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Operational Programme (OP) in Bulgaria in 2007-2013:

Orientation: In September-December 2010, a large-scale media campaign was launched to the promotion of the Operational Programmes and for the insurance of transparency in the European Union (EU) Funds management process in Bulgaria. The Campaign is designed and implemented by the Central Information Office of EU Funds Management within the administration of the Council of Ministers. The campaign itself and its various activities will be regularly published on http://www.eufunds.bg/.

OP Regional Development ERDF: 1 361 million EUR

Managing Authority: Directorate General “Programming of Regional Development” within the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works.

(Note from 2008: There were substantial delay because the authority was without accreditation in a period with a decision of EC)

Implementing Authority: The regional departments of DG “Programming of Regional Development” in the planning regions (Vidin, Rousse, Varna, Sofia, Plovdiv, Bourgas)

Priority 1: Sustainable and integrated urban development
Operation 1.1.: Social infrastructure

Actions supported (Co-financing from ERDF: 85%)
- Energy consumption audits and energy efficiency measures for all projects related to public institutions (e.g. thermal insulation, replacement of woodwork, local installations connected to central heating systems, gas supply connecting pipelines or alternative renewable energy resources).

Eligible beneficiaries:
- State-owned school administrations in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Science and State Agency for Information Technology and Communication.
- State-owned healthcare institutions in coordination with the Ministry of Health.
- State-owned social care institutions in coordination with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and its regional representation structures.
- Municipalities for the municipal-owned facilities.
- NGO’s and universities when they act as non-profit operators in order to deliver healthcare, social care, educational or cultural services.

Priority 1: Sustainable and integrated urban development
Operation 1.4.: Improvement of physical environment and risk prevention

Actions supported (Co-financing from ERDF: 85%)
- Rehabilitation, reconstruction of urban street networks and introduction of energy efficient street lightning and other measures for increasing security and preventing criminality, e.g. park area lightning, security systems for observation and monitoring of public places, etc.

Eligible beneficiaries:
- Municipalities, cooperation of municipalities.
- Non-governmental organizations in partnership with municipalities.

Priority 2: Regional and local accessibility
Operation 2.3.: Access to sustainable and efficient energy resources

Actions supported (Co-financing from ERDF: 85%)
- Construction of renewable energy installations and connection to renewable energy supply.
Eligible beneficiaries:
- Municipalities without granted gas distribution licenses and included in the list of identified territories for gas distribution (gas distribution regions) on the basis of proven potential to use renewable energy sources (solar, wind, water, geothermal, biomass).

Start of the programme: 05.11.2007 approved with decision of the EC.

Projects started: Up to January 2009
- 15 projects for rehabilitation of educational and culture buildings including energy efficiency measures approved under call BG161PO001/1.1-01/2007 „Support for provision of appropriate and cost effective, educational, social care and cultural infrastructures contributing to the development of the cities and their surrounding urban areas”
- 16 projects for rehabilitation of educational and culture buildings including energy efficiency measures approved under call BG161PO001/4.1-01/2007
„ Support for provision of appropriate and cost effective, educational infrastructure contributing to the sustainable local development”

Current EU funding for RES and EE
Updated, May 2010

Priority 1: Sustainable and integrated urban development
Operation 1.1.: Social infrastructure

Under operation 1.1 -Social infrastructure
198 projects were approved with a total project costs - 355,859,359.13 EUR
Amount of OP contribution: 354,182,308.29 EUR

ERDF 85% - 301,054,962.05 EUR
65 projects were financed with a total project costs 123,779,680.23 EUR
Amount of OP contribution 123,191,072.47 EUR
ERDF 85% 104,712,411.60 EUR (total project costs include ERDF + Public co-finance 15% + own resources where OP cover less than 100% - there are just few 3-4 projects where the OP covers only 90%).
Most of the projects include renovation of the buildings, insulation, woodwork or local heating – EERES spending cannot be distinguished (I8)

(EE) Under Operation 1.1 and 1.2
Social Infrastructure a scheme supporting reconstruction, refurbishment and equipment of medical and health establishments in urban areas was launched on 29 April, 2009. Beneficiary is the Ministry of Healthcare. Among the activities that can be supported are energy consumption audits and energy efficiency measures.
Currently there is no list of approved or contracted projects.
Total budget is 75,660,233 EUR
ERDF 85% is 64,311,198 EUR
Share of RES or EE money available in the call cannot be determined

Priority 1: Sustainable and integrated urban development
Operation 1.4.: Improvement of physical environment and risk prevention

