The project "Black Sea Women Entrepreneurship Connection - Empowering Women through Tourism (WETOUR)" is closely related to the common challenges in the Black Sea Basin region. The participating organizations aim to create a strong partnership in the field of women's entrepreneurship.
Cross-border cooperation is crucial because it will provide women with best practices and successful policies already implemented in the area to bring them closer to entrepreneurship and increase women's employment.

Status: In progress
Leader: Lia-Filipa Kirova
EU Programme: Joint Operational Program for Transboundary Cooperation "Black Sea Basin 2014-2020"
Budget: 531,984.30
Start: 26.06.2021
End: 25.06.2023
Website: blacksea-cbc.net/projects/our-projects-2014-2020
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wetourproject
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/we-tour/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wetourproject/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

The main objectives of WETOUR are the promotion of gender equality in cooperation with civil society organizations and public authorities, as well as the exchange of knowledge by organizing seminars related to the project's objectives.

The project aims to:

1. Capacity building in women's entrepreneurship in the tourism sector by developing and organizing training and programs on entrepreneurship in the tourism sector, business management, and digital marketing. At least 500 women, young professionals, and women entrepreneurs will be trained on how to effectively manage and develop their businesses, how to get involved in tourism and learn about local tourism plans and policies. On the other hand, entrepreneurship in tourism will be encouraged as a tool for self-employment and future career development.

2. Increasing the excehange of experience between relevant stakeholders, through th creation of the "WE TOUR" portal. The new regional business network will create a global network for knowledge sharing. Through the portal, stakeholders will exchange information on national policy on women entrepreneurs, as well as valuable contacts for cross-border visits and cooperation, best practices, and business management support The portal will support future joint efforts to discuss and develop working methods and tools in several to improve support for women's entrepreneurship at a national level.

3. Improving the role of women and supporting women entrepreneurs in the Black Sea Basin region, by developing an awareness campaign. More than 5,000 people will be informed about the project.

4. Increase women's confidence and their business skills by creating a strong network and long-term partnership between women's support organizations, business organizations, public authorities, and other local stakeholders

The project includes 5 partners from 5 different countries - 4 associations of business women from Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia and Turkey and 1 tourism association from Armenia. The project partners will join forces to develop an innovative entrepreneurial framework for tourism development and promotion of the Black Sea
macroregion as an attractive tourist destination.

Development and implementation of a reproducible and transferable model for preparing the conditions for ensuring digital transformation in agriculture in the Black Sea Basin region. The project will improve the capacity of the agricultural community, academia, public institutions, industry participants and entrepreneurs for cross-border trade opportunities to address common territorial challenges related to lagging modernization in the agricultural and related sectors.

The project supports the elimination of some of the main disadvantages of the Black Sea Basin countries related to the upcoming digital transformation, stimulates entrepreneurship with well-planned and appropriate activities to a number of challenges and opportunities arising from the main territorial processes in three dimensions.

Status: In progress
Head:
EC Program: B
Budget: €697,695.40
Start: 14.07.2020
End: 13.07.2022
Website: http://bsb-smartfarming.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BSB908SmartFarming
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bsb908

The overall objective of the project is to develop and implement a highly replicable and transferable model to prepare the conditions for enabling the digital transformation of agriculture and related sectors in the region, a process that is developing intensively around the world. This will help promote a significant shift in the readiness of the agricultural and allied sectors in the BSB zone for digital transformation.

Specific goals

The first specific objective is to explore, enhance and improve the readiness of stakeholders in agriculture and related sectors in BSB zone 6 partner countries to introduce and implement innovative ICT-based technologies for sectoral development and accelerate the uptake of smart agriculture technologies (SFts) and Internet of Things (IoTs) technologies.

Another objective is to provide a sustainable environment for strong and intensive cross-border linkages for trade and modernization in agriculture and related sectors through an innovative smart agriculture platform and an active cross-border smart agriculture ecosystem and network to ensure its active functioning and sustainable operability.

The third specific objective is to organize a logically connected and highly replicable series of symmetrical regional and cross-border events for the BSB Smart farming network to support innovation, research, collaboration, and entrepreneurship in the digital transformation of agriculture and related sectors in the BSB area.

The project develops and implements a reproducible and transferable model for preparing the conditions for ensuring digital transformation in agriculture in the Black Sea Basin region.

The project will improve the capacity of the agricultural community, academia, public institutions, industry actors, and entrepreneurs for cross-border trade opportunities to address the common territorial challenges of lagging behind modernization in the agricultural and allied sectors.

Building digital entrepreneurship skills in the elderly through an innovative training system.

