Bulgaria issues new call for projects under EU's Interreg Euro-Med

The new call for project proposals is focused on innovative economy, natural heritage, green living areas and sustainable tourism, the regional development ministry which is the national authority for managing the programme, said in a statement on Thursday.

The financing will go towards joint projects in improving research and innovation capacity, adopting advanced technologies, promoting circular economy, climate change mitigation, biodiversity improvement, implementing environmental policies and urban environment regeneration focusing on energy efficiency.

The EU will provide 80% of the funding, 15% will come from state co-financing and 5% will be contributed by the participants.

Project proposals can be submitted by June 12 by local, regional or national authorities, academic and non-governmental organisations, business associations and companies. The proposals are expected to be selected by February 2025 and begin in April, according to the programme's website.

The Euro-Mediterranean programme 2021-2027 aims to facilitate territorial cooperation between countries around the Mediterranean Sea, spanning Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The programme's total budget amounts to nearly 294 million euro.

A total of 56 proposals were approved under the previous call, including projects totalling 4.4 million euro in which 22 Bulgarian organisations are partners.

($ = 0.9153 euro)