1. Regional Development Planning
Round Table “Innovative Approaches for Enhancing Local Development and Self Government of the Regions in Europe”
Regional Development Planning
PRIME CONSULTING

2. Strategic Planning Documents for the period 2007-2013
National Strategy for Regional Development ( )
National Working Programme for Regional Development
Sector Strategies
Regional Plans for Development of the Planning Regions
District Development Strategies
Municipal Development Plans

3. Contractual Framework of the EU support for Bulgaria 2007-2009
Agriculture
Direct Payments – 431,8 M euro
Rural Regions’ Development – 733 M euro
Market Interventions – 388 M euro
Structural initiatives
Big Investment Projects – 770 M euro
Regional Development – M euro
Compensation for the Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning
Internal policies/administration

4. Financing of Regional Development
National Funds
State Budget
Municipal Budgets
Private Financing
EU Funds
Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund
PHARE Programme
Funds from Donor Programmes

5. Main Principles of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund
Programming – preparation and implementation of the long-term development plan
Concentration – focusing the interventions on sectors and territories that need support
Supplementation – the EU funds do not substitute the national financing of the regional development policy
Partnership – all stakeholders participate in the regional development process

6. Regional Plan for Development of the Southwest Planning Region (2007-2013)
Vision:
“Strengthening of the leading position of the Southwest Planning Region in the socio-economic development of Bulgaria and transforming Sofia-city into one of the most attractive economic and cultural centers in Southeast Europe”

7. Regional Plan for Development of the Southwest Planning Region (2007-2013)
Strategic Objectives:
Achieving stable economic growth by diverse regional economy
Reducing interregional differences and strengthening the linkages between towns and cities
Economic and social cohesion to the other EU regions

8. Regional Plan for Development of the Southwest Planning Region (2007-2013)
Priorities:
Increasing the competitiveness of the regional economy
Development of the transport and technical infrastructure
Improvement of the living conditions
Strengthening of the administrative capacity of the local and regional authorities and the level of cooperation among them

9. Regional Plan for Development of the Southwest Planning Region (2007-2013)
Regions targeted for intervention:
Region for economic growth
Industrially declining region
Underdeveloped rural region
Underdeveloped border region
Underdeveloped mountain region
Sofia municipality

10. Challenges in Front of the Local and Regional Authorities
Building of planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and assessment capacity
Building of capacity for management of the recourses from the Structural Funds
Development of partnerships with EU regions
Economic development, based on a region’s advantages

11. Thank you! For contact: Sofia 1504, 161 “Evlogi Georgiev” Blvd., fl. 3
Tel. (02) , Fax. (02)