Operational Programme “Innovations and Competitiveness”

2014-2020

30 November 2015

Operational Programme “Innovations and Competitiveness” 2014-2020

OPIC 2014-2020 is the basic programming document at national level

outlining the aid from the European structural and investment funds for

the period 2014-2020 in innovations, entrepreneurship, growth

capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), energy

and resource efficiency of enterprises;

OPIC 2014-2020 is initially approved by the European Commission on

13.3.2015, amended by EC Decision (2015) 6759 on 30.09.2015;

The total budget of OPIC amounts to € 1,27 billion, with financing from

the ERDF almost € 1,08 billion (85% of the budget ), and national co-

financing € 191 million (15% of the budget).

OPIC structure and budget allocation (1/2)

• Investment Priority 1.1.

Technological development and innovation

(TO 1)

Priority Axis 1: Technological

development and Innovation

23.25% (295.3 million EUR)

from the OPIC budget• Investment Priority 2.1:

Access to finance for supporting entrepreneurship

(TO 3 )

• Investment Priority 2.2:

Capacity for SMEs to grow(TO3)

Priority Axis 2: Entrepreneurship and Capacity for growth

of SMEs

45.47% (577.5 million EUR)

from the OPIC budget

OPIC structure and budget allocation (2/2)

Priority Axis 3: Energy and

Resource Efficiency

24.46%(310.7 million EUR)

from the OPIC budget

• Investment Priority 3.2:

Resource Efficiency(TO 6)

• Investment Priority 3.1:

Energy technologies and energy efficiency

(TO 4)

Priority Axis 4:Removing

bottlenecks in security of gas

supplies

3.54%(45 million EUR)from the OPIC

budget

• Investment Priority 4.1:

Improving energy efficiency and security of supply through the development of smart energy transmission systems

(TO 7)

Priority Axis 1 „Technological development and innovation”

Types of activities leading to the achievement of the specific objective

Development of cooperation for innovation:

Clustering, promotion of collaboration business – academia (TTOs, technological centres, vouchers).

Support for in-house innovation: development and implementation of new products, processes and business models

Development of research and innovation infrastructure: laboratories, Sofia Tech Park

Institutions providing services for support of R&D and innovation in enterprises (Patent agency)

Financial instruments: technology transfer fund, debt instruments for innovation in enterprises

Community-lead local development

IP 1.1. „Technological development and

innovation”

Specific Objective 1.1:

Increased innovation activity of enterprises

Total budget of the PA:

EUR 295 282 552

PA 1 „Technological development and innovation“ - 2015

Overall Objective: Encouraging innovation activities in enterprises in the thematic areas of RIS3 2014-2020

Budget: EUR 50 000 000 (BGN 97 791 500)

Grant Scheme „Support for introducing innovations in enterprises“

Eligible applicants: SMEs and large enterprises – merchants acc.to the Bulgarian Commerce Act or the Cooperatives Act or equivalent entity in line with the legislation of EEA member state

Eligible activities:Acquisition of tangible and intangible assets.

Advisory and support services for innovation.

Investment costs (T&I Assets) Costs for services

Min grant amount : BGN 100 000

Max grant amount : BGN 1 500 000

Launch Date: November 2015

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

PA 1 „Technological development and innovation“ - 2015

Overall Objective: Increasing the share of start-up companies, developing innovations in the thematic areas of RIS3 2014-2020

Budget: EUR 10 000 000 (BGN 19 558 300)

New Grant Scheme “Support for development of innovations by start-ups”

Eligible applicants: SMEs and large enterprises – merchants acc. to the Bulgarian Commerce Act or the Cooperatives Act

Eligible activities:Development of innovation in the thematic areas of RIS3 2014-2020.Applied scientific research in enterprises. Research, acquisition and application of R&D results, technologies, know-how, un-patent inventions, IPR. Creation and testing of prototypes and pilot lines. Testing, trials, measurements.

Investment costs (tangible and intangible assets) Costs for services Operational costs

Min grant amount: BGN 50 000

Max grant amount: BGN 391 166

Launch Date: December 2015

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

PA 1 „Technological development and innovation“ - 2016

Overall Objective: Increasing the share of enterprises that develop and disseminate innovation as well as enhancing the innovative capacity of enterprises

Budget: EUR 35 000 000 (BGN 68 454 050)

Grant Scheme „Development of product and production innovations“

Eligible applicants: SMEs and large enterprises

Eligible activities:Development of innovation in the thematic areas of RIS3 2014-2020.Applied scientific research in enterprises. Research, acquisition and application of R&D results, technologies, know-how, un-patent inventions, IPR. Creation and testing of prototypes and pilot lines, testing, trials, measurements.