The project directly contributes to the EUSDR and the program-specific objective of enhancing the competencies of SMEs for business, as it promises to provide a skilled workforce to meet their needs in the digital age. It also strengthens the cooperation and competencies of key ecosystem actors.

Status: In progress
Head: Silvia Stumpf
EU Programme: Interreg Danube Transnational
Budget:
Start: July 2020
End: December 2022
Website: http://www.interreg-danube.eu/edigistars
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edigistarsinterreg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/edigistars

Main goal:

To develop sustainable ecosystems to turn the working representatives of the "baby boomer" (56-76) and generation X (41-55) generations into self-employed digital entrepreneurs.

Specific objectives:

• Creating sustainable structures to help these generations become digitally self-employed.
• Building confidence in the digitally self-employed of these ages, among industry and business.
• Innovation and adaptation of digital training schemes to the specific needs of the representatives of these generations.

eDigiStars contributes to EU-level strategies and policies for building digital skills - the European Commission's digital skills and jobs policy and the New Skills for Europe program.

The project first calls for initiatives to build the digital skills needed to help reskill and advance Europe. It then calls for supporting collaboration between stakeholders in education, employment, and industry to improve the digital skills of the wider population, not just IT professionals. Both goals are followed by eDigiStars goals as it focuses on building the digital skills of unemployed older people. At a national level, all EU countries are now working on developing national digital skills strategies. In their respective parts, usually the "Digital Economy and Society" chapters, the strategies call for citizens' readiness for changes in the labor market, education, and the building of digital skills.
There are two common challenges in the countries of the Danube macro-region. The first is a lack of employees or self-employed person entrepreneurs who can provide specific simple digital services for SMEs (eg basic Windows system administration workstations, 3d printing, digital campaign manager, or digital graphic design). There are various reasons for this such as the extremely low unemployment rate (CZE, GER). The second challenge is an aging population and difficulty in the elderly population. At the EU level, a workforce aged 51 or over is inferred to be affected. This is approximately 30% of the workforce in such a group plus their unemployment rate is 4–10% higher than the average. eDigiStars aims to address both challenges.

According to C.C.Lee, and S.J.Czara, elderly people could be more than just
trained with digital skills, but also employed or self-employed in the field. The eDigiStars project builds on this. The aim of the project is to develop sustainable ecosystems that successfully transform older workers into digitally self-employed entrepreneurs. This is possible to happen through the development and sustainability of the innovative eDigiStars system. This system consists of 3 modules - POWERYOU to empower older people for digital self-employment, CAMPUS to adapt relevant digital skills courses to
the specific needs of the elderly, and LABEL to ensure quality and build confidence among SMEs to a new "workforce". The lack of a skilled "digital workforce" makes the Danube industry less competitive. Our project directly contributes to the specific program
aim to increase the business competencies of SMEs as it promises to provide them with a skilled workforce to deal with a need in the digital age. It also enhances the competencies of key actors in the ecosystems (job boards for the empowerment of older people,
providers of courses to adapt to the needs of older people, and employers in accepting and trusting a new workforce.

Expect good practices from our partners soon

Read the project brochure and learn more about the idea and the next steps.

The aim of the project can be realized through the development and sustainability of the innovative eDigiStars system. This system consists of 3 tools.

Click on the name of the corresponding tool to find detailed information about it:

• POWERYOU - to create awareness and motivate the older workforce
• CAMPUS - to adapt relevant digital skills courses to specific needs of older people
• LABEL - to ensure quality and build trust among SMEs to a new "work force"

Project Status: Live Project
Project Leader: Silvia Stumpf
EU Programme: INTERREG Europe
Project Budget: €1,622,566
Start Date: Aug, 2019
Finish Date: Jan, 2023
Project Website: https://www.interregeurope.eu/digitalregions
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Digital.Regions/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Digital_Regions

The aim of the project is to:

Achieve an increase in the number of SMEs from the manufacturing sector cooperating with other innovation actors in the participant regions to implement Industry 4.0 solutions as a result of improved innovation policies.

Specific objectives are to:

• Better utilise/improve policy measures to increase the level of cooperation taking place between I4.0 innovation actors in different regions, particularly between centres with complementary I4.0 technologies (e.g., IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics) or serving the same smart specialisation sector, in this case manufacturing.
• Improve the participation of SMEs in Industry 4.0 innovation programmes by introducing support measures to enhance I4.0 skills development, participation in test-beds/field-labs and global value chains.
• Develop policy guidelines and recommendations (i.e., "I4.0 Policy White paper") aimed at regions not participating in the project, but with a smart specialisation in the manufacturing sector.

