EU funding opportunities for agricultural development

In the framework of the EU Common Rural Development Policy (2007 – 2013) Bulgarian agriculture and forestry are supported by the EU Rural Development Programme to improve the competitiveness of the local entrepreneurs and to support the industry in the process of complying with EU standards.

Total budget for supporting agriculture in 2007 – 2013 - 2 922,5 mln euro

Rural Development Programme documents

CALLS FOR PROPOSALS 2011

ELANA Investment offers consultancy for the following procedures:

• Measure 121 “Modernisation of agricultural farms”
  2007 – 2013 Budget– 476 958 372 euro

Who can apply:
Agricultural producers registered in Bulgaria with 50% of revenue from the previous financial year coming from own agricultural production or processing.

The measure supports:

• Investment in acquiring, construction or renovation of farm and storage buildings;
• Investment in purchasing and installing new equipment for improvement of production efficiency;
• Investment in perennial plants;
• Investment in bio production;
• Investment in complying with newly introduced EU standards;
• Investment in quality management system introduction;
• Investment in know-how, patents and licenses, software or research.

Financial conditions:
The project budget should be minimum of 3 500 euro (in BGN) and should not exceed 1.5 mln euro (in BGN).
The grants will represent 50% to 60% of the total investment represented by the project budget.

Deadlines:
Applications are to be submitted from 14th March 2011 till 3rd April 2011; from 25th July to 15th August 2011.

• Measure 123 “Adding value to agricultural and forestry products”
  2007 – 2013 Budget– 243 176 174 euro
  

Who can apply:
Food processing SMEs registered in Bulgaria.

The measure supports:

• Investment in construction/modernization of buildings;
• Investment in purchasing of buildings or other real estate dedicated to the business;
• Investment in purchasing and installing new equipment for improving food processing;
• Investment in production of renewable energy – only for own consumption; or for sale if energy is produced from agricultural production –
  up to 200 000 euro grant for 3 years;
• Investment in purchasing transport vehicles for the business;
• Investment in complying with internationally recognized quality standards and introduction of quality management system: ISO 9001:2000; ISO 14001:2004 (EMAS); ISO 900; ISO/TR 10013:2001; ISO 19011:2002; ISO 27001;
• Any consultancy and marketing budget related to implementation of the investment project, etc.
  

Financial conditions:
The project budget should be minimum of 10 000 euro (in BGN) and should not exceed 4 mln euro (in BGN).
The grants will represent 25% to 60% of the total investment represented by the project budget.

Deadlines:
iApplications are to be submitted from 15th August till 16th September 2011

• Measure 223 "Initial afforestation of non-arable land"
  2007 – 2013 Budget – 40 000 000 EUR

Who can apply:

Municipalities with less than 60% forestry and the ones threatened by erosion - list of municipalities in Bulgarian for download .

The measure supports:

• forest creation;
• forest maintenance - eligible only if referred to abandoned agricultural land;

Financial conditions:

Projects by municipalities in rural areas are 100% covered by a grant. If the applicants do not come from a rural area they can have 80% of the project costs covered if referred to deprived areas or NATURA locatons.

The minimum eloigible project costs amount at EUR 1200, the maximum - EUR 300 000.

Deadlines:

Applications are to be submitted from 4th April till 29th May 2011; (5th September - 4th November 2011) - change in sessions is expected by the end of 2011.

• Measure 226 “Restoration of the forestry potential and implementation of preventive measures”
  2007 - 2013 Budget - 29 000 000 EUR

Who can apply:

Individuals or companies - forest owners; state forest companies, state hunting companies, national parks' management and R&D forest companies, which are responsible for managing state-owned land and forest.

The measure supports:

Grants are available for restoration and prevention in forest management.

Financial conditions:

Deadlines:

Applications are to be submittedfrom 4th April till 29th May 2011; (5th September - 4th November 2011) - change in sessions is expected by the end of 2011.

• Measure 311 “Diversification into non-agricultural activities”
  2007 – 2013 Budget– 142 268 337 euro

Who can apply:
SMEs registered in Bulgaria as agricultural producer having at least 50% of the previous financial year revenue from agricultural production. The investment project should include non-agricultural activities.

The measure supports:

• Investment in construction/reconstruction of buildings;
  
• Investment in purchasing transport vehicles for non-agricultural activities;
  
• Investment in purchasing new equipment or specialized software;
  
• Investment in purchasing horses for non-agricultural activities;
  
• Up to 12% of the total project budget – covering expenses for the purpose of investment project implementation: consultancy, marketing, legal services, etc.;
  
• All non-agricultural activities in rural areas – bowling centre, computer club, kindergarten, hairdresser’s, shops, agritourism hotels, etc.

