RBDICT Project

Cross border cooperation policy is about establishing links across national boundaries to enable joint approach to common problems and opportunities. The Operational Programme between Greece and Bulgaria constitutes actually a set of proposals for the interventions envisaged under the terms of the cross border cooperation strand of the European Territorial Cooperation objective of the Structural Fund policies for the period 2007-2013.

The new Programme, as the successor to the INTERREG III A programme that operated between the two countries to the end of 2006, will attempt to capitalize on the experience gained and the extensive lessons that have been learned by both the participants and the implementation structures in order to bring cooperation to a new level.

The overall strategic objective of the Programme is to strengthen the competitiveness and territorial cohesion in the programme area towards sustainable development by linking the potential from both sides of the borders.

Within the framework of achieving and serving the overall objective, a series of strategic objectives have also been developed which constitute the policy outline for the convergence in the area of intervention. Specifically these objectives are:

A. Strengthening the Attractiveness of the Area by Upgrading the Quality of Life & Improving Accessibility Structures.

B. Enhancing Competitiveness by promoting entrepreneurship, establishing networks of cooperation and investing in human resources.

These two strategic objectives are expressed as three priority axes (plus the technical support axis) along with a certain number of specific objectives. Specifically:

• Priority Axis 1: Quality of Life – Upgrading and Management of Environmental & Cultural Assets, Health & Social Issues for the improvement of Quality of Life in the cross-border area and the welfare of its residents.
• Priority Axis 2: Accessibility – Improving the transport and communication networks and ensuring an easy and safe circulation of goods, services and people in the cross-border area.

Document No. 4: Programme Manual Version: 1.0 - 7 - European Territorial Cooperation Programme Greece-Bulgaria 2007-2013

• Priority Axis 3: Competitiveness & Human Resources - Stimulating entrepreneurship, investing in human capital and promoting research and innovation so as to increase competitiveness and improve the economic and social development of the cross-border area.
• Priority Axis 4: Technical Assistance – Aiming at supporting the overall management and smooth implementation of the Programme.