EXPERT EVALUATION NETWORK DELIVERING POLICY ANALYSIS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF COHESION POLICY 2007-2013. YEAR 1 - 2011. TASK 2, COUNTRY REPORT ON ACHIEVEMENTS OF COHESION POLICY. BULGARIA. - Mineva, Daniela; Stefanov, Ruslan (Centăr za izsledvane na demokracijata, 2011)
DG Regional Policy at the European Commission published a Report on Bulgaria's progress on the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and Energy Efficiency in Buildings and an Evaluation Report on the Achievements of the Cohesion Policy in Bulgaria. The two reports were prepared by CSD experts in the framework of the Expert Evaluation Network delivering policy analysis on the performance of the Cohesion Policy 2007 - 2013. The first report provides an overview of the available support by the EU Structural Funds and the national instruments promoting RES and energy efficiency in buildings. It also describes the legislative framework and the operation of various state institutions in this area. The report lists the remaining challenges to the management authorities, the businesses and the households which aim to utilize more efficiently the EU financial assistance and to reduce the energy poverty in the country. The second report reviews all supported areas by the Cohesion Policy in Bulgaria and in particular the assistance provided by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The report is based on statistical and financial data and interviews with representatives of the Managing Authorities of Operational Programmes (OPs). The text describes the progress under the OPs and the impact of the economic crisis on the implementation of the financed projects. The report presents the main conclusions drawn from the OPs mid-term reviews and foregrounds the remaining challenges to Bulgaria