The common challenge addressed by DIGITAL REGIONS is how to best adapt innovation policies to support smart specialisation in the manufacturing sector as a result of the emergence of INDUSTRY 4.0 (INDUSTRY 4.0 or I4.0 is often referred to as the 4th Industrial Revolution and its solutions sit at the intersection of digital transformation and advanced industrial capabilities).

The overall objective is to, by 2022, achieve a 15% increase of the number of SMEs from manufacturing sector cooperating with other innovation actors in the participant regions to implement I4.0 solutions as a result of improved innovation policies.

The 8 participant regions are Oberfranken (DE), Slovenia (SI), Espace Mittelland-Canton of Bern (CH), BMW (IE), Centro (PT), Cantabria (ES), Varna (BG) and West (RO).They are distributed across the 4 IE zones with a mix of central/peripheral areas and innovation levels (leader, strong, moderate and modest).

All have manufacturing as a smart specialisation priority and are represented by an appropriate mix of partners from each region's innovation value-chain including managing authorities, universities, Industry 4.0 Centres of Excellence and business development intermediaries.

The project seeks to improve 7 ERDF policies addressing the Thematic Objective "strengthening research, technological development and innovation" and 1 Swiss equivalent policy.

It will result in instruments which better meet the needs of I4.0 in smart specialisation manufacturing regions, taking into account revised 2021-2027 Investment for Growth and Jobs priorities and the new Horizon Europe and Digital Europe policies. They will include measures to facilitate increased I4.0 policy cooperation between regions, increased participation by SMEs and availability of skills.

It will benefit all stakeholders in each region's innovation ecosystem, i.e. innovation policy makers, SMEs that use I4.0 solutions, suppliers of I4.0 services and universities and innovation centres.

Project Status: Live Project
Project Leader: Silvia Stumpf
EU Programme: INTERREG Europe
Project Budget: €179,590
Start Date: Aug, 2019
Finish Date: Jan, 2023
Project Website: https://www.interregeurope.eu/carpedigem
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InterregCARPEDIGEM/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Digital_Regions

The aim of the project is to:

Improve the effectiveness of public policy, dealing with digital innovation ecosystems, in 7 European regions.

Specific objectives are to:

• To improve our selected Policy Instruments and create Action Plans that include: projects, better governance instruments or policy content change that enhance or become better enablers of inclusive digital innovation ecosystems in partner, but also all peripheral and emerging regions in Europe.
• To create open, inclusive and transferable strategies and tools that bring together and value the contributions of all stakeholders in the design, creation, enhancement and operation of Peripheral and Rural DIGEM's, which maximise socio-economic impact and environmental gain. (sub-objective)
• To develop and implement project (and long-term) communication and dissemination strategy and tools that enable the project to engage and value the contribution of our target stakeholders and discover those we didn't know had key roles to play. (sub-objective)
• Use the territorial exchange process and the Regional Stakeholder Groups to more effectively share knowledge and practice, enhance long term cooperation and promote genuine interregional and intra regional partnerships. (sub-objective)

CARPE DIGEM is about how to create functioning Digital Innovation Ecosystems (DIGEM) with their RTDI skills, packages and delivery mechanisms within government, civil society and business that are required to convert the use and application of new technologies into economic and social opportunity. This requires investments in structures, strategies, tools and people that both complement and enhance the impact of the technology itself; in competences and skills, in organisational changes, in new processes, business and governance models, and also in the intellectual assets that help create value from the new technologies.

We will specifically address the issue of building "SUSTAINABLE digital innovation ecosystems", focusing on inter-regional cooperation: sharing, co-development, social and economic inclusion not just on gateways to services delivered by metropolitan areas which could accentuate the regional digital divide

Our objective is to improve our selected Policy Instruments and create Action Plans that include: projects, better governance instruments or policy content change that enhance or become better enablers of inclusive digital innovation ecosystems in partner, but also all peripheral and emerging regions in Europe. So current and future businesses, and all citizens whatever their origin and location can access the latest knowledge, expertise, infrastructure and technology for creating, testing and experimenting digital innovations relevant to its products, processes or business models. So our regions can provide the connections with investors, facilitating access to financing of digital transformations of businesses and help connect users and suppliers of digital innovations across the value chain; enhancing and networking 'hard and soft' resources necessary to develop appropriate and effective intra and inter-regional DIGEMS that succeed in mobilising local competences, skills and resources within and very importantly at inter-regional level.

