Bulgarian Association of Regional Development Agencies

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www.barda.bg
Bulgarian Association of Regional Development
Agencies and Business Centres
Dimitrina TODOROVA Executive Director
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What is BARDA?

• Decentralised association of regional development
  agencies and business centres whose main
  activities are directed predominantly towards
  SMEs support and regional development
• Legally independent, non-governmental umbrella
  organisation

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BARDA History

• BARDA was established in 1997 on request by the
  different regional SME support initiatives as a
  non-governmental, decentralized and independent
  NGO with the assistance of EEC/ILO/GOPA (through
  the GTZ Program Vocational Training and Active
  Employment Measures)

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Our Mission
Improved Economic Environment in Bulgaria through
Measures for Encouragement of Entrepreneurial
Initiative and Employment in Accordance with
Economic Development Strategies of the Regions
Operational Objective
A Viable Network of Sustainable Local Entities
that Foster Regional Development in Bulgaria
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BARDA Network

• Vidin BI

• Rousse BI (2) EEN

• BI Belogradchik

• Dobrich

• Razgrad (2)

• Pleven

• Vratza BI

• Varna

• BI Mezdra

• Sofia

• Sliven

• Stara Zagora

• Pernik BI

• Samokov

• Yambol

• Pazardjik

• Plovdiv

• Blagoevgrad

• Haskovo GTZ

• BI Madan

• Sandanski EEN GTZ

• Kardjali BI GTZ

• RDAs and BCs - 19
• Business Incubators - 9
• EEN 2 Centres
• GTZ Centres 3

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BARDA Structure
19 Regional Development Agencies and SME Support
Centres (RDAs)
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BARDA Fora

• At NUTS II level 6 Fora
• At NUTS III level - 28 Fora
• Network coordination at regional level (RDAs
  other stakeholders)
• Development and realization of the regional
  policy
• Provide and support the process of regional
  decentralization
• Exchange of good practices, resources,
  experiences, etc.

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Members of BARDA RDAs/BCs

• Local Authorities
• Local Chambers of Commerce
• Local Branch Associations
• Employment Offices
• Vocational Training Institutions
• Academia
• Banks
• Private Companies
• Others

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BARDA Vertical Relations (1)

• NATIONAL LEVEL 
• Member of the Working Group for drafting of the
  NDP and NSRF 20072013
• Member of the Advisory Council for SME Promotion
  at the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism
• Member of the Monitoring Committee for the OP
  Development of the Competitiveness of the
  Bulgarian Economy 20072013, Ministry of
  Economy, Energy and Tourism (MEET)
• Member of the Monitoring Committee for the ROP
  (2007 2013), Ministry of Regional Development
  and Public Works (MRDPW)
• Member of the Monitoring Committees for the CBC
  OPs (2007 2013), MRDPW
• Member of the Monitoring Committee for the Human
  Resources Development OP (2007 2013),
  Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP)
• Member of the Monitoring Committee for the
  Transport OP (2007 2013), Ministry of
  Transport, Information Technology and
  Communication (MTITC)
• Member of the Working Group for drafting the OP
  Administrative Capacity (2007 2013), MPAAR
• Member of the Working Group for drafting the
  National Programme Development of Agriculture
  and Rural Areas (2007 2013), MAF
• Member of the Working Group for drafting the
  National Strategic Plan for Fisheries and
  Aquaculture and OP Fisheries and Aquacultures
  (2007 2013), MAF
• Participation on Steering Committees under
  projects and advisory bodies at various public
  institutions
• Member of Bulgarian Economic Forum, etc.

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BARDA Vertical Relations (2)

• INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
• Partner of the European Association of Regional
  Development Agencies (EURADA)
• Multiplier Point of United Nations Economic
  Commission for Europe (UNECE) for Bulgaria
• Member of CEI-LEED Local Development Network,
  managed by OECD LEED Trento Centre and CEI
• Member of the EMBRACE Network comprising
  representatives of five countries Greece,
  Austria, Italy, Hungary and Bulgaria
• REGIONAL LEVEL
• Participation in Regional Councils for
  Development at level 2

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Main Co-operation Partners

• EU Commission (through ESF, PROGRESS Programme,
  LLL - Leonardo da Vinci)
• EU Commission (through INTERREG III B CADSES)
• EU Commission (through PHARE Programme)
• The Government of the Netherlands (MATRA)
• U.K. Government (DFID), etc.
• Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and
  Public Works
• Bulgarian SME Promotion Agency
• Bulgarian Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Agriculture and Food
• Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
• Bulgarian Economic Forum
• NGOs, etc.

