Bulgaria sends the future “Competitiveness and Innovations” program to the EC for approval
In the next week, the caretaker government will send for final approval by the European Commission the future program “Competitiveness and Innovations in Enterprises” (PCIP) with a budget of nearly BGN 3 billion. Actually, the main part of it was prepared by the “Petkov” office.
The PCIP will provide the greatest support to micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs). You will help to be high-tech start-ups, as well as those at various stages of their development. We will support partnerships between MSPs and large companies to develop and implement new technologies and innovations.
Bulgarian business will be able to use both grants and financial instruments. The ratio of the two types of funding under the Program is almost 50:50.
For the first time, a combined form with a financial instrument and a grant will be used. Such will be implemented, for example, under the specific objective “Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions”. According to it, micro, small, medium and large enterprises will be able to improve their energy efficiency after an energy audit and become more energy independent.
The main priorities of the Program are two – “Innovations and growth” and “Circular economy”. Investments from the former will be aimed at research and development activities in enterprises, increasing export potential, creating new or developing companies from more high-tech sectors of industry, protecting patents, industrial property, etc. It will include the digitization of enterprises, the increase of cyber security, the reliability of data in MSP and the skills of the staff to work with the technologies of Industry 4.0. The modernization of family businesses and those in the creative industries and crafts will be supported.
In addition to the greater energy independence of companies, in the second priority – “Circular Economy”, funding is provided for more efficient use of resources, the implementation of new green current lines, reduction of the use of by-products and secondary raw materials, improvement of recycling , reduction of hazardous substances, waste, etc.
The first procedure under PKIP will have a budget of BGN 127 million and will be aimed mainly at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises from various sectors of the economy. You will be and have the opportunity to partner between MSPs and large companies. Companies will apply for grant funding for scientific research and implementation of innovative solutions for their production.
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