About the project
The “Business without borders” project is being implemented by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Burgas (CCI – Burgas) under the PHARE Programme – Trans-border cooperation (TBC). It assists the border areas of the countries, candidates for European Union (EU) membership:
- in overcoming the economic and social weaknesses, caused by their peripheral location of „difficult-to-pass“ boundaries from many years on;
- in harmonizing the economic and social conditions on both sides of EU’s external borders and in settling the discrepancies;
- in improving the contacts and relationships among people, institutions and enterprises in the neighbour countries.
In view of strengthening the trans-border cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkey, in 2002 the two countries took the decision to start implementation of a Mutual Fund for Small Projects (MFSP). These actions have been a significant element of the support, rendered to the border regions of Bulgaria and Turkey, during their preparation for European Union membership, to their social and economic integration.
GOALS AND PRIORITIES of the Mutual funds for small projects
The common goal of MFSP between Bulgaria and Turkey is to assist small, non-investment projects of the type “from people to people”, to encourage activities of trans-border nature, including local institutions and organizations of the border regions. MFSP also encourage and support the creation and development of steady networks for cooperation on both sides of the boundary, and of connections among these two networks and the global networks of the European Union in the following priority domains:
- Economic development;
- Environment;
- Tourism;
- Cultural exchange;
- Capacity development at a local and regional level;
- Research in the field of planning and development.
The goal of the project: “Business without borders” is to create prerequisites for revealing the potential of Burgas and Kirklareli districts for economic development, in view of increasing the flow of investments and employment, of establishing and strengthening the partnership between the business sectors and business organizations of the two districts.
The project’s target group is the business’ representatives and the institutions, having relation thereto. Direct beneficiaries are 30 enterprises from Burgas district and 30 from Kirklareli district. Indirect beneficiaries are at least 400 companies from the two districts, which are going to be introduced to the possibilities of trans-border cooperation, as well as the institutions, related to the two districts’ business – Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Agencies, economic departments of the district and municipal administrations, etc.
The project: “Business without borders” of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Burgas is a mirror-image of the project: "Enhancement of the trading capacity of Burgas and Kirklareli” of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Kirklareli. The activities of the Bulgarian project complement those of Turkey’s project and are going to be simultaneously implemented.
They include analyses and determination of SME in the two districts with a potential for trans-border cooperation and data-base preparation.
Analysis and identification of the parameters and relevant factors of the two districts’ business environment and presentation of the results of the two business forums – in Burgas and in Kirklareli.
The analytical information has been published in the manual: “Business environment in Bulgaria, sectors and enterprises with a potential for cooperation”, on compact discs and Internet websites, supported by the two Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
The total value of the project is 36 780 Euro, of which 29 190 Euro (79%) is a grant from the European Union and
7 590 Euro (21%) is contribution of the Chamber of Commerce
and Industry – Burgas.
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About the project