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Role of BARDA RDAs BCs

• Providing consultancy services and information to
  existing and start-up local businesses
• Hosting foreign investors
• SME financial assistance
• Providing the local authorities with assistance
• Supporting the regions at PCM, etc.

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SME Support Services
RDA
Note Services may differ and range according to
the specific needs of the target group in the
region.
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BARDA Network Structures

• Business Incubators Rousse, Vidin, Pernik,
  Kardjali, Madan, Mezdra, Vratza, Belogradchik
• Enterprise Europe Network Sandanski, Rousse
• Quality Management System Centres Kardjali (EN
  ISO 90012000 and the related EN ISO 140011996
  (Environmental Management Systems), OHSAS 18001
  (Occupational Health and Safety Management
  Systems), HACCP, BS 8555, GMP (Good Manufacturing
  Practices)
• Training Centres Pleven, Pernik, Plovdiv,
  Pazardjik, Stara Zagora, Sliven, Samokov,
  Sandanski, Vidin, Vratza, Rousse, Blagoevgrad,
  Varna
• Financial assistance (Guarantee Fund, Loan Fund,
  Machine Leasing) - Rousse

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Business Incubators www.bgincubator.net
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SME Information System www.smebg.net
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BARDA First Class Information System
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BARDA Training Programme

• Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund
• Public Private Partnership
• RDA Management
• Business Consulting
• Business Planning
•  Marketing Sales for SMEs
•  SME Financial Analysis
•  Human Resource Management
• Introduction to QMS
•  Project Cycle Management
•  Financial Management of NGOs
• Management Accounting for NGOs
• Others

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BARDA Projects (1)

• ISEDE NET, SEE Programme, 2009 2012
• Championing CSR Across Borders, PROGRESS
  Programme, 2008-2010
• VISIBLE Validation Issues Induct a Basis for
  Learning Evaluation, LLL - Leonardo da Vinci
  Programme, 2007-2009
• BIOCULTURE Project, Lifelong Learning - Leonardo
  da Vinci Programme, 2007 2009
• Network to Know, PROGRESS Programme, 2008-2009
• HARVEST Holistic Approach to Regional
  Vocational Sector-based Training, Leonardo da
  Vinci Programme, 20062008

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BARDA Projects (2)

• MINEM Meeting the Information Needs of Economic
  Migrants Project, part-financed by the European
  Union European Year of Workers Mobility 2006,
  20062008
• PRO-CHANGE Innovative Pan-European Structures
  for Managing Economic Change and Restructuring at
  Local Level- Innovative Measures under Article 6
  of the ESF (2005 2007)
• Project STERE/O Faire la chasse aux stereotypes
  de sexe agissant sur la division du travail dans
  lEurope elargie - Community Framework Strategy
  on Gender Equality (2001 - 2005)
• EMBRACE Project Improving the Access of SMEs
  from Rural Regions to the Knowledge and
  Information Society EU Community Initiative
  INTERREG III B CADSES (2004 2005)

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BARDA Projects (3)

• EU PHARE Project Capacity Building for the
  Accelerated Growth of the SME Sector in
  Bulgaria, 2000 2002
• EU PHARE Project Regional Development Agencies
  (RDAs) as a Tool for Enhancing Small and Medium
  Enterprises (SMEs) Development within the
  Enlarged Internal Market, 2003-2004
• Municipal and Association Capacity Improvement
  Programme (MACIP), 2002 2004
• Canada-Bulgaria Export Marketing Training
  Project, 2001 2004
• Start Your Business Training, 1998 2000

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Operational Programmes

• OP Development of the Competitiveness of the
  Bulgarian Economy
• OP Regional Development
• OP Human Resource Development
• OP Transport
• OP Environment
• OP Administrative Capacity
• OP Technical Assistance
• National Strategic Plan for Rural Development and
  Rural Development Programme
• National Strategic Plan for Fisheries and
  Aquaculture and OP Fisheries and Aquaculture
• Objective 3 European Territorial Cooperation
  programming documents

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Regions in Bulgaria at Level 2 - Not
Administrative - Territorial Units
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www.barda.bg
Bulgarian Association of Regional Development
Agencies and Business Centres
Future Activities