To improve the cross-border labour market conditions towards an integrated market with better employment rates.

365,754.59 euro, out of which 310,891.41ERDF

Lead Beneficiary (LB): Cross Border Association E(quilibrum) Environment (C.B.A.E.E) (Romania)

Beneficiary 2 (B2): National Tourism Cluster “Bulgarian Guide”(Bulgaria)

Beneficiary 3 (B3): Regional Agribusiness Center-Vidin /RABC/ (Bulgaria)

Start date: 13.05.2017

End date: 12.11.2018

Duration: 18 months

Dolj in Romania

Vidin in Bulgaria

• Emerging occupations in the fields of agriculture, tourism and IT in the CB area;
• Legal and tax framework for creating a business in the CB region;
• Elaboration of two separate Guides “Doing business in CB-region” and “Labor conditions and regulations in the CB-region”;
• Establishment of cross-border SEM-Centres;
• Organization of trainings in Sustainable Employment in the CB region;
• Design, creation and content management of an online training system;
• Joint labor exchange for organizations and job-applicants – Sustainable Employment Job-Fair;
• Information and publicity Campaign (press-conference, press releases, promotional materials: brochures, T-shirts promoting the Sustainable Employment, flash memory storage devices, engraved key-chains, caps, folder, pens;

Programme outputs:

• 12 initiatives (trainings, education schemes, websites, agreements, networks, job-fairs etc.) that activate workforce mobility in the cross border area: 1 joint training platform, 5 joint online trainings, 5 joint regional training, 1 joint job-fair
• 200 participants in joint local employment initiatives and joint training;
• 200 participants in joint educational and training schemes to support youth employment, educational opportunities and higher and vocational education across borders.

Programme results: population that have access to joint employment initiatives – 150,000 participants.

The implementation of the project was finalized on 12.11.2018, achieving the proposed result. A comparative analysis defining the labor market conditions and the economic environment in the cross-border region in Romania and Bulgaria with a focus on the target sectors - tourism, agriculture and ICT - was elaborated by the service providers selected by the LB and B3. The results of the analysis were compiled into a “Strategy for supporting investments and employment opportunities in the CB-region in view of the synergies between the SEM-sectors”. Data for 2 joint labour exchange databases was also collected. 2 Guides "Joint labour conditions and regulations in the CB region” and "Doing Business in the cross-border region" were developed and printed in 3 languages by the LB and Beneficiary 2. The necessary equipment for the establishment of the cross-border SEM-Centres was purchased.

An online training system to host the planned online training courses in the field of Tourism, Agriculture and IT was developed and is available atwww.sem-centres.eu.

440.393,19 euro, out of which 374.334,21 euro ERDF

Lead Beneficiary: Territorial Administrative Unit – Giurgiu County(RO)

Partners:

B2:Ruse District administration(BG)

B3:Tsenovo Municipality (BG)

Start date: 20.05.2017

End date: 19.05.2019

Duration: 24 months

Ruse District and Giurgiu County

Programme outputs: 4 cross border mechanisms: 1 Working Group - information exchange tool (which will be organised and function based on a regulation) its activity resulting in the elaboration of an Action Plan, 1 network of CBC actors (from Ro, Bg & visited countries, etc., 1 analysis (Research and analysis of the current situation regarding the implementation of GE in two areas (RD-GC); 1 integrated sustainable energy efficiency strategy at the level of RD-GC region

Programme results: increased level of coordination of public institutions in cross-border area

The project is finalized.

As Beneficiary 2 faced problems in ensuring the necessary financial resources for the project implementation, a new partner -Tsenovo Municipality – was brought in the partnership, taking over B2 budget and the respective share of the project activities. Beneficiary 2, in turn, remained involved in the implementation of the project activities without a minor financial contribution.

The Level of co-ordination of the public institutions participating in the project – Giurgiu County, Ruse District Administration and Tsenovo Municipality improved as a result of the implemented project activities, which contributed to creating an administrative and institutional framework for cooperation in areas of common interest such as regional importance investments and green economy.

A joint advanced training programme for the staff of the beneficiaries was organized, consisting of:

• A Mentorship Programme organized in Ruse in the period April 23-27, 2018 and in the period June 18, 2018 in Giurgiu;
• A training “Management of public investments" held in Constanta in the period August 06-11, 2018;
• A Training course on Green economy  organized in the period March 24-29, 2019 in Veliko Tarnovo;

Both beneficiaries – Giurgiu County and Tsenovo Municipality also purchased the necessary IT and communication equipment for ensuring a modern framework for the activity of their administrations.

