The "Operational Programme Innovation and Competitiveness 2014-2020" (OPIC) is the main programme document outlining the support for Bulgarian businesses from the European structural and investment funds for the period 2014-2020. The support is focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, capacity growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), energy and resource efficiency of the businesses. More than 10 procedures for application will open in 2018 under OPIC. The support to Bulgarian enterprises from the EU Funds is more than 400 million euros. Costs for the purchase of machinery, equipment and specialized software, rental of premises, marketing activities, salaries for expert positions, etc. are eligible for funding. Swiss companies, among others, can participate in tender procedures for delivering machinery, equipment and specialized software to Bulgarian enterprises for more than 300 million euros for the following sectors:
- MEM industries;
- Food and beverages;
- Textile, clothing, leather and footwear;
- Woodworking, furniture, cardboard and paper;
- Chemical and pharmaceutical products;
- Computers and telecommunication devices and equipment;
- Rubber, plastics, glass, ceramics, cement and other building materials;
- Automotive and other related industries.
At the moment the following procedures are under implementation: „Support for the introduction of innovation in enterprises”; „Development of management capacity and growth of SMEs“; „Support for development of innovations by start-up companies“; „Increasing energy efficiency in large enterprises“. The tender procedures under the first 3 procedures are on-going. The tender procedures under the last call will be announced by the beginning of April, 2018.
Information on all open application procedures under the Operational Programme "Innovation and Competitiveness" 2014-2020 can be found on the website of the "European Funds for Competitiveness" Directorate General.
Information on all open application procedures for EU programmes can be found here.
How you can benefit from these opportunities
If you would like to further evaluate the opportunities related to the public tenders in Bulgaria without any further obligations, please get in touch with our S-GE Senior Consultant for Central Eastern Europe Katalin Dreher-Hajnal. Contact her now