Project Status: Live Project
Project Leader: Boris Krastev
EU Programme: INTERREG Europe
Project Budget: €144,210, from which €21,631.50 self-contributed
Start Date: Aug, 2019
Finish Date: 31 July, 2023
Project Website: https://www.interregeurope.eu/ceci
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/europececi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EuropeCECI

The aim of the project is:

Improving and developing regional policies through promoting citizen involvement in circular economy..

Specific objectives are to:

• Develop policy instruments and propose improvements to enhance citizen involvement in circular economy
• Enhance green growth through transferring knowledge about circular economy policies and their implementation
• Enhance green growth through transferring knowledge about new citizen centered circular economy business opportunities and services
• Establish and deepen knowledge and cooperation among local, regional and national stakeholders and consumers
• Raise public awareness of the various possibilities of circular economy through involving citizens

CECI aims at improving and developing regional policies through promoting citizen involvement in circular economy. Changes in consumption patterns are essential when striving towards lengthening product life cycles through reuse, repair, re-manufacturing and refurbishment as well as energy saving. At the same time, the adoption of sharing economy reduces the need for new products and generation of waste. In the project, Good Practices on citizen involvement are transferred related especially to sharing economy services e.g. tool/toy library, and repair services.

In CECI, eight partners from six regions share a strong interest to exchange knowledge of services and citizen involvement in circular economy. The content is in line with the objectives of the EU Circular Economy Package. Through the project, local, regional and national cooperation will develop. CECI will support regions to develop circular economy strategies and solutions, where citizens are in a key role.

The activities include a citizen dialogue on local/regional level, as well as interregional capacity building to support the impact on policy instruments. Through the exchange of Good Practices, the partner regions will be better equipped to develop their Action Plans on citizen involvement and circular services. Well-prepared thematic workshops, round-table discussions and site visits will form the basis for sharing expertise and drive the partners towards joint policy development.

As a result of CECI, the partner regions will develop knowledge on the importance of citizens in circular economy, and gain expertise in implementing new solutions. In addition, CECI will raise public awareness to create a demand for sustainable services. The changes in consumption patterns will create circular economy business opportunities, green growth and jobs. The Good Practices from the project partners will be documented and shared for wider EU use through the Policy Learning Platform.

Read the project CECI first NEWSLETTER.
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Project Status: Live Project
Project Leader: Boris Krastev
EU Programme: INTERREG Europe
Project Budget: €1,652,750
Start Date: Aug, 2019
Finish Date: Jan, 2023
Project Website: https://www.interregeurope.eu/devise
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InterregDEVISE/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InterregDEVISE

DEVISE will provide concrete results for developing a definition of 10 regional action plans that will help policy makers improve the effectiveness of the instruments that are responsible through more targeted action.

The project will also make a lot of effort to create 10 regional digital transformations to cooperate together. DEVISE will facilitate the creation of these environments formed by digital and other key sectors. The main actors and beneficiaries will be politicians, business support organizations, educational centers and SMEs from the digital and other intelligent specialization sectors. These environments will lead to better coordination and enhanced cooperation between the digital sector and those in other sectors of smart specialization.

DEVISE or „Digital tech SMEs at the service of Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies", aims to respond to the current challenge facing 10 European regions to unlock and exploit the potential of digital technology enterprises as a means of competitiveness of SMEs belonging to sectors included in their regional smart specialization strategies (RIS3).

DEVISE, co-funded by the European Union through Interreg Europe, is a four-year project run by ERNACT, which brings together partners from Ireland, Romania, Spain, Bulgaria, Finland, Britain, France and Belgium.

Project Status: Live Project
Project Leader: Silvia Stumpf
EU Programme: INTERREG Europe
Project Budget: €1,247,673
Start Date: Apr, 2016
Finish Date: Mar, 2020
Project Website: https://www.interregeurope.eu/hocare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HoCare_project

HoCare aims for improvement of relevant Structural Funds thanks to the international policy learning. These improvements are planned to be at strategical level (by governance improvement) as well as practical ones (by support of high quality projects). As result HoCare promises to improve management structures (governance) of 7 Funds. This improvements at strategical levels will be complemented at practical policy level by generation of 10 practical projects funded from tackled Funds.

Objective of HoCare project is to boost delivery of home care innovative solutions in regional innovation chains by strengthening of cooperation of actors in regional innovation system using Quadruple-helix approach.

Quadruple-helix is an innovation cooperation model or innovation environment in which users, businesses, research actors/universities and public authorities cooperate in order to produce innovations - government, industry, academia and civil participants work together to co-create the future and drive structural changes far beyond the scope of what any one organization or person could do alone. This model encompasses also user-oriented innovation models to take full advantage of ideas' cross-fertilisation leading to experimentation and prototyping in real world setting.