A study visit for exchange of good practices was organized for representatives of the beneficiaries administration in 2 EU Countries - Sweden in the period 24-29.06.2018 and Austria in the period 09-14.09.2018 .

The project contributed with a 4 cross border mechanisms enforcing the cooperation capacity of the 3 partners, namely:

• A Working Group comprising members of all 3 beneficiaries, set-up as a common mechanism for supporting and strengthening investments with the aim to deliberate on the priorities of the cross-border region. As a result, Action Plan for improving conditions at the administrative level in the Giurgiu-Ruse region, which was adopted via a Partnership Agreement signed by the 3 project partners;
• A Network of CBC actors, representing a list of potential partners from Giurgiu County, Ruse District, as well as the visited countries Austria and Sweden intended to facilitate future collaborations between organisation from the cross-border area Ruse-Giurgiu and made available on the website of the 3 partners;
• A Research and analysis of the current situation regarding the implementation of the Green Energy in the Giurgiu-Ruse cross-border region, investigating the existing opportunities for using wind energy, sun energy, water energy, biomass and waste in the region, good practices, as well as the training needs of the partners’ staff. It has thus provided the 3 partners with the necessary data and concentrated perspective on how planning could be put in action.
• Integrated sustainable energy efficiency strategy at the level of RD-GC region designed to guide the project beneficiaries and relevant stakeholders in the Giurgiu-Ruse cross-border region in the field of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. A Cross-border Committee for Strategy Monitoring comprising members of the 3 partners, was set-up as the main organisation structure, responsible for the Strategy management, monitoring, evaluation and updating. Two round tables - in Ruse on 03.10.2018 and in Giurgiu on 04.10.2018 were organized as part of the Strategy development process. Also 2 dedicated seminars were held in Ruse and Giurgiu in view of disseminating the developed Strategy among the stakeholders.

Preservation and promotion of historically and culturally significant sites from the lower part of the Roman Limes, a UNESCO World Heritage site candidate. 

494.928,67 euro, out of which 420.689,37 euro ERDF

Lead Beneficiary: University of Ruse Angel Kanchev (UR) (Bulgaria)

Beneficiary 2 (B2): Ruse Regional Museum of History (RRMH) (Bulgaria)

Beneficiary 3 (B3):Museum for National History and Archeology Constanţa (MINAC) (Romania)

Start date: 05.04.2016

End date: 04.10.2017

Duration: 18 months

Ruse in Bulgaria

Constanta in Romania

• Categorization and selection of the ancient roman heritage sites;
• Digitalization of the available resources about the selected sites;
• On-site aerial and ground photoshoots, data processing and creation of the information database;
• Development of the web-based information platform and mobile application;
• Training events and dissemination activities;
• Information and publicity.

Programme outputs:

- 2 integrated tourism products;

- 1 common strategy.

Programme results:

- 4,500 tourists per year in the targeted sites.

The project is finalized. The following results were achieved:

A joint strategy for popularisation of the Roman cultural and historical sites was elaborated.

2 management plans were developed as well, one for raising the level of awareness and one for preservation and conservation of Roman historical and archaeological locations.

All three documents are available on the project website:  https://www.archiverobg.eu/en/documents.

16 Roman sites from the Ro-Bg cross-border area were further digitalized.

3D digital models of artifacts and objects were created and are available at the permanent exhibitions established at the headquarters of B2 and B3.

An interactive web-based information platform was created and is available at www.romanforts.eu.

-The RomanForts mobile application was developed and is available for free download from the Android and iOS app stores.

 To achieve these results, specialized equipment was purchased by the project partners including 3D printers, 3D scanners, drones, professional video cameras and others.

Informative materials were designed, produced and distributed among the participants to the project events.

Two training events have been conducted with a focus on Unmanned aerial vehicles (March 2017 in Constanta) and on 3D scanning and printing technologies (April 2017 in Ruse). The possibilities to implement these technologies for the digitalization, visualization and popularisation of the ancient Roman cultural heritage were presented to the general public and the project target groups.

Two dissemination workshops were organized in Ruse and Constanta.

