1st Open Call for Common Projects Proposals of CBC (Interreg VI-A) Greece-Bulgaria Programme

Priorities

• Priority 1 – A more Resilient and Greener Greece-Bulgaria Cross Border Territory
• Priority 3 – A more Inclusive Greece-Bulgaria Cross Border Territory

Specific Objectives  

• RSO2.6. Promoting the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy
• RSO2.7. Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution
• RSO4.2. Improving equal access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning through developing accessible infrastructure, including by fostering resilience for distance and on-line education and training
• RSO4.6. Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation

Intervention Categories

• 067. Household waste management: prevention, minimization, sorting, reuse, recycling measures
• 075. Support to environmentally‑friendly production processes and resource efficiency in SMEs
• 029. Research & innovation processes, technology transfer and cooperation between enterprises, research centres & universities, focusing on the low carbon economy, resilience and adaptation to climate change
• 079. Nature and biodiversity protection, natural heritage and resources, green and blue infrastructure
• 077. Air quality and noise reduction measures
• 145. Support for the development of digital skills
• 137. Support for self‑employment and business start‑ups
• 165. Protection, development and promotion of public tourism assets and tourism services
• 027. Innovation processes in SMEs (process, organisational, marketing, co‑creation, user and demand driven innovation)

Funding Information

• Call Budget: 32.050.467,10€
• Call EU Financing: 25.640.373,68€
• Call National Funds: 6.410.093,42€
• Call Private Funds: 0,00€

Project Duration

• Projects should be concluded within a maximum period of twenty-four (24) months after the signing of the Subsidy Contract (SC) between the Managing Authority/Special Secretary for ERDF and CF Programmes and the Lead Beneficiary.

Output and Result Indicators

• RCO116 Jointly Developed solutions
• RCO36 Green infrastructure supported for other purposes than adaptation to climate change
• RCO39 Area covered by systems for monitoring air pollution installed
• RCO77 Number of cultural and tourism sites supported
• RCO84 Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects
• RCO85 Participations in joint training scheme
• RCR104 Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations
• RCR50 Population benefiting from measures for air quality
• RCR77 Visitors of cultural and tourism sites supported
• RCR81 Completion of joint training schemes
• RCR95 Population having access to new or improved green infrastructure

Eligible Areas    

• BG413 – Blagoevgrad
• BG424 – Smolyan
• BG425 – Kardzhali
• BG422 – Haskovo
• EL511 – Evros
• EL512 – Xanthi
• EL513 – Rodopi
• EL514 – Drama
• EL515 – Kavala, Thassos
• EL522 – Thessaloniki
• EL526 – Serres

Eligibility Of Applicants

• Eligible applicants for the present Call for Project Proposals are the entities that fall into the mentioned categories of potential Beneficiaries:
  • national, regional or local public bodies
  • bodies governed by public law meaning bodies that have all of the following characteristics:
    • they are established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character;
    • they have legal personality; and
    • they are financed, for the most part, by the State, regional or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law; or are subject to management supervision by those authorities or bodies; or have an administrative, managerial or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law;
  • bodies governed by private law, non-profit organisations founded according to private law can be eligible under the following conditions as a whole:
    • they are not established with the goal to obtain profit,
    • they do not distribute profits to the shareholders,
    • they should have at least completed one accounting year of operation before the launch of the specific call for proposals. This rule is also applicable for the local-regional subsidiary/branch offices.
  • It should be noted that private companies, not falling under the conditions listed at point (c) are not eligible.
  • international organisations registered under the national law of the Member States of the Programme can be considered as eligible if they fulfil the criteria foreseen for the non-profit bodies governed by private law. However, international organisations operating under international law are not eligible.
  • European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC). Eligible EGTC must be governed by the law of one of the participating countries where the EGTC has its registered office. EGTCs located outside the Programme area and not registered in one of the Member states participating in the cross-border Programme are not eligible for funding. An EGTC cannot be a sole beneficiary of a project proposal.
  • Bodies under categories (b), (c) and (d) should have at least completed one accounting year of operation before the launching of the Call for proposals. If a body governed by public law or a private organization is participating through a branch located at the Programme area, the branch must be operational for at least 12 months before the launching of the call for proposals.
  • In principle, to become a project beneficiary, the legal address/registration of the beneficiary’s organisation has to be located in the eligible area of the Programme with the exception of:
    • bodies of the central government located outside the Programme area (e.g. Ministries or other national authorities/bodies with specific competencies on national level)
    • organisations located outside the Programme area but inside the Member states participating in the cross-border Programme if their participation in the project brings added value and expertise to its implementation and benefits the Programme cooperation area
  • Organisations located outside the Programme area but having local/regional subsidiary/branch office established in the Programme area are eligible only for Greek Project partners.
  • Bulgarian partners must have their legal registration located in the eligible Programme area.
  • Organisation located outside the Programme area not registered in one of the Member states participating in the cross-border Programme are not eligible for funding.
• As a minimum requirement, the project partnership must involve 2 partners one from each Member State. The partnership scheme must not exceed 5 partners.
• The project partnership shall consist of two types of beneficiaries the Lead Beneficiary (LB), and the Project Beneficiary (PB). The Lead Beneficiary who undertakes the submission of the proposal on behalf of multiple beneficiaries, is the Coordinator of the project defined by all the beneficiaries/co-beneficiaries. Each beneficiary may submit up to 5 Project Proposals in the Present Call.

For more information, visit European Territorial Cooperation (ETC).