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Bulgaria – Partner country for the Swiss enlargement contribution


Local Website with information about Switzerland's contribution to EU enlargement: www.swiss-contribution.admin.ch/bulgaria

Up until December 2014, Bulgaria will be apportioned an amount of CHF 76 million for the submission and approval of projects aimed at reducing the economic and social disparities.

A Swiss contribution office has been etablished in Sofia for the purpose of working closely on project implementation with the national coordination unit (NCU).

 

 

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Areas of Activities

Security, stability and support for reforms
Switzerland funds activities aimed at promoting compliance with the Schengen acquis, combating human trafficking and corruption, and improving public safety in rural areas. A further priority is the promotion of civil society, with particular emphasis on nature conservation and rural development. Finally, Switzerland also backs measures to integrate minorities, particularly the Roma, and supports both new and existing Swiss-Bulgarian partnership initiatives.

Environment and infrastructure
Part of the Swiss enlargement contribution is used to re-instate and develop the country’s basic infrastructure. The top priority here is waste management, particularly the safe management of toxic waste. The Swiss contribution is also used to fund projects that promote renewable energies and seek to improve energy efficiency (2nd priority).

Promotion of the private sector
The priority here is passing on knowledge with regard to a) combating money laundering and the funding of terrorism, b) anti-corruption strategies, c) enforcement of the public procurement rules, and d) auditing and financial reporting. There are also plans to extend Swiss support to cover the promotion of exports and the introduction of international standards and norms.

Human and social development
Here the focus is on boosting scientific potential and strengthening applied research. The Swiss contribution is used to set up scholarships, to support joint research projects and to fund visiting professors. Furthermore, partnerships between Swiss and Bulgarian institutions are promoted.

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Projects

A complete list of all projects in Bulgaria with detailed information you can find here:
Planned Projects
Approved Projects

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Project selection and contract award procedures

General information regarding project selection and contract award procedures in the ten partner countries is generally:
more

Information regarding project selection and contract award procedures in Bulgaria:
more (Website about the Swiss contribution to Bulgaria)

Calls for project proposals in English and/or Bulgarian:
more (Website of the Bulgarian NCU)

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The bilateral Framework Agreement with Bulgaria

The Framework (core) Agreement basically sets down the objectives of the contribution, its amount, the form, and the utilization of the financial support, together with the key stipulations on the contribution's implementation which are more specifically detailed in the Annexes.
[en] (55 KB)

Annex 1 contains the principles upon which cooperation is based, describes the main strategic guidelines in implementing the contribution, and specifies the thematic focus.
[en] (55 KB)

Annex 2 governs procedures and responsibility for the overall programme in detail, especially with regard to monitoring, reporting and controlling, audits and evaluations.
[en] (55 KB)

Annex 3 defines the practical rules and procedures for projects and programmes agreed upon, i.e., the procedures for project submission, project approval, project implementation, payment, controlling, and audits – all are described in detail along with specification of the respective responsibilities.
[en] (55 KB)

Annex 4 governs processes and reponsibilities for the implementation of thematic funds. Thematic funds are used when a large number of smaller projects are implemented in a thematic area. This applies in particular in areas such as security, health, support for civil society, integration of minorities, education and grants and partnerships.
[en] (55 KB)

Finally, Annex 5 contains the procedures and responsibilites for the special financing instruments, i.e. the fund for technical support and for the project preparation fund.
[en] (55 KB)

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The Project Preparation Facility Agreement with Bulgaria

The Project Preparation Facility (PPF) Agreement shall be used for the elaboration of the documentation for the Final Project Proposals resulting from Project Outlines approved by Switzerland. The PPF Agreement between Switzerland and Bulgaria has been signed on 15 March 2011 in Sofia.

 PPF Agreement with Bulgaria

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Key figures about Bulgaria Figures 2012 Figures relating to Switzerland’s contribution to EU enlargement: Switzerland’s contribution: 76 mio CHF (2009 – 2014) EU-Funds: 6.6 bn Euro (2007–2013) General information about the country: Population: 7.3 million Area: 110 994 km² Growth rate (% of GDP): 0,8% Swiss exports to Bulgaria: 297,5 mio CHF Swiss imports from Bulgaria: 204,1 mio CHF Purchasing power with regard to the EU average: 46% Unemployment rate: 12,3% Source: Eurostat, Swiss Foreign Trade Statistics (april 2013) Contacts National Coordination Unit (NCU) www.swiss-contribution.bg Head: Mariana Kordova Director of Monitoring of EU Funds Directorate in the Council of Ministers 1 Dondoukov Blvd. 1194 Sofia Bulgaria Telefon: +359 2 940 24 06 Mail: m.kordova@government.bg Office for the implementation of the Swiss enlargement contribution www.swiss-contribution.admin.ch/bulgaria Head: Mattia Poretti Embassy of Switzerland P.O. Box 132 1504 Sofia Bulgaria Telephone: +359 2 942 01 21 Fax: +359 2 946 16 22 Mail: sof.vertretung@eda.admin.ch Swiss embassy in Bulgaria