19.09.2020
They give 15,000 euros each to Romanians for joinery
In Romania, households can now receive funding of up to 15,000 euros to make their homes energy efficient, local media reported, citing the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forestry. The goal of the program is to reduce energy consumption in Romanian homes and greenhouse gas emissions.
Approximately 9,000 homeowners in Romania will be able to make their homes more energy efficient through this program, which has a total budget of 430m lei (88.5m euros). They can benefit from an energy premium of up to 15,000 euros. It covers up to 60% of repairs.
"Most houses are not well insulated. This is the reason why energy losses reach 30% only through external walls or 25% through windows or roofs. Our program has a large environmental component, but also economic and social: indirectly such an investment leads to halve energy bills and, indirectly, to reduce national energy consumption, "said Minister Costel Alex.
Eligible costs include: installation of insulating windows, roof insulation, external walls, installation of a more efficient boiler, solar panels, ventilation systems, LED lighting fixtures, motion sensors, new valves and pipes, etc. The condition for eligibility of the project is to increase the energy efficiency of the house by at least one energy class.
In Bulgaria, low-interest loans are being considered to replace free rehabilitation. The forthcoming second phase of the rehabilitation program will seek to reduce state participation in the process, which will be offset by other sources of funds, and to this end will expand "the implementation of financial instruments that will mobilize funding from the private sector," he explained. the regional minister Petya Avramova in answer to a deputy's question.
17.09.2020
Ministry of Labor and Social Policy with advice for parents of quarantined children
If you are the parent of a quarantined child, you have the right to go on paid annual leave for the period of the child's stay at home, or if you do not have the opportunity to do so - on unpaid leave. This is stated in a post of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy on Facebook.
You can use a hospital for temporary incapacity for work to look after a quarantined child, including a healthy child returned from kindergarten or school due to quarantine, the MLSP also points out.
In case you go on unpaid leave, you can apply to the Social Assistance Agency for targeted assistance for the period when you are not at work and have no income, the ministry explains. The assistance is proportional to the days of quarantine, as parents with one child under 14 can receive up to BGN 610, and families with two or more children - up to BGN 915.
In case the parents are in contact or infected with COVID-19 and cannot leave their home, they should contact the relevant municipality and request to be included in community care. Specially hired people will shop and make other home deliveries.
16.09.2020
Another 130 million euros in support of Bulgarian business
The European Investment Fund (EIF) and Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) signed a new agreement worth 130 million euros under the European Union's (EU) COSME Program. It is part of the EU's policy to tackle the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COSME COVID-19 guarantee agreement is an instrument that will be available to Bulgarian small and medium-sized enterprises that need working capital to overcome the liquidity difficulties caused by the current economic environment.
Under the agreement, small and medium-sized enterprises will have access to working capital financing, thanks to an 80% guarantee on the amount of each new loan provided by the European Investment Fund. The maximum loan amount is up to EUR 150,000.
Earlier this year, the EIF and Raiffeisenbank signed an 18m-euro increase in the existing guarantee agreement under the EU's InnovFin Program for innovative companies, which also aims to support those companies in overcoming the crisis. Thus, the total amount for Bulgarian business to overcome the economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis reached nearly 150 million euros.
15.09.2020
Romania will avoid the recession, and Bulgaria?
While for the second quarter of the year Bulgaria reported the largest decline in gross domestic product (GDP) since 1997, and experts expect the crisis in the country to continue, neighboring Romania may be in a better position to get out of the heavy situation caused by the pandemic, money.bg writes. Our northern neighbor was one of the worst hit by COVID-19 in Europe, but it is expected that it will be able to avoid entering a technical recession in 2020.
The Austrian Erste Group predicts that growth will recover in the third quarter after a sharp collapse in the middle of the year. The financial company expects Romania's GDP to grow by 5.9% for the July-September period and another 2% for the last three months of the year.