Aging of the population is challenge for all EU regions. But it means at the same time also an opportunity for growth and jobs as there is created great potential to deliver innovative solution for home care. Common challenge in all HoCare regions is unlocked potential to delivery innovation it this field.

In total, 3 International Thematic Workshops will be organized within HoCare project each covering one thematic sub-objective of the HoCare project.

Project Status: Completed
Project Leader: Silvia Stumpf
EU Programme: OP "Human Resources Development" funded by ESF
Project Budget: 356,725.60 lv
Start Date: Apr, 2016
Finish Date: Mar, 2020
Project Website: https://pre-accelerator.bg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NEpreaccelerator

The project aims to promote self-employment in the region for 14 months in Varna, Shumen, Dobrich and Silistra regions as an opportunity for sustainable integration of the unemployed, especially young people, and especially those who are not engaged in work activity, education or training, including young people at risk of social exclusion, and young people from marginalized communities.

The experience of partners in projects with socially sensitive groups and the active social program of the Municipality of Varna will be applied to broaden the scope of the target groups included in the activities to attract participants from specific groups that are more difficult and less likely to start entrepreneurship such as women, young people, the elderly, people with disabilities, the long-term unemployed.

It will be attracted and supported and employees with experience and skills who have the attitude for their own business, especially from business areas with high innovative poets to the Commission.

The project will mobilize experience, expertise and influence from six partners - Business Agency Association, One Stop Center for Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation, Business Excellence Center, Excellence, Youth NGO Association from Varna Varna European Youth Association And the innovation centers and start-up hubs "Shared Workplace-Varna" Association and "Bulgarian Business Forums" Association together with Varna Municipality as a center of the North-East region and a catalyst for entrepreneurial activity.

Association "Business Agency" is working on the project "One-Stop-Shop Services for Sustainable Integration of third country nations in Varna" under the component "Sustainability and Support for the Functioning of Existing Information Centers for Immigrants - Third-Country Nationals" BGN 115,934.56 - EIF funding - BGN 86,950.92 and national co-financing - BGN 28,983.64.

The TCN abbreviation refers to "third - country nationals" who are not nationals of EU Member States, the EEA and the Swiss Confederation. Such immigrants in Varna are mainly from the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The project is the fourth for the association, the services that the selected 160 immigrants will receive include consultancy assistance related to their integration in Bulgaria, legal consultations in the areas of: residence and residence in Bulgaria, acquisition and sale of properties in Bulgaria, registration of legal entities in Bulgaria Bulgaria.

The project is funded by the EU under an integrated scheme for implementing the common basic principles of immigrant integration policy in the EU and supporting the implementation of a consistent and lasting policy to guarantee the rights of immigrants and ensure their successful integration into Bulgarian society.

Prepared experts will answer immigrant questions about starting a new business; vocational training and education; civic orientation and work with institutions. Experience from previous projects has shown that immigrants need orientation in the political aspects of modern Bulgaria. That is why the current project envisages organizing group meetings - discussions with an independent political scientist who has worked as an expert on previous projects and has an excellent knowledge of third-country nationals and the methods of working with them. He will explain the structure of the political system in Bulgaria and guide them in the electoral system, party history and local self-government.

By the end of June, at the end of the project, four round tables are also scheduled to be held on the topic "Immigrants as a Target Group of Regional Policies Sensitive to Their Culture", involving representatives of regional authorities and institutions, non-governmental organizations, etc. Of great interest are excursions to cultural and historical landmarks in Varna and the region, practical workshops on Bulgarian lifestyle and culture - local crafts - artistic ceramics, Bulgarian cuisine and Bulgarian folk dances.

There is also a need to install an information kiosk on the territory of the Migration Service or elsewhere with a large immigrant traffic, as recommended by the Office.

Association "Business Agency" is a partner on the project "CLOUD - Cluster Orientation to Modern Technologies and a Model for Collaborative Development", funded under the Fourth Call of the Joint Operational Program for Southeast Europe. We hope you are interested in our proposal to take part in the project.

The leading organization of the project is the National Confederation of Crafts and Small and Medium Enterprises by Emilia Romagna. (The Confederazione Nazionale dell'Artigianato e della Piccola e Media Impresa Regionale dell'Emilia Romagna) and the project is worth EUR 1 584 253 with a duration of 1 October 2012 to 30 September 2014.

- CLOUD - CLusters Orientation towards up-to-date technologies and models for common development
- CLOUD - Clusters Orientation to Modern Technologies and a Model for Collaborative Development

For the survival of Southeast European industrial clusters in the global market, it is vital to create a critical mass to address appropriate interventions to activate the necessary innovation capacity and promote competitiveness.

