Minister Donchev: We can absorb BGN 16.5 bn from the EU funds in the 2014-2020 period

“Bulgaria can absorb BGN 16.5 bn from the EU funds during the new programming period 2014-2020,” said Minister of EU funds management Tomislav Donchev. By the end of this week, it will be announced who will manage the EU funds – whether this will be only me or we will work together with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov,” Donchev specified for BTV.

“By mid-2013, Bulgaria should be ready with the partner agreement and the texts of the Operational Programmes in order to specify on what this financial resource will be spent,” said the minister during the conference called "The New Programming Period of the EU’s Cohesion Policy in 2014 -2020 – Main Changes and Challenges".

According to Renaldo Mandmets, Head of the Bulgarian Unit in the Directorate General Regional Development, the main challenges to Bulgaria will be the strengthening of energy efficiency, the development of innovation in the context of cooperation between universities, research areas and the industry, as well as efficient and expedient tender procedures and documentation.

In the debate on the next programming period, Bulgaria will insist on the introduction of a common strategic framework, including the five funds – the Cohesion Fund, the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Fund for Rural Development and the European Fund for Fisheries and Aquaculture. This implies greater synchronisation and greater simplification of the procedures for the absorption of funds and enhanced cross-sectoral integration. The introduction of preliminary control over the expedience in the absorption of EU funds is necessary. A territorial approach should be applied towards the Partnership Agreement through coordination between the five EU funds and the other financing sources and identification of regions with geographical specifics (urban, rural, coastal and mountain regions), as well as enhanced European territorial cooperation.

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