Meanwhile, in the second quarter of the year the decline in GDP was deeper than in Bulgaria - 12.3% in April-June for our neighbor compared to the first quarter with a decline of 10% for our country for the same period. The data on the performance of the economies for the months of July-September will be decisive, and with a new downturn the Bulgarian economy will enter a recession.
Erste Group confirms its previous forecast of a 4.7% contraction in the Romanian economy for the full year. Last month, the country's finance ministry said it expected 3.8% for 2020.
As for how the country will recover next year, experts say it will depend mainly on Bucharest's fiscal policy after the country's elections. Measures to limit the budget deficit and avoid downgrading the country will be crucial.
However, the bank forecasts that for the period 2022-2024, Romania's GDP will grow by 3.7%, 4.7% and 5.3%, respectively, and to a large extent this solid growth will be due to European funds for the new program period 2021-2027.
According to the latest forecast of the European Commission (EC), Bulgaria's economy will report a decline of 7.1% of GDP in 2020, and then will compensate part of its loss with a growth of 5.3 percent for the next.
It is clear from the Commission's summer forecast that the recovery of the Bulgarian economy from the pandemic may turn out to be slower than initially expected. The spring forecast, for example, stated that in 2021 GDP could grow by 6 percent.
Experts also believe that our country is already in the middle of a crisis, and it may take even longer to get out of it. According to the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, this may not happen in the next, but only in 2022.
14.09.2020
Employment Agency
Labor Office Directorate - Berkovitsa
Informs the unemployed that as of 14.09.2020 the Labor Office has financial resources for adult education under the Employment Promotion Act as follows:
Training of unemployed persons in the branches of the State Enterprise "Bulgarian-German Center for Vocational Training" in Pazardzhik, Smolyan, Pleven, Stara Zagora and Tsarevo - BGN 6,776.
Informs the employers from the municipalities of Berkovitsa and Varshets that as of 14.09.2020. The Labor Office has financial resources for concluding contracts for the use of programs and incentive measures for employment and training and for adult education under the Employment Promotion Act (EPA), as follows:
|
Measures to encourage employers who create jobs and hire: |
Funds in BGN |
|
- Encouraging employers to hire unemployed persons with continuously maintained registration for at least 6 months, unemployed up to 24 years of age, with primary and lower education and over 50 years of age (Article 51, paragraph 1 of the Employment Promotion Act) |
1775 |
|
- Encouraging employers to create jobs for the unemployed with permanent disabilities (Article 51, paragraph 2 of the EPA) |
2010 |
|
- Encouraging employers to create jobs for the unemployed with permanently reduced full-time or part-time working capacity (Article 52 of the EPA) |
3154 |
|
- Encouraging employers to open jobs for unemployed single parents (adoptive parents) and/or mothers (adoptive mothers) with children up to 5 years of age (Article 53a of the EPA) |
2530 |
|
- Encouraging employers to hire unemployed people over the age of 50 (Article 55a of the EPA) |
2505 |
|
- Encouraging employers to employ long-term unemployed persons (Article 55c of the EPA) |
4473 |
|
Training and employment programs: |
|
|
- National Program "Employment and Training of People with Permanent Disabilities" |
5581 |
|
- National Retirement Assistance Program |
5380 |
|
Training and employment program for the long-term unemployed - subsidizes the employment of the long-term unemployed by: |
|
|
- community centers and private sector organizations that create jobs in all sectors of the economy and meet the requirements of Art. 56 of the Employment Promotion Act. (Component 1) |
1925 |
|
- state and municipal medical establishments, municipal schools, municipal kindergartens, as well as enterprises with state participation and municipal enterprises (Component 2) |
2918 |
|
Training of employees from micro and small enterprises under Art. 63, para. 1, item 3 of the EPA |
508 |
To use the above preferences, employers can submit applications for vacancies and the necessary documents in the Directorate "Labor Office" - Berkovitsa until exhaustion of the announced funds.
Additional and specific information can be obtained in the Directorate "Labor Office" - Berkovitsa, as well as on tel. 0953 88 341.