- The results of the project implementation were presented in many events in Bulgaria, Romania and in other countries, including the Annual conference of the CBC in 2016 (Romania), the Museums Night events in 2016 and 2017 (Bulgaria and Romania), the Ancient Heritage Festival "Eagle on the Danube" in 2017 (Bulgaria), the Scientific Conferences Telecom 2016 (Bulgaria), EEVP 2016 (Bulgaria), ITHET 2017 (Macedonia) and EAEEIE 2017 (France), the National Forum “3D Printing - the Forerunner of the 4th Industrial Revolution", etc.

The project results were presented to the Minister of Tourism, the Minister of Education and Sciences and government representatives of Bulgaria.

More information may be found on the project website available at the link www.archiverobg.eu.

To facilitate labor mobility in the restaurant/culinary business in the RO-BG cross border area through joint skill-building and employment mobility support services.

429,383.03 euro, out of which 364,975.58 euro ERDF

Lead Beneficiary (LB): Dobrudja Agro & Business School” (DABS) (Bulgaria)

Beneficiary 2 (B2):  Association “Choose Your Profession” - Center for Vocational Training

(ATP) (LEASME) (Romania)

Start date: 29.04.2017

End date: 28.04.2019

Duration: 24 months

Dobrich in Bulgaria

Constanta in Romania

• VET training programs fine-tuned to the needs of CB business
• Methods and tests for assessing potential employees’ personal skills
• Pilot vocational training with CB mobility for 120 persons
• Pilot assessment of the personal skills of 150 persons
• Continuous VET and lifelong learning pathways
• ·A sustainable RO-BG Cross Border Center for the Facilitation of Labor Mobility in the Culinary and Restaurant Business - a support structure linking education providers, job seekers and business, and providing possibilities for personalized advisory services and counseling for mobile workers and CB employers.

Programme outputs: 3 initiatives that activate workforce mobility in the cross border area; 470 participants in joint local employment initiatives and joint trainings; 200 participants in joint educational and training schemes to support youth employment, educational opportunities and higher and vocational education across borders.

Programme results: 7380 persons having access to joint employment initiatives.

The project was finalized in April 2019.

This project aimed at creating preconditions for CB labour mobility in the target sector by developing integrated tools: training and assessment programs and methods; continuous VET, lifelong learning and professional development pathways; support structures linking education providers, job seekers and business and providing possibilities for personalized advisory services and  counselling for mobile workers and CB employers. The tools are aimed at facilitating the transferability of employees’ professional and personal skills to business conditions at the other side of the border and decreasing the uncertainties (for both employees and employers) about the consequences of CB employment.

The following project activities were implemented:

The needs for support of training, employment and employment mobility of potential employees and employers in the culinary and restaurant sector in the Romania-Bulgaria cross border region – professional skills were researched and analyzed.

An Integrated Training and Employment Mobility Support Scheme for the RO-BG Cross Border Area was developed and implemented, comprising:

-      Integrated VET curricula with CB relevance and prior learning validation pathways (continuous VET), for 4 key professions: 1) cook; 2) baker/pastry-maker, 3) restauranteur, 4) waiter/bartender;

-      Soft Skills Assessment Model;

-      a training program for labour mobility preparedness and support in the RO-BG cross border area, based on 5 courses 1) Labour and citizenship rights, incl. labour legislation in Romania and Bulgaria, 2) Cultural awareness, history and culinary traditions in the CB region, 3) Guest relations and profiles, 4) Digital skills for job seekers,   5) Presentation skills for job seekers.

Romania-Bulgaria Cross Border Centre for the Facilitation of Labor Mobility in the Culinary and Restaurant Business was set-up with 2 contact points in Dobrich and Constanta and accordingly equipped with own VET training facilities.

A 2-day Capacity-Building and Training Workshop for 40 RO and BG teachers and VET trainers for culinary/restaurant business professions was hosted by RO-BG CB Centre for the Facilitation of Labour Mobility in the Culinary and Restaurant Business in Dobrich.

Quick Guides focused were developed on the main issues affecting CB labour mobility, namely Employment and Citizenship Rights and Regulations in the RO-BG Cross Border Area, How to Find Mobile Employees in the RO-BG Cross Border Area, as well as Training for Mobile Employees in the RO-BG Cross Border Area

All products of the project can be accessed at http://icarus-robg.eu/.