PHARE Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Bulgaria – Greece 2005

BG2005/017-454.02.01.01

“Grant Scheme for Integrated Support for Economic Development and Promotion of Employment”

Project "Cross – border instruments in support of competitiveness and growth"

Executor:
Association Business Information and Consulting Centre (BICC) - Sandanski

Partner:
EC – Business & Innovation Center - Serres, Greece

Territorial coverage:
Municipalities of Sandanski, Petrich, Strumyani and Kresna of the Republic of Bulgaria

Prefecture Serres of the Republic of Greece

Overall objective:
The overall objective of the present project proposal is to improve the competitiveness and promote the growth of enterprises from the border regions of Sandanski, Petrich, Strumyani and Kresna of the Republic of Bulgaria and Prefecture Serres of the Republic of Greece through the exchange of experience, provision of business consultancy services and internet – based informational resources.

Specific objectives:

• To provide an opportunity for wide informing and expert consulting – direct and remote, of large group of people related to the business and the economic development of the cross-border region.
• To realise a wide exchange of knowledge, experience, traditions and good practices for business partnership between the people from the both sides of the border.
• To improve the practical skills of SMEs to elaborate project proposals and apply for the various programs and schemes in support of the businesses.
• To create prerequisites for the establishment of sustainability in the economic development of the region.
• To create conditions for increasing the employment and decreasing the migration processes.

Target groups:

• SMEs
• Unemployed people
• Local Authorities
• Business associations

Main activities:

Creation of “Business portal of Southwest Bulgaria”

The project foresees the development, introduction and expert maintenance of a specially designed for the purposes of the project web based business portal of Southwest Bulgaria in English and in Bulgarian languages containing: online business catalogue; online library with materials in support of the companies from the region; online form for active and concrete consulting, using improved version of the application "Question - Answer"; section for encouraging the investments in the region; presentations of the target regions from the both sides of the border; description of their tourist and cultural sights; useful links etc. The web-portal will include most of the information on the project activities and the envisaged events as well as the information presented on the training workshops.

Implementation of joint training workshops in “Elaboration of successful project proposals to apply for the various programs and schemes in support of the business” 
The activity comprises the organization and carrying out of joint training workshops in “Elaboration of projects to apply for programs in support of the business”, designed for representatives of SMEs, local authorities from target regions in Bulgarian side, unemployed people with higher education and representatives of business associations. The purpose is to provide preliminary preparation for the elaboration of projects under the various grants schemes and calls for proposal, to people willing to improve and broaden their skills and experience in this field.

Carrying out business visit to the industrial area of the city of Serres, Greece.

In the framework of this activity it is foreseen companies from Southwest Bulgaria to visit the industrial area of the city of Serres, Northeast Greece in order to exchange experience, best practices and realize business contacts between companies from the both border regions. During the visit, the representatives of the companies from Southwest Bulgaria will be introduced in the manufacturing and management processes in the Greek companies, which have solid experience in the work with financial instruments in support of business.

Expected results:

• Improved competitiveness of the companies from the cross-border region;
• Increased exchange of knowledge, experience, traditions and good practices for business partnerships;
• Created instruments in support of the growth of enterprises;
• Established prerequisites for sustainability of the economic development of the region;
• Improved capacity of SMEs to apply and manage projects under the various programs and schemes in support of the business;
• Established conditions for increasing the employment and decreasing the migration processes.