14.09.2020
A Fund of Funds established a fourth alternative investment fund
Fund of Funds (FF) and the financial intermediary Vitosha Venture Partners registered a joint fund for acceleration and initial financing - Vitosha Venture Partners - Fund I KD. The new company was established for a period of 10 years and has a capital of BGN 38 million.
Of these, BGN 35.6 million are public resources provided by the Fund of Funds. These funds are provided by the Operational Program "Innovation and Competitiveness" 2014-2020, co-financed by the EU Regional Development Fund. The remaining BGN 2.4 million are private financing.
By the end of 2023, Vitosha Venture Partners - Fund I will invest in 116 start-up companies at an early stage of their development. Small and medium-sized enterprises at the acceleration stage can count on financing between BGN 30,000 and 100,000. The more advanced in the development of their product or the creation of a prototype will receive between BGN 30,000 and 2 million.
The fund will work for the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Bulgaria, supporting projects with a technological focus and high potential for sustainable growth. It will provide businesses with access to start-up financing, business consulting, mentoring, operational and strategic support. About half of the supported companies will participate in an accelerator program organized by the fund manager Vitosha Venture Partners.
The fund is already accepting applications for funding on its website.
Vitosha Venture Partners - Fund I is an alternative investment fund - a collective investment company that raises capital from many sources. The fund will be managed by the financial intermediary Vitosha Venture Partners, selected through a public procurement. The operational agreement between it and the Fund of Funds was signed on June 5, 2020.
In accordance with the investment strategy to the financial agreement between the Fund of Funds and the Managing Authority of OPIC 2014-2020, five instruments for unit and quasi-unit investments are implemented through alternative investment funds. Together with the new fund, four such funds are already active. The fifth is in the process of being awarded.
The total public resource set aside for this purpose is BGN 294 million. The funds also add private funds to it.
Financial intermediaries Vitosha Venture Partners and Innovation Capital manage BGN 38 million and BGN 30.5 million, respectively, for investments in early-stage companies, while New Vision 3 and Morningside Hill have BGN 42.5 million, respectively. BGN and BGN 55.9 million risk capital.
06.08.2020
Social enterprises and start-ups can receive microloans of up to EUR 50,000 under an instrument financed by OPHRD
Social enterprises and start-ups can receive microloans of up to EUR 50,000 with a repayment period of up to 10 years. This is possible thanks to the financial instrument "Portfolio guarantee with a ceiling on losses for microcredit", implemented by the Fund Manager of Financial Instruments in Bulgaria (the so-called Fund of Funds) with funds from the Operational Program "Human Resources Development" 2014-2020. Loans will be granted at a lower interest rate, lower collateral requirements and the possibility of a grace period. Entrepreneurs from vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, the unemployed for more than six months and young people up to the age of 29 will also be able to take advantage of it and realize their business ideas. The funds can be used for investment and working capital financing. The loans are intended for companies that otherwise find it difficult to obtain a bank loan due to their high risk profile - lack of financial history, unfavorable credit history, insufficient income and the possibility of collateral or other negative factors.
The relaxed conditions of microcredit are possible after the Fund of Funds conducted a public tender for an intermediary, won by UniCredit Bulbank. As a result, an agreement was concluded between the bank and the Fund of Funds in the amount of BGN 5 million. Based on the guarantee coverage, the bank is expected to grant microloans with own funds worth BGN 25 million. Those wishing to obtain loans on easy terms must apply to UniCredit Bulbank.
The Fund of Funds already implements risk-sharing microcredit instruments granted by First Investment Bank, Microfund AD and SIS Credit AD.
31.07.2020
SOURCES FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF BUSINESS IN BULGARIA
FINANCING UNDER THE OPERATIONAL PROGRAM "INNOVATION AND COMPETITIVENESS" 2014-2020
CURRENT PROGRAMS
Objective: to provide operating capital for Bulgarian medium-sized enterprises to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Budget: BGN 156,000,000. Minimum grant amount per project: BGN 30,000, maximum: BGN 100,000.
