Danube-INCO.NET — Advancing Research and Innovation in the Danube Region

The Balkan-Mediterranean programme proves that small is beautiful. Just 5 European countries are involved in this programme: Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. They joint goal is to promote integrated territorial development and cooperation for a more competitive and sustainable Balkan-Mediterranean area by building on shared territorial assets. 

The programme will invest EUR 28,3 million from the ERDF and EUR 5,1 million from IPA II for transnational projects falling within the scope of two thematic priority axes:

1) Entrepreneurship and innovation

Specific objective 1.1: Promote entrepreneurship and business creation on the basis on new ideas, innovation and new types of business models;

Specific objective 1.2: Facilitate innovation in business models and allow a maximum number of SMEs to innovate and adjust their business models to the changing socioeconomic and policy/regulatory circumstances;

Specific objective 1.3: Support entrepreneurial learning and knowledge transfer for more competitive SMEs. 

2) Environment

Specific objective 2.1: Maintain biodiversity and natural ecosystems by strengthening networking and management of protected areas, including Natura 2000;

Specific objective 2.2: Promote cooperation and networking aiming to introduce innovative technologies for efficient management of the waste sector, the soil and the water sector;

Specific objective 2.3: Develop skills for better environmental management and increase governance capacities.

Projects supported by the Balkan-Mediterranean programme will be encouraged to also consider cross-cutting issues like inclusive growth and integrated territorial development.