Overview

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 most recent version of the INTERREG IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme Bulgaria – Turkey, v. 7.0 is adopted on 7 December 2020.

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:

In Bulgaria: District of Burgas (Aitos, Burgas, Kameno, Karnobat, Malko Tarnovo, Nesebar, Pomorie, Primorsko, Ruen, Sozopol, Sredets, Sungurlare, Tsarevo), District of Yambol (Bolyarovo, Elhovo, Straldzha, Toundzha, Yambol) and District of Haskovo (Dimitrovgrad, Harmanli, Haskovo, Ivaylovgrad, Lyubimets, Madzharovo, Mineralni bani, Simeonovgrad, Stambolovo, Svilengrad, Topolovgrad)

In Turkey: Province of Edirne (Edirne, Enez, Havsa, İpsala, Keşan, Lalapaşa, Meriç, Süloğlu, Uzunköprü) and Province of Kırklareli (Babaeski, Demirköy, Kırklareli, Kofçaz, Lüleburgaz, Pehlivanköy, Pınarhisar, Vize)

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 total amount of the Call for proposals’ budget is € 11.028.255.

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.

For the 2007-2013 Programme (Bulgaria - Turkey IPA CBC Programme) please visit: http://07-13.ipacbc-bgtr.eu/