Under Operation 4.1 Small-scale Local Investments
99 projects were approved with a total project costs 46,629,238.02 EUR
amount of OP contribution 46,449,699.71 EUR
ERDF 85% - 39,482,244.76 EUR
58 projects were financed - total project costs 27,758,691.95 EUR
Amount of OP contribution 27,674,107.70 EUR
ERDF 85% - 23,522,991.55 EUR
Most of the projects include renovation of the buildings, insulation, woodwork or local heating – EERES spending cannot be distinguished (I45)

Under Operation 4.2 Inter regional cooperation
There is no figure for approved projects
55 projects were financed (I58) with a total project costs at 6,363,201.71 EUR
the OP covers 100%; ERDF 85% 5,408,721.46 EUR) from which 11 have concrete measures to develop EE and RES strategies
Total budget of these are 1,378,065.17 EUR - EE and RES share cannot be determined.
Most probably more than 11 projects have EE or RES measures in them.
http://bgregio.eu/Content.aspx?menu=left&pid=52

Total funding contracted in OP Regional Development: 157,228,381.88 EUR
Share of RES and EE - about 60 million EUR. (according to Dimityr Stoyanov, Ministry of Regional Development)

OP Development of the Competitiveness of the Bulgarian Economy ERDF: 988 million EUR

Managing Authority: Directorate “European Funds for Competitiveness”

Implementing Authority: Bulgarian small and Medium-sized Enterprises Promotion Agency

Priority 2: Increasing efficiency of enterprises and promoting a supportive business environment
Operation 2.3.: Introduction of energy saving technologies and the use of renewable energy sources

Actions supported (Co-financing from ERDF: 85%)
- Introducing of energy saving technologies.
- Introducing of renewable energy sources.

Eligible beneficiaries:
- Bulgarian enterprises, both from the productive and service sectors.

Start of the programme: 27.09.2007 approved with decision of the EC
Projects started: Up to January 2009 – no projects on EE or RES approved

Results in the OP Development of Competitiveness
Updated, February 2011, May 2010

Axis 1 - Development of knowledge-based economy and innovative activities there are projects that aim to decrease energy use, trough innovation or other measures. Official data about approved/contracted projects on the website is very chaotically situated and whenever found it is often hardly readable. Official request to information submitted to Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism (92-00-835 - 27/07.2009) regarding list of approved projects with EE/RES measures was not answered by the Ministry. Currently no figure can be shown. Nevertheless for example there are projects that use biodegradable waste for production of cardboard, or some innovative product production technologies claiming to be ecological.
List of contracted projects http://www.opcompetitiveness.bg/uploadfiles/documents/2009/1.1.1_2007/startup.pdf

Axis 2 – Efficiency of the industry – measures for energy-saving technologies for the industry

On 2 March 2011, the Council of Ministers' Memorandum of understanding on the implementation of the "Energy efficiency and Green Economy Programme" in the Republic of Bulgaria between Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was signed and became effective.
It is stated that this will accelerate the implementation of the introduction of energy-saving technologies and renewable energy sources under Axis 2, which is called "Increasing efficiency of enterprises and promoting supportive business environment". Source: http://www.eufunds.bg/en/pubs/1240

Rural Development Programme (2007-2013): 877 mil. EUR for Axis 3

Managing Authority: The Rural Development Directorate within the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Supply
Accredited Paying Agency: The State Fund Agriculture

Measures:
311 Diversification into non-agricultural activities;
312 Support for the creation and development of micro-enterprises;

Actions supported (Co-financing from ERDF: 70%)
- Introducing of renewable energy sources up to (1 million EUR projects)

Eligible beneficiaries:
- Measures 311 and 312 will support investments in tourism accommodation and amenities of business-oriented private entities (agricultural producers and micro-enterprises).

Start of the programme: 01.12.2008

Other Renewable Energy Funding:

Rural Development Programme
Updated, May 2010

Measure 312 – Support for the creation and development of "micro-companies”. The areas are not fixed and the majority of the projects are for PV solar.
Measure 321 – support for EE of public buildings
Source: http://www.mzh.government.bg/Article.aspx?lang=1&rmid=363&id=363&lmid=0

EBRD - EE and RES Credit Lines
Updated, May 2010

The Bulgarian Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Credit Line (BEERECL) – EE and RES in industry – 155 million EUR until June 2010 - 97 million EUR committed by banks (intermediaries) – statistics at
http://beerecl.com/cms/sites/default/files/stats/table_e.htm

Energy Efficiency Finance Facility (EEFF) – EUR 20 million until end of 2009 – EE in industry – 15 million disbursed; Rational Energy Utilization and Financing Plan for Energy Efficiency Projects
http://www.bulgaria-eueeff.com/pages/eueeff-bg_REUP_status_en.htm

Residential Energy Efficiency Credit (REECL) Facility - the funds coming from Kozloduy IDSF: EE in households – 50 million EUR. - EBRD, EC and Bulgarian Energy Efficiency Agency – statistics at
http://www.reecl.org/statistics.php