.99 % of the country’s territory) while on the Turkish side it is 12 396 sq. km. (1.58 % of the country’s territory). The common border stretches along 288 km with 3 currently operating border crossing points. The total population of co-operation area is 1 561 984 people (on Bulgarian side - 830 917 people, and on Turkish - 731 067 people). The cross border area is characterized by abundance of cultural, historical and natural resources.
The Application package and the Guidelines for Applicants under the First Call for proposals, including all priority axis under the Programme (Priority Axis 1 – Environment, Priority Axis 2 - Sustainable tourism), was published in November 2015. The eligible beneficiaries under the Programme are legal entities established in the eligible cross border region between Bulgaria and Turkey, which are non-profit making organizations (i.e. local/ regional/ national authorities or their subsidiary bodies; national and regional agencies; administrations of protected areas; local /regional forestry administrations; cultural institutions; community centres; NGOs; educational organizations- universities, schools, colleges and libraries; euro regions; associations of two or more of the listed above).
The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works of the Republic of Bulgaria is designated to perform the functions of Managing Authority, and Ministry for European Union Affairs in Turkey is designated to perform the functions of National Authority under the Programme.
The main office of the Joint Secretariat will continue to be situated in Haskovo, Republic of Bulgaria, and the branch office – in Edirne, Republic of Turkey.