Key areas of support 2009-14
Environment, energy and green innovation
"Green funding"- protecting the environment, boosting energy efficiency and promoting green innovation - is the largest area of cooperation in Bulgaria in the period 2009-14. Around one third (€43 million) of the total allocation has been earmarked for programmes aimed at improving marine and inland water management, halting biodiversity loss, promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, and increasing the competitiveness of green enterprises. Donor programme partners will be the Climate and Pollution Agency (KLIF), the Norwegian Directorate of Nature and Management (DN) and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE).The programme Green Innovation, worth €13.7 million under the Norway Grants will be operated by Innovation Norway, and aims to improve the environmental credentials of existing industries, and encourage green innovation and green entrepreneurship. In order to take advantage of Norwegian experiences, technologies and investments, the Green Innovation Programme will be based on partnership projects.
Justice and home affairs
Justice and home affairs is a significant sector in the 2009-14 period. Norway Grants are providing €16 million to three key areas, namely combating cross-border and organised crime including trafficking, judicial capacity building and cooperation, and correctional services, including non-custodial sanctions to increase the use of alternatives to prison. A further €2 million will go towards combating gender-based violence and supporting victims of trafficking. Programmes in this field will be able to harness the considerable knowledge and expertise of the Council of Europe which is on board as a donor programme partner in several programmes in this field. Furthermore, the Norwegian Police Directorate will be a donor programme partner.
Cultural heritage
Protecting cultural heritage continues to be a main priority in this funding period. €14 million will be spent on projects aimed at the conservation and revitalisation of cultural and natural heritage. The programme will focus on safeguarding heritage sites as well as promoting cultural diversity (a minimum of €500,000 ring-fenced for a small grants scheme to promote cultural diversity and exchange, and contemporary arts and culture projects).
Public health
Public health makes up almost 10% of the funding, with €13.4 million going to initiatives aimed at reducing inequalities in healthcare and improving public health. This support will focus in the main on reproductive health, childcare, mental health, and better governance in healthcare, as well as supporting initiatives to target specific health challenges amongst the Roma population.
Civil society
There will be continued significant support for the civil society sector. An NGO Fund worth €11.8 million will aim to strengthen civil society and enhance its contribution to social justice, democracy and sustainable development. This programme will focus on issues such as social inclusion and anti-discrimination, as well as promoting active citizenship, good governance and transparency.
Institutional capacity building and cross-border cooperation
Cross-border and institutional cooperation will be strengthened under this programme area. €2 million has been set aside for capacity building and training in public administrations and local and regional authorities. Cooperation and transfer of knowledge will be encouraged with counterparts in similar institutions in Norway, with two projects already agreed; one project to promote exchange of experience between the Norwegian Barents Secretariat and the Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and another project to promote exchange of experience between the Norwegian Association of Local Municipalities (KS) and the National Association of Local Municipalities in the Republic og Bulgaria.
Other areas
Initiatives to address the specific needs of the Roma population will be established across all programme areas. A targeted 10% of the total grant allocation will go towards improving the situation of the Roma in areas such as public health, school attendance, and reducing gender-based violence.
There will also be programmes focused on children and young people at risk and scholarships for students, as well as new funding to promote decent work and tripartite dialogue between social partners and public authorities.
Bilateral cooperation
Under the agreement for 2009-14, the bilateral dimension is strengthened with more strategic cooperation being established at the programme level. Nine (six Norwegian) public entities are foreseen as programme partners with Bulgarian counterparts. Partnerships at project level will continue to be encouraged.
Programme partners 2009-14:
Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency, Norwegian Directorate of Nature Management, Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, Icelandic Centre for Research – RANNIS, the National Agency for International Educational Affairs – AIBA (Liechtenstein), Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education, Norwegian Association of Local Municipalities, Norwegian Barents Secretariat, Norwegian Police Directorate, and the Council of Europe.
Key achievements 2007-09
Energy, biodiversity and environmental protection
More than €16 million was set aside for green projects, making renewable energy and environmental protection the largest area of investment in Bulgaria. Funded projects include a new system for air quality monitoring and management in Bourgas, renovations to make public buildings more energy efficient, a programme to enhance nuclear safety in Bulgaria, a new solar park in the municipality of Petrich and a new wind park that will prevent the emission of over 6600 tonnes of CO2 each year. Among the investments that contributed to safeguarding biodiversity were the development of a new national biodiversity monitoring system, a new fire-protection monitoring system in Pirin National Park and a comprehensive study of the European chestnut tree that will form the basis of a strategy to preserve this species.
Focus on children and youth
A large part of the €4.6 million health funding was spent on improving the standards and facilities of nursery and childcare services in several Bulgarian municipalities. To improve the access to specialised health care for children, pediatric offices have been renovated, fully equipped and reopened in a number of municipalities along the Danube. Other supported activities include efforts to improve the quality and availability of physiciatric medical services in eight municipalities around Ruse, new support services for young people leaving institutional care, and a new therapeutic community for drug users in the Godech region. An EEA Grants-financed centre that offers substance abuse treatment services for children, teenagers and parents in Sofia was opened by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in April 2011.
Capacity building, student and teacher exchanges
The municipalities of Lubmiets and Belitsa have improved their public services through development or updating of their geographical and land registry data. Local authorities in the North-West region, the most disadvantaged region in Bulgaria, have taken part in training schemes to raise the skills of the regional administration that may help increase foreign investment and improve the local business climate. Capacity-building projects have also been funded in the municipalities of Dobrich, Antonovo, Lyaskovets, Yablanitza, Ruse, Yambol. Through the EEA Grants-financed scholarship fund, 53 researchers/academic staff and 12 students from Bulgarian universities participated in exchange programmes with Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Read more.
Preservation of cultural heritage
Close to €5 million was spent on restoring historically significant monuments, including the Shumen Fortress and the ancient Stadium of Philippopolis, as well as on digitalisation of historical periodicals and manuscripts. During excavations at St. Ivan island, which formed part of a larger restoration project of the fifth-century Monastery of John the Forerunner and the Baptist, Bulgarian archaeologists discovered what is believed to be relics of St. John the Baptist.
Fund for non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
In Bulgaria, NGOs benefiting from the €2 million fund reported increased capacity and also enhanced skills in their fields of work. This in turn allowed the organisations to develop and expand their offered social services, carry out public awareness campaigns, set up models for civil participation in monitoring of state bodies and increase volunteerism. Grants financed 61 NGO projects aimed at protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development, providing improved social services, developing civil society or protecting human rights. Read more.
Schengen cooperation and combating trafficking
A €5 million investment financed telecommunication infrastructure to cover Bulgaria’s main Schengen borders (the Black Sea coast, all border points with Turkey and the main ports and airports in the area). The other Schengen project in Bulgaria concerned improving the country’s response to trafficking in human beings.
Bilateral cooperation
Under the EEA Grants 12 projects were implemented in cooperation between Bulgarian and Norwegian entities in the field fields of health and childcare, human resources, environment and cultural heritage. The Norway Grants in Bulgaria, implemented as a Bulgarian-Norwegian cooperation programme, were based on partnership projects between entities from Bulgaria and Norway. All 22 projects therefore included Norwegian cooperation partners.