Balkan-Mediterranean Programme: Alexandros Samaras Head of Unit Management of the Programmes implemented in the Balkan Peninsula - Black Sea and the Interregional Programmes, Greece Session 3: Future Programmes SEE Annual Event 2014
South East Europe Annual Event 2014: See Valuable Achievements for the Future TRANSNATIONAL COOPERATION PROGRAMME BALKAN-MEDITERRANEAN 2014-2020 25.09.2014, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Background of the Balkan-Mediterranean CP The Balkan-Mediterranean 2014-2020 is a new transnational cooperation programme, deriving from both, the split of the South East 2007 2013 and the strong will of the Balkan-Mediterranean participating countries to promote cooperation in the area. The programme supports the know-how and experiences sharing, improvement of the public policies and networking, between national, regional and local authorities and other territorial actors of the whole BalkanMediterranean cooperation area. It is a new cooperation opportunity that enriches the European territorial cooperation goal of the new programming period ahead, 2014 2020. It is the first time ever that the European cooperation addresses the Balkan Peninsula and the Eastern Mediterranean Sea together, in a joint effort across maritime and terrestrial borders, to contribute to the EU 2020 strategy, for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. 01
Geographic Coverage The Balkan-Mediterranean CP covers the following areas: a) The EU Member States: - Bulgaria: the entire country - Cyprus: the entire country - Greece: the entire country b) The IPA Partner States: The programme consists of Balkan IPA countries (candidate to the European Union). These countries participate with the European funds of the IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance) financial instrument. - Albania: the entire country - The formeryugoslav Republic of Macedonia: the entire country 02
Mapping the Cooperation Area 03
Programme Funding The overall budget of the Balkan Mediterranean CP is 39.727.652,11 million, including national contribution. The programme is co-financed by the European Development Fund (ERDF) with 28.330.108,00 million ERDF for the 2014-2020 period. The total support from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) fund accounts for 5.126.138,00 million IPA for the 2014-2020 period. For the overall cooperation area, a co-financing rate of 85% is applied (excl. Technical Assistance). 04
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Priority Axis 1: Entrepreneurship & Innovation The Balkan-Mediterranean area suffers from markets fragmentation, high unemployment and limited labour force skills Entrepreneurship and Innovation can be powerful drivers of economic growth. Priority Axis 1 is dedicated to actions that: foster the area s entrepreneurship potential by encouraging SMEs cooperation and networking, clusters and clusters policies, new business models applications and in particular the ones promoting innovation, opens up new markets and support internationalisation; foresee knowledge transfer and skills development, linking the overall business support to vocational training. PA1 ensures an integrated, structured and inclusive approach to effectively address territorial competitiveness and skills gaps, to overcome markets fragmentation and foster business environment that could further unleash untapped cooperation potential. 06
Priority Axis 1: Entrepreneurship & Innovation An extensive menu of transnational cooperation opportunities (type of activities) are offered to the following actors: Umbrella organisations of SMEs Development and planning agencies Local, regional and national authorities involved in business management Technology transfer centres and universities Innovation support networks Non-governmental and Civil Society organisations 07
Priority Axis 2: Environment The Balkan-Mediterranean area suffers from the deterioration of the environment, the inefficient use of natural resources and limited institutional capacity of public authorities and stakeholders; Protecting, conserving, enhancing natural capital, managing, monitoring, strengthening Environment is fundamental for sustainable development and inclusive growth, promoting so an ecosystem based management approach. Priority Axis 2 is dedicated to actions that: strengthen integrated joint approaches to preserve and manage natural/ cultural heritage and resources efficiency, foster green and blue growth opportunities, promote classified sites and areas of community importance, develop green and blue theme parks and joint products, all guided by a shared policy framework and innovative technologies. foresee skills gap bridging for public authorities and stakeholders, linking the overall ecosystems sustainable use to environmental management and delivery on environmental legislation monitoring and governance. PA2 it ensures an integrated, holistic approach to improve the environment, to strengthen sustainable development and to generate sustainable growth and sustainable employment that could set the basis for shared sustainable growth goals. 08
Priority Axis 2: Environment An extensive menu of transnational cooperation opportunities (type of activities) are offered to the following actors: Local, regional and national authorities Environmental and development agencies Protected/designated areas management organisations and bodies Non-governmental and Civil Society organisations SMEs umbrella organisations 09
Programme Structures Managing Authority of the of the TNCP Balkan-Mediterranean 2014-2020: The Managing Authority of European Territorial Cooperation Programmes, located in Thessaloniki, Greece Joint Secretariat of the of the TNCP Balkan-Mediterranean 2014-2020: The Joint Secretariat will be located in Thessaloniki, Greece under the following composition: 1 coordinator 1 project officer 1 financial & project officer 1 communication, technical assistance & project officer 1 administrative assistant The official language of the Programme is English. 10
Drafting of the Cooperation Programme, Ex-Ante & SEA The programming Task Force - consisted of members from the five (5) participating countries - has convened thrice from the approval of the Programme by EC. Inbetween Working Group Meetings took place. The final draft of the CP, Ex-Ante & SEA was submitted to the EC for approval on 22.09.2014. 11
Thank you for your attention! Alexandros G. SAMARAS Head of Unit B1 Unit B1' - "Management - Monitoring of the Programmes implemented in the Balkan Peninsula - Black Sea and the Interregional Programmes" ZEDA Building, 65, Georgikis Scholis Av., GR-57001, Thessaloniki, Greece - Τ: +30 2310 4696250 F: +30 2310 469602 - E-mail: asamaras@mou.gr INTERREG website: http://www.interreg.gr Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/etc_interreg