Cross-border cooperation (CBC) on the external borders of the EU is a key priority in the European Neighbourhood Policy. It supports sustainable development along the EU’s external borders, helps reducing differences in living standards and addressing common challenges across these borders. CBC promotes cooperation between EU countries and neighbourhood countries sharing a land border or sea crossing as well as between several EU and neighbourhood countries which, for example, are part of the same sea basin.

The Black Sea Basin (BSB) Programme is part of the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) CBC the first round of which was launched in 2007. Its overall objective is to achieve a stronger and more sustainable economic and social development of the Black Sea Basin regions. Its goal is to establish long-lasting cross-border links within the Black Sea Basin. Therefore, projects which deliver clear cross-border cooperation impact and benefits, demonstrate sustainability of their actions and synergies with other actions in the same field can be financed. 

The programme includes the following ‘Participating countries’:

• EU Member States: Bulgaria, Greece and Romania

• Partner countries: Armenia, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine

• Candidate country: Turkey

More detailed information about the exact regions eligible for the BSB 2014-2020 per country can be found here. In case of Armenia, the whole country is eligible.

Potential beneficiaries of the programme are:

• regional, local and national public authorities;

• civil society organisations;

• chambers of commerce;

• academic and educational community;

The eligibility criteria are described in the Guideline for Grant Applicants.

Armenia has benefited from the CBC Programme since 2007. More than 15 Armenian organisations (mainly civil society organisations) participated in the programme by implementing joint projects in Yerevan and regions of Armenia. Overall, 22 projects have been implemented from 2007 to 2013.

CBC projects implemented with participation of Armenian beneficiaries in 2007-2013

1. Introduction of innovative waste management practices in selected cities of Georgia, Moldova and Armenia

2. Excellence in public sector

3. A Black Sea network promoting integrated natural WASTEwater treatment systems

4. Black Sea Buildings Energy Efficiency Plan

5. Black Sea Silk Road corridor

6. Local/Regional Economic Development Network as decisive leverage point for enhanced competitiveness in the Black Sea Basin regions

7. Regional Business Incubator’s Network (Black Sea BI-Net)

8. Integrated coastal monitoring and environmental problems in Sea region and the ways of their solution

9. Quality Certification System in agro-tourism

10. Culture exchange platform

11. Tourism paths of the Black Sea Region

12. Youth Action for Regional Coherence and Cooperation

13. Promoting innovative rural tourism in the Black Sea Basin Region

14. Sharing collectively the competences of the researchers to the farmers for a sustainable and ecological exploitation of the agricultural and environment protection

15. Continuous improvement strategy for increasing the efficiency of wastewaters treatment facilities in the Black Sea coastal states

16. Utilizing stream waters in the suppression of forest fires with the help of new technologies

17. Innovative instruments for environmental analysis in North Western Black Sea Basin

18. Citizen engagement in the prioritization, design and implementation of local development policies

19. Black Sea Tradenet

20. Industrial evolution in the Black Sea Area – examples from Greece, Romania and Armenia

21. Black sea cultural Animation program: Pilot model for mobilizing the common cultural characteristics for creative destination management in the Black Sea Basin

22. Capacity for integrated urban development

BSB 2014-2020

The second round of the CBC BSB programme is included in the ENI regulation covering the period 2014-2020. The overall objective of the new ENI CBC Joint Operational Programme “Black Sea Basin 2014-2020” is to improve the welfare of the people in the Black Sea basin regions through sustainable growth and joint environmental protection.

BSB 2014-2020 focuses on two ENI CBC thematic objectives, namely:

• To promote business and entrepreneurship within the Black Sea basin by increasing cross-border trade opportunities and modernisation in the agricultural and connected sectors and by jointly promoting entrepreneurship in the tourism and cultural sectors business

• To promote coordination of environmental protection and joint reduction of marine litter in the Black Sea basin by improving joint environmental monitoring and by promoting common awareness-raising and joint actions to reduce river and marine litter

Detailed programming, including the priorities of the Black Sea Basin ENI CBC programme 2014-2020, were developed by the programme partners themselves working together across borders. Overall budget of the programme is 54 million Euro, including the 10% co-financing by the implementing organisations.

Categories of projects that can be implemented in the framework of the CBC BSB are:

• Integrated projects: each beneficiary implements a part of the activities of the project on its own territory;

• Symmetrical projects: similar activities are implemented in parallel in the participating countries;

• Single-country projects: projects are implemented mainly or entirely in one of the participating countries but for the benefit of all or some of the participating countries and where cross-border impacts and benefits are identified.

The PAO is the National Information Point of the CBC BSB programme, main functions of which are organisation of the flow of information to potential beneficiaries (e.g. by organizing small-scale seminars, providing materials in Armenian, informing about the launch of calls for proposals, explaining among others rules and procedures), supporting Armenian potential beneficiaries in their search for partners, and the overall monitoring of the projects.

The 1st call for project proposals of the ENI CBC “Black Sea Basin Joint Operational Programme 2014-2020 was launched on 31st of January 2017 with the deadline of 31st of May 2017, 23:59 (GMT+2). The overall indicative amount of ENI funds for the first call is 19,655,625.60 Euro.

More information

Black Sea Cross Border Cooperation