Establishing international cooperation between clusters in Southeast Europe is of paramount importance in defining common, optimized and harmonized policies and implementing concrete tools to help cluster-based economies compete globally.

In this regard, CLOUD contributes to stimulating and unlocking innovation potential in small and medium-sized enterprises in Southeastern Europe through more efficient management of industrial clusters.
This requires action in two main directions, namely:

- defining successful cluster development and support policies that are harmonized and shared between relevant actors across the territory of Southeast Europe and
- the promotion and promotion of cluster-level innovation both at the company level and at the cluster level, and above all the implementation of ICT technologies in the mature cluster

In order to support the clusters involved to reach the global level, active international cooperation is needed. Based on this belief, the project seeks to build international co-operation between public institutions in order to maintain a sustained policy dialogue between Southeast European regional public authorities responsible for developing cluster policies and build a transnational platform for exchanges between relevant structures responsible for the management of cluster programs in individual countries.

This link will also be supported by the expected close co-operation with the Marque Region Partnership Strategy on the same cluster theme in partnership with Emilia Romagna. The built platform will integrate existing initiatives in the countries involved and will focus efforts on the definition of common cluster innovation and development strategies towards a more general convergence across the region. This is also the fundamental objective of all territorial cooperation programs.

CLOUD will contribute to achieving three main results, each of which is backed by a sensitive number of specific products.
- The first outcome at the end of the project is to have a joint transnational strategy and action plan developed and coordinated between partners focusing on the pursuit objectives to which cluster development should be oriented
- The second result is to have a comprehensive, comprehensive and comprehensive set of transnational tools in place to close the project
- Third, at the end of the project, the framework conditions for innovation will be built in a way to attract investment at individual company level and then at cluster environment

CLOUD is an innovative project once in terms of the perspective of the goals, and the second time - the concept of context and its content. In terms of goal orientation, the project has an innovative character, formulating global goals, and promoting the shared strategies that clusters take to implement.
In terms of context, the innovative nature of the project consists in presenting a comprehensive strategy supporting the construction of a sustainable cluster of networks at local and transnational level at the same time.

The objectives of the project are really new compared to the limited intention simply to improve innovation and economic development through the implementation of ICT systems and increased R & D spending - it is proven that these processes are no longer sufficient and far more multilateral intervention is needed, to ensure a sustainable effect and real change in the Southeast Europe region and on a wider scale.

The South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Program 2007-2013 includes Community support for regions in 16 countries - Member States, candidate countries, potential candidate countries and third countries.
- For 14 countries, namely Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia and Moldova, covers the entire territory of the country concerned;
- In two countries, only some regions are eligible for funding: in Italy these are Lombardia, Bolzano / Bozen, Trento, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo, Molise, Puglia Basilicata Chernivtsi region, Ivo-Frankovskaya oblast, Zakarpatskaya oblast and Odessa region. This is a population of 200 million people.

The project "Building a local / regional economic development network as a means of decisively improving the competitiveness of the Black Sea regions - LRED Net" under the Joint Operational Program for the Black Sea Basin 2007-2013 starts in July and will last for 24 months.

Its partners are the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Armenia, Local Development Agency - Pieria, Greece, "Business Advisory Center" from Moldova, "Caucasian Institute for Economic and Social Research" - Georgia and Association "Business Agency" from Bulgaria. The project aims, through the implementation of a set of innovative methods used in Armenia since 2005, developed and certified by the German consulting company Mesopartner, to foster creative dialogue between various stakeholders in order to quickly and effectively address local economic problems development.

Armenia's experience has shown successful resolution of problems affecting residents of specific areas - mayoralties, municipalities, villages, within 3 to 6 months, only with the help of available own resources and with the active involvement of local residents, local businesses, local authorities, NGOs and experts from the area. In the second stage, the established partnerships and established practices for self-solving local resource problems will be promoted to partners and a Black Sea Network for Sustainable Cooperation will be established.

The overall objective of the project is to build entrepreneurial and administrative capacity to improve social, information, trade and other links at the local level, as well as between different partners, thus encouraging national governments to use cooperation opportunities and thus join forces. for a better life in the Black Sea basin.

The project "Preparing the conditions for entry of wines from the Black Sea region into the international market: "Black Sea WinExports" have started.

The activity is carried out by a partner consortium led by the territorial administrative unit of Panichiu, Romania. Project partners are Ukraine, Odessa Region - Regional Entrepreneurship Support Fund in the Odessa region; Moldova, Chisinau Region - Moldavian Association of Small Wine Producers; Romania, Vrancea County, Paniche City; Bulgaria, Varna - Business Agency Association; Greece, Central Macedonia, Thessaloniki (Polychoros Peirama).

