OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME

“INNOVATION AND COMPTITIVENESS”

2014-2020

Innovation and resource efficiency

in OPIC

Eco-innovation for air quality

5-6 February 2018, Sofia Tech Park

Sofia, Bulgaria

PA 4 Removing

bottlenecks in

security of gas supplies

PA 5 Technical

Assistance

OP INNOVATIONS

AND

COMPETITIVENE

SS

1,270 mEUR

❖ R&D and innovation in

enterprises

❖ Innovation

infrastructure

❖ Science and technology

parks

EUR 295 million

❖ Entrepreneurship

❖ Production capacity

❖ ICT, standards and

management systems

EUR 577 million

❖ Energy efficiency in

enterprises

❖ Institutional support

❖ Resource efficiency

EUR 311 million

❖ Construction of gas

interconnector Bulgaria - Serbia

EUR 45 million

❖ Management and

control of OP

EUR 41 million

Focus of the support:

➢In order to maximize the impact of the limited public resources, support under Priority Axis 1 is focused exclusively within the specific thematic areas of the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization (RIS3)

Total Budget:

295.2 mln. EUR

Priority axis 1:Technological Development and Innovation

Support for technological development and innovation in order to boost the innovation

activity of the enterprises

INNOVATION STRATEGY FOR SMART SPECIALIZATIONTHE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA 2014-2020 (IS3)

The Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization (IS3) is an obligatory ex-ante

conditionality under Regulation 1303/2013 for the programming period 2014-

2020, in relation to the funding from ESIF in the field of Thematic objective 1

"Strengthening research, technological development and innovation" of the

Common Strategic Framework.

4

Strategic Priority 1 of the Partnership Agreement: Education, Qualification and Employment for Inclusive Growth

Strategic Priority 2 of the Partnership Agreement: Scientific Research, Innovation and Investments for Smart Growth

Strategic Priority 3 of the Partnership Agreement: Connectivity and Green Economy for Sustainable Growth

INNOVATION STRATEGY FOR SMART SPECIALIZATIONTHE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA 2014-2020 (IS3)

Strategic Vision: Till 2020 Bulgaria will pass from the group of “modest

innovators" to the "moderate innovators" through:

Objective 1: Focus on innovation potential in the identified thematic areas (for creation and development of new technologies, leading to competitive advantages and increase of the added value of domestic products and services).

Objective 2: Support innovation for resource efficiency and ICT applications in enterprises throughout the industry (for accelerated absorption of technologies).

IS3 Pillars:

5

Main purpose: Providing focused support to increase innovation activity of Bulgarian enterprises in the

thematic areas of the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization (RIS3)

Total Budget (incl. overcontracting): approx. 117 M BGN (59,87 M EUR)

Grant Scheme “Support for Introduction of Innovation in Enterprises”

Eligible applicants:

Micro, small, medium and large enterprises.

The applicants must have at least three completed financial years (2013, 2014 and 2015

Prioritization (via awarding of bonus points) of projects that are introducing Eco-Innovation.

Eligible activities:

Acquisition of long-term tangible assets and long-term intangible assets

Consultancy and support services in favourof innovation.

Investment costs (long-term tangible assets and long-term intangible assets)

Costs for services

Minimum amount of grant: 100 000 BGN

Maximum amount of grant:

SMEs– 1 000 000 BGN

Large undertakings – 1 500 000 BGN

Date of announcement: 23 December 2015

Deadline: 4 April 2016

567 project proposals sent

Status: 153 project proposals in implementation

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

Main purpose: Providing focused support to increase the innovative activity of startups enterprises,

developing innovation in the thematic areas of the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization (RIS3)

Total Budget (incl. overcontracting): approx. 30.47 M BGN (15,58 M EUR)

Grant Scheme „Support for Development of Innovation by Start-ups“

Eligible applicants:

Micro, small, medium and large enterprises - the applicants must be merchants according to the Bulgarian Commerce Act or the Cooperatives Act

The applicants must have less than three completed financial years

Prioritization (via awarding of bonus points) of projects that are developing Eco-Innovation.

Eligible activities:

Developing innovation in the thematic areas of the RIS3.

Applied research

Creation and testing of prototypes and pilot lines.

Investment costs (long-term tangible assets and long-term intangible assets)

Costs for services

Operating costs

Minimum amount of grant: 50 000 BGN

Maximum amount of grant: 391 166 BGN

Date of announcement: February 2016

Deadline: 5 May 2016

889 project proposals sent

Status: 82 project proposals in implementation

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

16%

17%

43%

24%

Supported projects per RIS pillars

Informatics and ICT

Industry for a healthylifestyle andbiotechnology

Mechatronics andclean technologies

New technologies increative andrecreational industry

59,8 mEUR for 153

projects for introduction

of innovation

15,5 mEUR for 82

projects for development

of innovation

15,8 mEUR

10,9 mEUR

36 mEUR

12,8 mEUR

Mechatronics and Clean

technologies

CleanTech with focus on transport

and energy sector

24 projects 6,4 mEUR

Intelligent systems and

appliances, intelligent homes –

intelligent cities

14 projects 4,6 mEUR

Main purpose:. Growth of the share of undertakings developing and disseminating innovation, as well as

raising the innovative capacity of the undertakings

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

Grant Scheme “Development of product and production innovation”

Eligible applicants: SMEs and large enterprises

Eligible partners: scientific organizations (universities, Bulgarian Academy of Science, Sofia Tech Park, etc.)

Prioritization (via awarding of bonus points) of projects that are developing Eco-Innovation.

Eligible activities:

Performing testing, examining, measuring activities necessary for the development of product (goods and services) or process innovation;

Creating and testing prototypes and pilot lines connected with the development of product (goods and services) or process innovation.