Investment costs (tangible and intangible assets) Costs for services Operational costs

Min grant amount: BGN 50 000

Max grant amount : BGN 1 000 000

Launch Date: December 2016

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

PA 1 „Technological development and innovation“ - 2016

Overall Objective: Development of pro-innovative infrastructure and of science and technology park

Budget: EUR 26 650 000 (BGN 52 122 869.50)

Direct grant awarding “Sofia Tech Park”

Eligible applicants: Sofia Tech Park JSC

Eligible activities:Investment activities not financed under OP “Development of the Competitiveness of Bulgarian Economy” 2007-2013.

Investment costs not financed under OP “Development of the Competitiveness of Bulgarian Economy” 2007-2013.

Min grant amount: N/A Max grant amount: BGN 52 122 869.50

Launch Date: March 2016

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

Priority Axis 2 „Entrepreneurship and capacity for growth of SMEs“

Types of activities leading to the achievement of the specific objectives

Financial instruments in support of entrepreneurship: instruments providing seed capital for start-ups; start-up capital and capital for enterprises in early stages of development

Encouraging entrepreneurial ideas through grant schemes: support to enterprises operating in specific spheres (creative and cultural industries), social enterprises.

Support for production capacity for growth of SMEs; Clusters; Specialized services for SMEs; Support for ICT and services.

Institutional beneficiaries: BSMEPA, IBA, Ministry of tourism, CCP, business support associations and organizations

Financial instruments: co-financing fund, debt instruments for microfinance

Community-lead local development

IP 2.1. „Access to finance for supporting entrepreneurship”

Specific Objective 2.1:

Improving the survival rate of SMEs incl. through stimulating entrepreneurship

IP 2.2. „Capacity for SMEs to grow“

Specific Objective 2.2:

Strenghthening productivity and export potential of Bulgarian SMEs

Total budget of the PA:

EUR 577 492 050

PA 2 „Entrepreneurship and capacity for growth of SMEs“ - 2016

Overall Objective: Provision of support for the creation and development of clusters in Bulgaria as a factor for increasing the competitiveness of Bulgarian enterprises

Budget: EUR 20 000 000 (BGN 39 116 600)

Grant Scheme „Development of clusters in Bulgaria“

Eligible applicants: newly created, developing and developed clusters consortia – legal entities or associations, which are not legal entities

Eligible activities: Activities for administrative and organizational strengthening.Activities for cooperation and creation of partnerships throughout the value chain.Internationalisation activities and participation in European and international forms of cooperation.Activities for development of shared innovation infrastructure and know-how.

Investment costs (T&I Assets) Costs for services Operational costs

Min grant amount: BGN 100 000

Max grant amount : BGN 2 000 000

Launch Date: July 2016

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

PA 2 „Entrepreneurship and capacity for growth of SMEs“ - 2016

Overall Objective: Provision of support for development and strengthening the management capacity of SMEs in Bulgaria and promotion of the use of ICT and services

Budget: EUR 30 000 000 (BGN 58 674 900)

Grant Scheme „Development of management capacity of SMEs“

Eligible applicants: SMEs – merchants acc. to the Bulgarian Commerce Act or the Cooperatives Act or equivalent entity in line with the legislation of EEA member state

Eligible activities: Development, introduction and certification of quality management systems.Development, transfer, introduction and certification of good manufacturing practices.Reengineering services of business processes in enterprises. Development and introduction of ICT-based systems and applications for business management.

Investment costs (T&I Assets) Costs for services

Min grant amount: BGN 50 000

Max grant amount: BGN 391 166

Launch Date: May 2016

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

PA 2 „Entrepreneurship and capacity for growth of SMEs“ - 2016

Name of the procedure Eligible applicants, activities and costs Launch date

Creating pre-requisites for sustainable development and successful integration of Bulgarian enterprises on the European and international markets by supporting the activity of BSMEPA

Bulgarian SME Promotion Agency: Activities related to support of entrepreneurship and encouragement of the internationalization of Bulgarian enterprises; Investment costs, costs for services and operational costs.