The Black Sea WinExports project aims to expand co-operation between target regions in order to share knowledge and experience through the development of innovative digital tools, building a common Black Sea wine brand and building of a common marketing strategy that will result in a significant increase in market shares in the target and emerging wine markets. The project is funded by the European Union under the Black Sea Bass Joint Operational Program John 2007 - 2013".

BG EIF 2011 / 01-01.03 "Door to Bulgaria: One-Stop-Shop for Sustainable Integration of TCN in Varna" has started. The aim of the project is to ensure the sustainability in the development and functioning of the existing Immigrant Information Center (TCN - Third-country Nationals). The project is being implemented by the Business Agency Association.

Its value is 120 375, 69 BGN, with EIF funding is 90 281, 77 BGN, and national co-financing - 30 093, 92 BGN. It has already registered 160 immigrants, third country nationals (outside the European Union) Russian citizenship. A sociologist and assistant will conduct a study on the needs of immigrants related to their life in Bulgaria. The study will be required to produce an up-to-date Immigrant Handbook and a map showing the most important places in Varna in terms of their needs.

The study will be conducted through direct interviews and two focus group discussions. Based on the collected information, short films will be prepared to present illustrative situations of the life of the TCN in Varna. They will be available from the Center's website and distributed in 4 languages. Immigrants will also benefit from free legal advice from a qualified lawyer in 4 directions - residence and residence in Bulgaria, acquisition and sale of real estate in Bulgaria, registration of legal entities in Bulgaria .

An experienced psychologist will advise immigrants who have difficulty adjusting and having psychological attitudes in their lives in Bulgaria. Third-country immigrants who intend to stay in Bulgaria will receive answers to their questions about starting a new business in Bulgaria; vocational training and education in Bulgaria; finding and employment in Bulgaria; civic orientation and work with institutions in Bulgaria. The online consultant will use the Internet-based tools for consulting the GT2009 to consult the TCN - an information portal, an online system for assessment of professional competences in 4 languages "360 Web Compass", a training platform for self-preparation in Bulgarian language and life and culture, history and civic orientation, and will answer the questions of the TCN. The platform will feature video sessions (recorded presentations of job seekers) and a database containing detailed CVs of jobseekers.

The following activities will also take place within the project - an informational meeting on "Immigrants and the labor market", Roundtable on "Immigrants as a Target Group of Regional Policies Sensitive to Their Culture", Consultative Forum "Ensuring Coordination Between Local Institutions for Effective Integration of the TCN in Varna". To help build strong links between the TCN and Bulgaria as a host society, activities are envisaged to familiarize immigrants with the Varna region and the customs of the Varna people. To ensure integration into the social order of the host society, immigrants will become familiar with Bulgarian local crafts, Bulgarian cuisine and Bulgarian folk dances. 3 practical workshops will be organized on the following topics: artistic ceramics, traditional Bulgarian cuisine and traditional Bulgarian folk dances and songs.

Project BG EIF 2011 / 01-01.03 "Door to Bulgaria: One-Stop-Shop for Sustainable Integration of TCN in Varna" is implemented with the financial support of the European Union through the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals.

The most current project of BA (May-Jun 2011) focused on strengthening the administrative capacity of regional officials and local administration directly involved in the process of return of third country nationals in the countries of origin in respect of Community standards in the field of human rights and best practices in the field of return management.

Its specific objective was to take measures at the regional level to ensure better and effective implementation of common standards on return, as laid down in legislation on the return of the Community through training of at least 47 employees of the Regional Directorate of Interior -Varna and at least 15 judges - in Criminal and Civil Varna District Courts and the Varna Court of Appeals.

The project is worth 30705 EUR.

Recently (Jan-Jun 2011), "Business Agency" Association has successfully completed its second project funded by the European Integration Fund (EIF 2009-1) under the "Integrated Scheme for providing grants to implement activities aimed at implementation in practice of the "Common basic principles of policy integration of immigrants into the EU " and gradual building of capacity to foster these activities.

The project "Gateway to Bulgaria: One-stop-shop for sustainable integration of immigrants" significantly upgraded the existing information and consultation center for immigrants in Varna. The center currently offers free services for immigrants: a course in Bulgarian language, history, customs and culture of Bulgaria, civic orientation, as well as free legal advice. Up to now the center has provided information, education and advisory services for over 400 citizens of third-country nationals.

The project is worth € 102563,07.