The procedure has a deadline for submitting project proposals at 16:30 on August 24, 2020.
Objective: to provide operational capital for Bulgarian micro and small enterprises to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic
Budget: BGN 173,000,000
Amount of grant for a project: minimum BGN 3,000, maximum: BGN 10,000
The procedure has a deadline for submission of project proposals 16:30 on 15.06.2020. The provision of additional funds due to the great public interest is being discussed.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
BG16RFOP002-2.067 "Digitalization of small and medium enterprises"
Objective: Development of management capacity and growth of SMEs by promoting the use of information and communication technologies and services.
Budget: BGN 58,674,900
BG16RFOP002-1.030 „Stimulating the introduction of innovations by existing enterprises“
Objective: Providing focused support to Bulgarian enterprises to increase innovation in the thematic areas of the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization (ISIS), as the implementation of projects supported by the procedure should lead to the introduction of product innovation (good or service) or to the implementation of innovation in business processes aimed at the production of goods and provision of services. The implemented innovations should be in the priority areas of the thematic areas of ISIS.
Budget: BGN 85,000,000
GOVERNMENT MEASURES TO RETAIN STAFF AND COMPENSATION FOR EMPLOYEES
- Payment of compensation to employers
As of March 31, 2020, the Employment Agency opened a procedure for applying of employers for payment of compensations under the procedure of Article 1 of Decree № 55/30.03.2020 for determining the conditions and procedure for payment of compensations to employers in order to maintain of the employment of employees in the emergency situation.
- Granting interest-free loans
Bulgarian Development Bank guarantees the granting of interest-free loans up to BGN 4,500 for workers who are on forced unpaid leave. The maximum repayment period is 5 years, with a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 24 months grace period.
- Parents on unpaid leave will receive BGN 375 one-time assistance
The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy allocates BGN 20 million for one-time assistance in the amount of BGN 375 to parents of children under 12 who have been on unpaid leave for at least 20 days due to inability to work from home during the state of emergency. From May 5, the scope of the target groups with the right to receive one-time assistance is expanded - parents of students up to 7th grade, who have reached 14 years of age, as well as families in which one or both parents have lost their jobs but are not entitled to unemployment benefits, will also be able to receive a one-time assistance of BGN 375. The application is to the Social Assistance Agency under the existing procedure for receiving a one-time assistance.
- Hiring workers on unpaid leave on a second employment contract from other companies
Workers who are on unpaid leave due to the suspension or contraction of their enterprises due to a state of emergency may be employed on a second contract by other employers whose activities have not been affected.
- Conclusion, samples and electronic submission of employment contracts under Art. 114a of the LC
Registered farmers and tobacco growers can electronically apply for new models of employment contracts for short-term seasonal agricultural work (under Article 114a of the Labor Code) - for more than one day without prior payment of social security contributions.
- Compensation of BGN 290 per month to maintain the employment of employees
Employers and self-employed persons from the transport, hotel and restaurant and tourism sectors, whose incomes have decreased by not less than 20% for a certain period, will be able to receive compensations in the amount of BGN 290 per month to maintain the employment of workers and employees. According to the Decision of the Council of Ministers, the compensations will be paid for a whole calendar month, as of 01.07.2020, but for not more than six months, as the funds are from OP “Human Resources Development” in the amount of BGN 40 million.
- Package "Employment x 3" - new measures to preserve jobs and reduce unemployment
The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy has launched three measures to preserve jobs and reduce unemployment. The "Employment x3" package includes the new version of the measure 60/40, the measure to support the transport and tourism sectors with BGN 290 to keep a job, as well as a new scheme for hiring the unemployed.
Detailed information on each of the measures:
Decree of the Council of Ministers no. 151/2020 - The new 60/40
- Employers receive funds from the state to maintain employment after June 30, 2020.
