The First Call for Project Ideas from the Territorial Strategy is Set Up

The Operational Unit

and

The Strategy Board

of the INTERREG Bulgaria-North Macedonia Programme 2021-2027

announce the launch of Call 1 for concept notes of project proposals under the Territorial Strategy of the INTERREG Bulgaria-North Macedonia Programme 2021-2027.

The application is with project ideas that contribute to the achievement of Specific objective 1.2 “Development of an attractive, all-season tourism product by means of smart solutions that ensure universal access and participation” of the Territorial Strategy.

The Specific objective 1.2 is based on the following tourism-related fields of intervention:  

- Mobility and connectivity, incl. alternative mobility;

- Branding and marketing for tourist products in the cross-border region;

- Employability in the tourism sector, reinforcement of the cultural - natural sites and tourism – environment links;

- Actions for reducing vulnerability of services in the tourism sector.                                              

Brief information about the Call and the full package of documents for application is provided below, and also at:

www.ipa-cbc-007.eu/
www.mrrb.government.bg
www.eufunds.bg
http://mls.gov.mk/

The total budget of the call is EUR 8 143 233.

The deadline for submission of concept notes in Jems is 24 July 2023, 17:00 EEST (16:00) CEST.

You can contact the Joint Secretariat of the Programme for additional information:

jtsipakyustendil@gmail.com

Main office in Kyustendil: tel. +359 (0) 78 58 01 01;

Branch office in Strumica: tel. + 389 (0)34 330 331.

Call 1 in a nutshell:

- Territorial focus – the entire cross-border region of the INTERREG VI-A IPA Bulgaria North Macedonia Programme 2021-2027 (Districts of Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil in Bulgaria, and North-East, East and South-East regions in North Macedonia).

- Focus of the Call - broad range of actions related to tourism development – mobility and connectivity, branding and marketing, employability in the tourism sector, strengthening the links between natural and cultural sites, as well as between tourism and environment.

- Application process – takes place in the Joint Electronic Monitoring System (Jems - https://jems-bgmk.mrrb.bg/), where applicants need to register and create a new project application. Applicants attach the application form of the concept note, along with the budget forecast, a Letter of Commitment and Project Maturity Development Plan to the Jems application of their project idea. Full project proposals are submitted upon invitation.

- Key features of the project idea/concept note – it is expected that multi-sectoral partnerships between stakeholders from Bulgaria and North Macedonia will bring in solutions to boost regional economic potentials on a larger territorial scope, where cross-border impact plays central role.

- Project actions – compulsory combination of investment (works only or works and supply) and soft type of actions (e.g. services); the thematic focus of the actions needs to be fully and logically aligned with the objective/s of the project idea.  Applicants should be aware of the fact that parameters of the project idea, which are subject to assessment during the identification process, cannot be modified when submitting full project proposals.

- Project participants (Lead partner and project partners) – local/regional bodies and authorities (incl. regional structures of central public authorities and statutory bodies); MSMEs; NGOs; academic, research, training, education, social and cultural institutions. All project partners need to be registered and to operate in the programme area for at least 3 years prior to the application. The project partnership should consist of at least one partner from each side of the border region.

- Project costs – when applying with a concept note it is not required to present a detailed budget of the project idea. What is needed during the project idea identification process is an overall budget estimation of expenditures per cost category and project partner.

- Financial aspects – min € 500 000 and max € 1 000 000 of a project idea. Grant intensity is 100%, however de minimis provisions apply to all project partners. The investment component (works only, or works and supply) of the project idea should be no less than 60% of the total eligible costs.

- Project duration – max 24 months.