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Daniela Chonkova: Horizon 2020 is a huge opportunity for Bulgaria

Daniela Chonkova, Programme Coordinator of the Applied Research and Communications Fund, said on Bloomberg TV that Horizon 2020 is often perceived as an equivalent or a similarity to the operational programmes in Bulgaria, which is the reason for unsuccessful applications. There is an “ocean” of European programmes and they are often all put under the common denominator “European funds”, but each programme has its own specifics – the right targeting of the most appropriate source of funding is the key to success, she explained.

Unlike the Operational Programme “Innovation and Competitiveness”, where it is enough that the innovation and the effect of its implementation refers to the Bulgarian company or the Bulgarian market, in the X2020 programme the effect must be at least of European dimension, i.e. innovation at European or global level. Prof. Chonkova invited companies and research organisations to take advantage of the opportunities for free consultation when choosing the appropriate framework programme or call for proposals.

She advised companies to approach one of the following advisory networks:

the network of National Contact Points for X2020 or

the Enterprise Europe Network (www.enterprise-europe-network.bg, www.een.bg), where they can be guided and directed to the most appropriate source of funding for their innovation development.

See the full recording of the interview here.