For each employee the enterprises will be able to receive funds in the amount of 60 percent of the insurance income for May 2020 and 60 percent of the insurance contributions due by the employer, according to a decree adopted by the Council of Ministers. The funds will be paid for no more than three months in the period from July 1 to September 30, 2020. Applications for payment must be submitted to the Labor Office Directorate, which serves the territory of the place of work, accompanied by the documents necessary to determine the amount of funds.
As of March 31, 2020, the Employment Agency opened a procedure for applying to employers for payment of compensations under the procedure of Article 1 of Decree № 55/30.03.2020 for determining the conditions and procedure for payment of compensations to employers in order to maintain of the employment of employees in the emergency situation.
- Socio-economic measures for over BGN 1 billion in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
The government's new socio-economic measures amounting to BGN 1.162.9 billion are aimed at supporting those fighting on the front lines against the spread of COVID-19 and helping those most affected by the pandemic. The source of expenditures is the national budget, with social measures amounting to BGN 731.5 million and economic ones BGN 431.4 million.
14.07.2020
In connection with inquiries about the employment opportunities offered by the state budget and the HRD OP, the Consultancy Center - Berkovitsa published brief information and useful links.
“EMPLOYMENT x 3” PACKAGE
THREE WAYS TO KEEP EMPLOYMENT
The main change is that employers applying for compensation are no longer required to cease operations.
The extension of the extended scheme 60/40 of 03.07.2020 aims to support the recovery of the business after the period of activity restrictions and already represents subsidized employment, covering part of the salary costs of staff who are no longer employed. on leave, but works and produces products or provides certain services. The aim is again to maintain employment, as in the context of a slow recovery and reduced revenues or a postponement of the start of some economic activities, the risk of redundancies has not been overcome.
Eligible are employers who:
Which employees can apply for:
Employers who have used the current measure 60/40 will be able to continue using it in the next 3 months and after resuming their activities.
Employers may apply for compensation for their employees insured in all economic sectors, except for those explicitly specified in Art. 1, para. 4 of the Decree - Agriculture, forestry and fisheries, Financial and insurance activities, Public administration and Education (excluding activities in pre-school education, driver training, etc.), Human health and social work activities (excl. of dentists, day care for young children in the private sector), Activities of extraterritorial organizations and services.
Compensation can be received for employees who in the period 13.03.2020 - 30.06.2020:
The insurance income, which is considered as a basis for calculating the compensations, is for the month of May 2020.
In the hotel and restaurant sector, the measure is also applicable to workers employed after March 13, 2020. For this sector, the amount of compensation can reach up to 80 percent of the insurance income. For the employees after 01.06.2020, the employer should pay remuneration in the amount not less than the amount of the minimum insurance income for the position and pay the due insurance contributions.
What period can be applied for: For the whole period or for a part of the period from 1 July to 30 September 2020.
Samples of the documents and information about the application procedure can be found on the website of the Employment Agency under the heading "Financial incentives for maintaining employment".
For the new version of the measure, employers can submit applications electronically through the System for secure electronic delivery or through a licensed postal operator, as well as on site at the relevant Directorate "Labor Office". If the employer has more than one site in different settlements, he may submit a joint application to a labor office on the territory of which at least one of them is located.
With the new version of the measure, about 300 thousand people are expected to keep their incomes.
In the previous three months, more than 160,000 workers remained in their jobs, according to the press center of the social department.
The funds paid under 60/40 so far are over BGN 153 million to 20,225 companies.
Total budget BGN 40 million
It expects at least 22,000 employees to be included.
The duration is until 31.12.2021.
The project provides support to enterprises and self-insured persons in the hotel and restaurant sector, transport and tourism, by providing compensation for part of the salary and due tax and social security contributions at the expense of the insurer and the insured person in the amount of BGN 290.
The employment of supported employees, as well as the activities of self-employed persons, should be maintained for the entire period of payment of the compensation, as well as for an additional period equal to half of the period for which the compensation was paid.
