Project: “Bulgarian-Greek Partnership by Assistance, Services, Solutions to Promote Open Regions Team”

Acronym: Bulgarian-Greek PASSPORT

Contracting party: Ministry of Economy, competitiveness and supply, the Hellenic Republic

Funding program: European Territorial Cooperation Programme Greece – Bulgaria 2007 – 2013

Lead organization: Regional Municipalities Association “Maritza”

Partners: Haskovo Municipality, Local Municipalities and Communities “Evros”, Industrial Association of Eastern Macedonia.

Overall objective

Promoting entrepreneurship, enhancing competitiveness, investment in human capital, improving the economic and social development of cross-border region through the creation of specific databases, the use of information technologies and development of specific services for SMEs in the region.

Specific objectives

• Development and establishment of Bulgarian-Greek business incubator to promote entrepreneurship and to invest in human capital in the border region.
• Development and creation of three joint Bulgarian-Greek info points for business information in Haskovo, Bulgaria, the prefecture of Evros, Greece and the prefecture of Kavala, Greece, to increase the competitiveness of SMEs, to promote the common Bulgarian -Greek economic and trade activities to create conditions for exchange of good practices, know-how and experience in cross-border region.
• Develop and activate the Internet – site of cross-border portal to create networks of cooperation, attract investment, increase the competence and qualifications of the SMEs in the border area and facilitate the development of open labor market “

Target groups

• management of local members of the RMA “Maritza”
• Potential investors
• newly established firms, operating in the targeted municipalities
• Representatives of small and medium companies from the target communities
• Citizens of the target communities in the project

Activities

1. Establishment of Bulgarian-Greek business incubator in the territory of Haskovo region
2. Creating three information points for business information in Haskovo, Bulgaria, the prefecture of Evros, Greece and the prefecture of Kavala, Greece
3. Events
• Renovation and equipment of the building, which will be located on the Bulgarian-Greek business
• Market research for the selection of clients of business incubators in Bulgaria and Greece
• Organise training of workers in a business incubator, creating a web – site
• Development and promotion of business catalog companies operating in the municipalities – partners
• Organize a conference on cross-border development with 50 participants, organizing the final forum for cross-border development
• Six regular meetings of the Board of Governors of the business incubator
• Three meetings of project partners
4. Publications and communication tools:
• Create business catalog of all registered companies in the municipalities – partners
• Catalog investment opportunities / projects to municipalities
5. Promotion of the project:
• Work with the media – 20 paid posts in Bulgaria and Greece
• Promotional materials, presenting the project – USB – devices, brochures, posters, presentation folders
6. Development of a mechanism to ensure future maintenance of the center

Expected Results

• Promotion of investment and business opportunities in targeted communities
• Stimulating economic development within the partners in this project
• Implemented marketing to attract investors in the target communities
• Stabilized cooperation between business communities and target
• Promoting entrepreneurship in cross-border region
• present and disseminate European policy to improve the business environment through the development of business-information points
• Development of competitive and general economic and commercial business environment in the border region

This project is implemented by EU   This project is performed by RMA “Maritza”

“This document was created within the project “Bulgarian-Greek partnership through support services and solutions to promote open regional team” (Bulgarian-Greek Partnership by Assistance, Services, Solutions to Promote Open Regions Team / Bulgarian-Greek PASSPORT), funded program of the European Territorial cooperation Programme Greece-Bulgaria 2007-2013 contract, grant № B1.32.03/14.03.2011, the co-financed by the European Union through the European regional Development Fund and national funds of Greece and Bulgaria. The sole responsibility for the content of the document lies with the RMA “Maritza” and under no circumstances can be considered that this document reflects the official opinion of the European Union and the contracting authority”