15.06.2012

In September, central and local administrations will be able to apply for supplementary EU financing under Operational Programme Administrative Capacity (OPAC). This became clear during the 10^th meeting of the Monitoring Committee held in Pravets. The changes in the 2012 Indicative Annual Working Programme envisage that two new procedures under sub-priority 2.2 "Competent and effective state administration" will be opened in the autumn of 2012, i.e. one for central and regional administrations, and another one for municipal administrations. Thus, a total of 7 grant procedures will be announced, with the size of contracts signed in 2012 only expected to exceed BGN 50 million.

Ms. Monica Dimitrova, head of the Managing Authority, presented the progress made in key e-government projects, as well as the overall OPAC implementation from January until June. 59 grant contracts amounting to almost BGN 40 million were signed in the first half of the year. Six out of the eleven procedures planned to the amount of BGN 28 million have already been launched. With three of them the deadline for application has expired and 88 calls for proposals have been submitted which are being evaluated. BGN 11 million have been paid to beneficiaries in the first six months. According to representatives of the European Commission, the good results of OPAC implementation must be rewarded and further developed in the following programming period.

In total, 62 procedures have been opened, 1, 759 calls for proposals have been submitted and 362 grant contracts have been signed since launching the Programme in 2007. 220 of them have already been closed. Nearly BGN 250 million, or over 68.2% of the total budget, have been contracted, of which BGN 110 million, or over 31.1 per cent, have been paid in practice. In view of the more effective communication with beneficiaries, 24 information days for clarification of the application procedures and 4 training courses on proper management of Programme projects have been organized so far this year. Survey results show that over 98% of participants find the events very useful.