Investment costs (acquisition of long-term tangible assets and long-term intangible assets);

Salaries for personnel performing R&D;

Depreciation costs;

Cost for external services;

Cost for materials and consumables.

Minimum amount of the grant: 100 000 BGN

Maximum amount of the grant: micro and small – 500 000 BGN, medium – 500 000 BGN, large enterprises - 1 000 000 BGN.

Date of announcement: 28 June 2017

Deadline for application: 26 September 2017

Status: 364 project proposals in assessment.

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

PA 1 “Technological Development and Innovation” – general overview of all launched and planned grant schemes

Total budget under PA 1 - 295 282 552 euro

Launched grant schemes Grant schemes 2018 – 2020

- Support for Introducing Innovation in Enterprises (59,9 mEUR, incl. overcontracting)

- Support for Development of Innovation by Startups(15,6 mEUR, incl. overcontracting)

- Phase 2 of the Sofia Tech Park Project (6,3 mEUR)

- Support for the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria (4,5 mEUR)

- Development of Product and Process Innovation(35 mEUR)

- Enhancing Introduction of Innovations in Enterprises (55

mEUR+ savings from launched schemes: currently 1,1 mEUR)

- Support for the Development of Innovative Clusters (15,3 mEUR)

- Upgrading and Development of Sofia Tech Park (20,2 mEUR)

- Support to Promote Cooperation for Innovation between Business and

Scientific Organizations (12,7 mEUR)

Financial instruments under PA 1 - 60 mEUR

Implementation of the CLLD approach under PA1 - 19 mEUR

Main purpose: Providing focused support to Bulgarian SMEs to promote the implementation of energy

efficiency measures in order to achieve sustainable growth and competitiveness of the economy.

Budget (incl. overcontracting): approx. 168,8 mEUR (330,1 million BGN)

Grant Scheme “Energy Efficiency for SMEs”

Eligible applicants:

Micro, small and medium enterprises.

The applicants must have at least three completed financial years (2013, 2014 and 2015

Eligible activities:

Investment in implementation of energy efficiency measures included in the energy audit;

Introduction of EN ISO 50001 (Energy Management Systems).

Development of energy audit.

Acquisition of long-term tangible assets (incl. specialized transport vehicles);

Acquisition of long-term intangible assets (incl. specialized transport vehicles);

Cost for construction and repair works.

Cost for consultancy services (energy audit, EN ISO 50001, investment project, etc.)

Minimum amount of the grant: 50 000 BGN

Maximum amount of the grant: 1 500 000 BGN

Date of announcement: 14 May 2016

Deadline for application: 28 October 2016

Status: 431 project proposals supported.

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

Main purpose: Providing focused support to Bulgarian large enterprises to promote the implementation of

energy efficiency measures in order to achieve sustainable growth and competitiveness of the economy.

Budget : 50 mEUR (97,8 million BGN)

Grant Scheme “Increasing the Energy Efficiency in Large Enterprises”

Eligible applicants:

Large enterprises.

The applicants must have at least three completed financial years (2013, 2014 and 2015

Eligible activities:

Investment in implementation of energy efficiency measures included in the energy audit;

Introduction of EN ISO 50001 (Energy Management Systems).

Development of energy audit.

Acquisition of long-term tangible assets (incl. specialized transport vehicles);

Acquisition of long-term intangible assets (incl. specialized transport vehicles);

Cost for construction and repair works.

Cost for consultancy services (energy audit, EN ISO 50001, investment project, etc.)

Minimum amount of the grant: 500 000 BGN

Maximum amount of the grant: 2 500 000 BGN

Date of announcement: 18 January 2017

Deadline for application: 19 May 2016

Status: 50 project proposals supported.

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

Main purpose: Improvement of the resource efficiency of enterprises through the implementation of new

solutions, techniques and methods.

Budget : approx. 36,6 mEUR (71.6 million BGN)

Grant Scheme Support for pilot and demonstration initiatives for the effective use of resources”

Eligible applicants:

SMEs within sector C "Manufacturing" according to the Classification of Economic Activities (NACE-2008);

The applicants must have at least three completed financial years (2014, 2015 and 2016)

Eligible partners: SMEs with at least three completed years within sectors of Manufacturing, Collection, discharge and treatment of waste water and Collection and disposal of waste; recycling of materials.

Eligible activities:

Element A "Implementation" (mandatory)

Element B "Consulting services" (optional)

Element C "Other investments, services and multiplication of results (mandatory)

Costs for machinery, facilities, equipment representing fixed tangible assets;

Costs for fixed intangible assets;

Costs for consulting services of engineering and technical nature;

Other investments, services and multiplication of results"

Minimum amount of the grant: 200 000 BGN

Maximum amount of the grant: micro– 500 000 BGN, small – 1 000 000 BGN, medium enterprises - 1 500 000 BGN.

Date of announcement: 21 November 2017

Deadline for application: 23 April 2018

Status: opened for application

Eligible applicants/activities Eligible costs

PA 3 “Energy and Resource Efficiency”- general overview of all launched and planned

grant schemes

Total Budget under PA 3 - 310,686,632 EUR

Launched grant schemes Grant schemes 2018 – 2020

- Energy Efficiency for SMEs- (90 mEUR +78,8 mEUR

overcontracting)

- Increasing the Energy Efficiency in Large Enterprises (50 mEUR)

- Support for Energy Efficiency in SMES (12

mEUR + savings from launched schemes:

currently 1.32 mEUR)- Support of the Activity of the Sustainable

Energy Development Agency (4 mEUR)

- Support for Pilot and Demonstration Initiatives for the Effective Use of

Resources- (36,6 mEUR)

Financial instruments under PA 3 – 40 mEUR