On November 5, 2010 began project on e-Inclusion for people with disabilities, with Business Agency as a leading organization and Center for Professional Education -Excellia Ltd. and CPE Materika - Materika Foundation.

The project aims to increase the utilization of information and communication technologies and technological innovations and assist in the development, delivery and use of social services by people with disabilities in Varna as a condition for their effective involvement in public life.

The project is worth BGN 183 667.10.

Project, which aims to expand and replicate an innovative model of social enterprise to create demand in the labor market for employment skills of the target group-people with disabilities of the lower limbs, people with hearing disabilities and parents of children with disabilities.

The project is worth BGN 338,077.92, of which BGN 287 366.23 financed by the European Social Fund and BGN 50,711.69 national co-financing.

On 13 October 2009 BA launched a project BG051PO001-4.2.03-0802 "Conquerors of the Sea - Episode 1 - Rose of winds", under Operational Programme "Human Resources Development" 2007-2013, financed by the European Social Fund, of the European Union.

The main objective of the project is to create and maintain a lasting interest in the target group - young people from secondary schools of the two coastal cities Varna and Burgas to pursue sailing sports as an opportunity for a healthy lifestyle.

The project is worth 263 990.24 BGN, of which 224 391.71 BGN are financed by the European Social Fund and 39 598.36 BGN national co-financing.

The project was implemented in the period Sep- Dec 2009, under the pilot phase of the EIF for the creation and development of Information and Consultation Center for Immigrants in Varna. During the project a pilot information and consultation center for immigrants was created, that is fully functional at the moment as well. During the first project the center has provided information, education and advisory services for over 200 immigrants.

BG EIF 2008/01-03.01 "Door to Bulgaria: from immigration to integration - creation of a pilot information center for immigrants" in Varna, targeting immigrants from third countries (non-EU countries) in Bulgaria.

The project was worth 86 375.78 BGN of which 64 781.83 BGN were financed by the European Fund for Integration of third country nationals and 21 593.95 BGN national co-financing.

On November 28, 2008 launched a project for vocational training in stonecutting, in order to create conditions for the revival of traditional occupation stonecutter.

The project is implemented by "Eskana" JSCo. in partnership with Varna Business Agency and funded by PHARE 2006 - Economic and social cohesion BG 2006/018.343.10.01 Grant Scheme "Human Resources Development and Employment Promotion" - Phase 3.

With the upcoming study "Eskana" JSCo. aims to fill the lack of specialists in this area as well trained stonecutters and return to the labor market a forgotten profession with prospects. The overall project objective is to create sustainable jobs and to build long-term vision for the development of human resources in Eskana JSCo. through successful investments in its improvement and vocational education.

On July 8, 2008 BA launched a project under the scheme for grant financial aid "To make the school attractive for young people", project under Operational Program "Human Resources Development".

The project aims to develop a model of cooperation between the sports club, NGO and school to improve the access of students to recreation, sport and tourism and to improve access to information connected with the conditions and opportunities for marine sports. It will be created conditions for 400 pupils at the age between 12 and 17 years from the town of Varna to obtain quality information on specific marine sports, participation in extracurricular sports activities and improve the personnel system and integrated nutrition through a partnership between four schools, sport club and NGO from Varna.

Partners under the project are: Sport Club Lazur, Professional School of Textiles and Fashion Design – Varna; A School of General Education "Nikola Vaptzarov" – Mladost Quarter, Varna; A School of General Education "Marin Drinov" – Vladislav Varnenchik Quarter, Varna and Private Trade School Varna.

The project is worth BGN 49 982.80.

On July 1, 2008 "Excellia" Ltd. started the project under the Scheme for grant aid under Project "Human Resources Development and Promotion of Employment": BG2005/017-353.10.01-2.81 "An Innovative Model for Effective Entrepreneurship".

The overall objective of the project is the creation of model for innovative and effective solutions entering entrepreneurship and a purposeful successful development of entrepreneurship skills for men and women in working age. The partners under the project are Varna Business Agency and the Technical University – Varna.

The project is worth EUR 47 050.

BG 2005/017-586.04.02/ESC/G/CDI-II-010 "Varna Tourist Cluster"- project under Phare, Cluster development Initiatives – Phase II Grant Scheme. The idea for the creation of a Varna Tourist Cluster was generated by the joined efforts of Varna Business Agency and Varna Chamber of Tourism.

Within one year, the idea has been disseminated to the main entrepreneurs and agents in the Tourism business in the Varna Region – proprietors of hotels, resorts, tourist agencies, transport companies, restaurants, banks.

The project is worth EUR 168 520.