Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) discussed with the Deputy Minister of Economy Stamen Yanev the proposals for investing additional financial resources from the Operational Program “Innovation and Competitiveness” to overcome the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new recovery instrument. the EU generation ”.

For the next programming period, our country will have access to financial resources in the amount of 29 billion euros. In addition to the funds under the Multiannual Financial Framework – 2021-2027, which will amount to a total of 16.7 billion euros, the new plan with EU anti-crisis measures – Next Generation EU, with a budget for Bulgaria of over 12.3 billion. Our country will also receive additional targeted funds to support the lagging regions in the amount of 200 million euros.

“In the face of BICA, we see a partner through whom, I believe, we will work successfully to improve the business environment and determine the priorities for the allocation of EU funds for the recovery of the Bulgarian economy. Over the last month, we have sharply accelerated the work on anti-crisis measures to support business and already 70% of the grant for micro and small enterprises has been paid. I expect to pay it off in full by the end of the month, and within the next 2-3 months to pay off the program to support medium-sized companies. I hope that by the end of 2020 we will be able to launch both procedures under the ReactEU mechanism. One is aimed at supporting SMEs for recovery and potential growth and has a budget of BGN 200 million. The second is for digital and green innovations, and its capacity is BGN 191 million, “said the Deputy Minister of Economy.

According to Stamen Yanev, with the participation of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association and within a month will start two new grant procedures, which are aimed at the so-called “large small” enterprises and to adapt production processes and conditions of labor at COVID-19, as well as negotiating the scheme for increasing the production capacity of small and medium enterprises.

At the meeting, the Association discussed with the Minister its ten proposals for improving the business climate, reducing administrative barriers and better regulation. Some of them are the entry into force of the adopted changes for the determination of the “municipal waste” fee, which introduced the “polluter pays” principle; dropping the introduced as a temporary anti-crisis measure the first 3 days of sick leave to be at the expense of the employer; introduction of the principle of tacit consent; termination of the illegal state aid for “AES – 3C Maritza East 1” and “Contour Global Maritza East 3” by introducing a capacity mechanism; elaboration of a mechanism for determination of a national minimum wage and minimum wages by branches and elimination of determination of minimum insurance incomes by the main economic activities and qualification groups of professions; elimination of the restrictive thresholds for mandatory financial audit and their unification with the other neighboring countries of Bulgaria; change in the definition of SMEs, etc.

“We are witnessing the acceleration of measures to support and improve the dialogue with business, which is evident from the recent decisions of the Monitoring Committee of the Operational Program” Innovation and Competitiveness “. And these facts only give us grounds to want and seek to strengthen our cooperation with the Ministry of Economy. We rely a lot on the support of the Ministry to achieve a better business environment with joint efforts and hence – to accelerate economic growth, “said during the event the Chairman of the Government Board of BICA Vassil Velev.

The National Council also discussed the draft mechanism for negotiating and determining the amount of the minimum wage for the country, giving a mandate to BICA to sign a framework agreement with other nationally represented employers ‘and trade unions’ organizations. The purpose of the proposals set out in it is to determine the minimum wage first for the country, and subsequently the branch structures of the representative national organizations of workers and employers to start negotiations to determine minimum wages by economic activities and qualification groups of professions.