Employers who have declared a decrease in sales revenue by not less than 20 percent in the month preceding the month of submission of the application for payment of compensations, compared to the same month of the previous calendar year, may apply.
Total budget BGN 160 million, of which BGN 50 million are set aside for priority support to employers in the “Hotels and Restaurants” sector and “Travel agency and operator activities; other travel and reservation activities"
It expects at least 70,000 unemployed people to be included.
The duration is until 31.12.2021.
The aid is in “de minimis” mode.
The project aims to support employers in hiring unemployed people by providing a subsidy for full-time or part-time employment (at least 4 hours) for a period of up to 3 months.
The employer is obliged to keep the employment of 75% of the supported persons for the period equal to the period of the subsidized employment.
Employers registered under the Commercial Act, the Cooperatives Act, the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act and the National Chitalishte Act from all sectors, except fisheries and aquaculture, are eligible.
The START-UP NATION ROMANIA programme
The program aims to provide "consulting and specialized support to newly established companies, but also to those who go through various expansion / transformation processes.”[1]
Details of the funding are provided on the program website, the eligibility criteria to be met by those who want to participate in the program,[2]
The ROMANIA START-UP PLUS programme
The program "is a line of financing for those who want to develop a business in the urban environment." It is a program dedicated to "entrepreneurial development and setting up new businesses". Its purpose is to stimulate entrepreneurship and create jobs. Mainly, “it provides European funds for:
In Romania various companies and organizationsoffer training courses for those who want to start a business or whoa want to develop their entrepreneurial skills. Please find below a list with some of these:
BusinessAcademy
Address: 39-41 Academiei Street, floor 2, Sector 1, Bucharest
Monday - Friday: 08:00 - 20:00, Saturday: 09:00 - 13:00
Registration Department: Tel .: +40 (314) 326 163;
Mob .: +40 (74) 9161 610, +40 (74) 5040 199
BusinessAcademy "is an international school for business education" that has a long tradition in Romania, since 2010 BA established two branches, one in Bucharest and another in Timisoara. From an organizational point of view, it is part of the "international company LINK group, was established in 1998, with headquartered in Belgrade". BA opened branches in several countries in the Balkan Peninsula. The BusinessAcademy operates through the Cambridge University Department of International Examinations.
BA's mission is to help "those who want to become completely independent financially, by building their own business or a successful career" and their work is part of the vision: "A world of happy, rich and independent people ”.
The Entrepreneurship Academy
EA-The Entrepreneurship Academy - Bucharest, Romania
Address: 4-6 Semilunei Street, Sector 2, 020053, Bucharest, Romania
Phone: +40 318 142 927 | email: info@entreprenation.ro
Monday - Friday 09:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
The Entrepreneurship Academy is a higher education institution in Romania, “administered by the EntrepreNation Foundation, established by the three founding organizations. The mission of the foundation is the development of entrepreneurship in Romania. The university is the main project of the EntrepreNation Foundation. ” ING Bank is the first Founding Partner of The Entrepreneurship Academy.
Regarding the educational model, “the learning process EA - The Entrepreneurship Academy is oriented towards students and towards achieving clear and achievable academic, professional, personal and financial objectives, and is structured in the form of a bachelor programme with a duration of 4 years . "
Also, in July 2019, at national level, the National Agency for Employment (ANOFM) organized 169 professional training programmes, in which 2,742 persons enrolled, approximately 50% of the proposed professions / occupations: addressing individuals who do not have a professional qualification after graduating a high school and/or university. In cross-border counties, the following data were reported[4]:
[1] Start-Up Nation Romania, Mision, Https://Start-Upnation.Eu/Misiune/.
[2] START-UP NATION ROMANIA, Beneficiaries, https://start-upnation.eu/beneficiari/.
[3] Ibidem, p.4.
[4] National Employment Agency (ANOFM), Course program July 2019,