Financial conditions:

• Minimum project budget – 5000 euro;
• Maximum project budget – 400 000 euro;
• Size of grant – 70% of project budget, max. 200 000 euro;
• For renewable energy production projects – 80% of project budget,
  max. 200 000 euro.

Deadlines:
Applications are to be submitted from 9th November till 9th December 2011.

• Measure 312 "Support for the creation and development"
  2007 – 2013 Budget – 134 628 335 euro

Who can apply:
Micro enterprises registered in Bulgaria in a rural region - the company should employ no more than 10 people and has annual turnover and/or value of the assets worth not exceeding BGN 3.9 mln (~ 2 mln euro).

The measure supports:

• Development of a renewable energy project for producing up to 1MW energy – max project budget 1 mln euro (in BGN); 80% of project budget allowed for grant; max grant 200 000 euro (in BGN);
• Investment in construction/reconstruction of buildings;
• Investment in purchasing transport vehicles for non-agricultural activities;
• Investment in purchasing new equipment or specialized software;
• Investment in purchasing horses for non-agricultural activities;
• Up to 12% of the total project budget – covering expenses for the purpose of investment project implementation: consultancy, marketing, legal services, etc.;
• All non-agricultural activities in rural areas – bowling centre, computer club, kindergarten, hairdresser’s, shops, agritourism hotels, etc.

Financial conditions:

• Minimum project budget – 5000 euro;
• Maximum project budget – 400 000 euro;
• Size of grant – 70% of project budget, max. 200 000 euro;
• For renewable energy production projects – 80% of project budget,
  max. 200 000 euro.

Deadlines:
Applications are to be submittedfrom 9th November till 9th December 2011.

• Measure 321 "Basic Services for the Economy and Population in Rural Areas"
  2007 - 2013 Budget - 430 920 008 euro
  

Who can apply:
Rural areas ’ municipalities; NGOs based in rural areas; Chitalishte (local cultural institution registered by the law for chitalishta).

The measure supports:

• Building, reconstruction and rehabilitation of existing local roads and bridges, water supply facilities, small infrastructure for animal waste management;
• Building infrastructure for renewable energy production at municipalities’ buildings;
• Investments in improvement of energy efficiency of community services buildings;
• Start-up and improvement of local centres offering services related to information and communication technologies (healthcare advice, support for business, municipal services, mobile centres, etc.)
  

Financial conditions:
The project budget should be minimum of 10 000 euro (in BGN) and and the maximum budget for projects by municipalities is 3 mln euro (in BGN).
Grants represent 100% of the acceptable budget items for projects by municipalities or for non-commercial projects by NGOs and chitalishte. In all other cases the grant will cover 70% of the project budget.

Deadlines:
Applications are to be submitted from 1st till 30th June 2011 - only for projects related to deinstitutionalisation of social homes.

• Measure 322 "Renovation and Development of Villages"
  

2007 - 2013 Budget - 166 756 670 euro

Who can apply:
Rural areas’ municipalities; chitalishte (local cultural institution registered by the law for chitalishta); local religious entities; associations of citizens or companies; local NGOs.

The measure supports:

• Rehabilitation of public parks and gardens, children playgrounds and facilities;
• Reconstruction and renovation of local historical and cultural buildings;
• Reconstruction and renovation of local religious buildings;
• Reconstruction of facades of private buildings, streets, pavements, public squares;
• Development of integrated plans for renovation of the villages;

Financial conditions:
The project budget should be minimum of 10 000 euro (in BGN) and and the maximum budget for projects by municipalities is 1 mln euro (in BGN).

Grants:

• 100% of costs for rural area municipality
• 70% of costs for chitalishte and NGOs
• 50% of costs for associations of citizens and companies for construction activity

Deadlines:
No application sessions planned for 2011 so far.

• Measure 122 "Improvement of the economic value of forests"

2007 - 2013 Budget - 40 162 233 euro

The measure supports:
Activities related to maintenance of forests, which are not state-owned, as well as some costs involved in consualtancy in forestry planning.

Financial conditions:
Minimum grant - 1000 euro; maximum grant - 600 000 euro.

Deadlines:

Applications are to be submitted from 14th March till 31st December 2011.

• Measure 313 ""Encouragement of tourism activities"

2007 - 2013 Budget - 38 397 917 euro
Who can apply:

Rural municipalities with less than 10 000 population. NGOs registered in rural areas.

The measure supports:

Development of tourist infrastructure; local tourist attractions; sports and mountain tourism facilities; marekting of tourist products, etc.

Financial conditions:

Minimum grant 10 000 euro; maximum grant - 200 000 euro;

Deadlines:

Applications are to be submitted from 14th November till 12th December 2011.

For any further information please call +359 2 81 000 50 or send an email to eufunds@elana.net