March 2016

Positioning Bulgaria as known and preferred investment destination

Invest Bulgaria Agency: Activities related to attraction of foreign investments from targeted sectors and countries, incl. implementation of proactive investment marketing; Investment costs, costs for services and operational costs.

March 2016

Increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the services provided by the Commission for Consumer Protection to Bulgarian enterprises

CCP: Activities related to increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the services provided by CCP to Bulgarian enterprises; Investment costs, costs for services and operational costs.

March 2016

Providing institutional support to the Ministry of Tourism for activities related to increase in SME capacity in the sphere of tourism

Ministry of Tourism:Activities related to the establishment and functioning of organizations for management of tourist area.

March 2016

Priority Axis 3 „Energy and resource efficiency“

Types of activities leading to the achievement of the specific objectives

Support for increased EE in enterprises: investment support for SMEs and large enterprises, energy management systems, ICT-based systems to manage EE, complementary support for construction and repair works of production premises.

Institutional support for sustainable energy development: SEDA

Support for pilot and demonstrational initiatives: measures for improvement of the resource efficiency and sustainable utilization of raw materials in enterprises and/or groups of enterprises.

Financial instruments: Debt instrument for energy efficiency measures in enterprises

IP 3.1. „Energy technologies and energy efficiency“

Specific Objective 3.1:

Reducing energy intensity of the economy

IP 3.2. „Resource efficiency“

Specific Objective 3.2:

Increase the share of SMEs with introduced resource efficiency measures

Total budget of the PA:

EUR 310 686 632

PA 3 „Energy and resource efficiency“ - 2015

Overall Objective: Improvement of the energy efficiency in enterprises and use of energy from RES

Budget: EUR 90 000 000 (BGN 176 024 700 )

Grant Scheme “Energy efficiency for SMEs”

Eligible applicants: SMEs – merchants acc.to the Bulgarian Commerce Act or the Cooperatives Act or equivalent entity in line with the legislation of EEA member state

Eligible activities:Acquisition of tangible and intangible assets contributing to EE improvement in enterprises. Implementation of construction and repair works leading to energy intensity reduction in existing building premises of enterprises.Acquisition of heating and cooling systems and/or production of electricity from RES for own needs/consumption. Implementation and certification of energy management systems.Consultancy services for energy audit.

Investment costs (T&I Assets) Costs for construction and repair works Costs for services

Min grant amount : BGN 50 000

Max grant amount : BGN 1 500 000

Launch Date: December 2015

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

PA 3 „Energy and resource efficiency“ - 2016

Overall Objective: Reducing the energy intensity by supporting large enterprises in Bulgaria to promote implementation of energy efficiency projects

Budget: EUR 50 000 000 (BGN 97 791 500)

Grant Scheme „Increasing energy efficiency in large enterprises“

Eligible applicants: large enterprises

Eligible activities:Implementation of measures contributing to improvement of EE in enterprises. Activities for reuse of residual heat in industry.Introduction and certification of energy management systems.Implementation of construction and repair works leading to energy intensity reduction in existing building premises of enterprises.Acquisition of heating and cooling systems and/or production of electricity from RES for own needs/consumption.

Investment costs (T&I Assets) Costs for materials and consumables Costs for services

Min grant amount: BGN 500 000

Max grant amount: BGN 2 500 000

Launch Date: October 2016

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

Priority Axis 4 „Removing bottlenecks in security of gas supplies“

Types of activities leading to the achievement of the specific objective

Support for the construction of gas interconnector Bulgaria – Serbia: Phase 2 of Project „Construction of Gas Interconnector Bulgaria – Serbia”

IP 4.1. „Improving energy efficiency and security of supply through the development of smart energy transmission systems“

Specific Objective 4.1:

Better interconnectivity with neighbouring gas transmission systems

Total Budget of the PA:

EUR 45 000 000

PA 4 „Removing bottlenecks in security of gas supplies“

Overall Objective: Improving connectivity with neighboring gas transmission systems

Budget: EUR 45 000 000 (BGN 88 012 350)

Direct grant awarding – Phase 2 of the Project „Construction of Gas Interconnector Bulgaria – Serbia”

Eligible applicants: Ministry of Energy

Activities on Phase 2 of the Project “Construction of Gas Interconnector Bulgaria – Serbia”

Investment costs Costs for services Costs for materials Organization and management costsCosts for carrying out and participation in events

Min grant amount: N/A

Max grant amount : BGN 88 012 350

Launch Date: June 2016

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

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