Digital Connectivity

On 20 March 2024 the European Commission (EC) has adopted the Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027 for research and innovation to underpin journey to a green, digital and resilient future.

Two projects to improve young people's digital skills and prepare them for a career in technology will be funded under the Digital Europe programme. The European Commission's assessments have been sent to the Ministry of Transport and Communications as the national coordinator of the programme. The grant agreements are to be signed.

Bulgaria supports the creation of clear rules for the rapid deployment of gigabit networks, to reduce construction costs and administrative burdens. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Grigori Grigorov during a meeting of the EU Council, format ‘Telecommunications’. He said this will contribute to the implementation of high-speed connectivity projects that are enshrined in the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan.

By the end of 2025, 80% of the country's population will have access to 5G connectivity

Public organisations can apply to the Connecting Europe Facility call for 5G projects. The total budget is €51 million for all EU countries and the deadline for submission of project proposals is 20 February 2024.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications, as the national coordinator for the Connecting Europe Facility for the digital sector, is conducting an extensive information campaign among universities, municipalities, public service providers and operators to help them prepare their projects.

The introduction of green transport will be among my top priorities, said the new Minister of Transport and Communications Eng. Georgi Gvozdeykov at the ceremony of acceptance of the management by the former head of the institution Hristo Alexiev. The work on the recovery plan for Bulgarian Posts and the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan projects are the other important tasks for the new team. Georgi Gvozdeykov stressed that it is important to quickly resolve the issues with the contested orders for the supply of new rolling stock for the railway transport.

We are ready to work with Google to create data centers in Bulgaria, said the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Hristo Alexiev during a meeting with Google's General Manager for Southeast Europe Peggy Antonaku. The talks were held within the framework of the 8th edition of the Delphi Economic Forum, which is taking place in Greece from 26 to 29 April 2023. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Prime Minister for the Management of EU Funds Atanas Pekanov.

The connectivity of the Balkans is important in order to meet the new challenges of the military conflict in Ukraine, the countries of the region can give solutions that are also applicable to Western Europe. This was stated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Hristo Alexiev during the Delphi Economic Forum, which is being held in Greece.

On 23 February, The Commission presented a set of actions aimed to make Gigabit connectivity available to all citizens and businesses across the EU by 2030.

The European Commission has adopted a revised Communication on State aid for broadband networks (‘Broadband Guidelines'). The revised Broadband Guidelines set out the rules under which the Commission will assess State aid measures notified by Member States to support the deployment and take-up of broadband networks in the EU. The new rules contribute to the EU's strategic objectives of ensuring gigabit connectivity for everyone and 5G coverage everywhere by the end of the decade, which is essential to achieve the digital transition of the Union. The new Guidelines will enter into force the day following their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, which is expected in January 2023.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications held the Third ELRC Workshop in Bulgaria online on 24 November 2022. The event takes place within the European Language Resources Coordination (ELRC) project, in cooperation with the Institute for the Bulgarian Language at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The project is funded by the Connecting Europe Facility Telecom.

Funding opportunities in upcoming competitions under the Connecting Europe Facility and Digital Europe Program were presented today at the Euro Techno Info Day. The Ministry of Transport and Communications announced the topics and application requirements in advance to give companies and organizations time to prepare successfully.

Small and medium-sized companies in the field of telecommunications and licensed Internet service providers can use an investment loan from the Bulgarian Development Bank. The initiative to create the financial instrument belongs to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

A guarantee has been provided by the Pan-European Guarantee Fund, under a program of the European Investment Fund, for direct financing of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Investment loans range are from BGN 100,000 to BGN 1,000,000.

Smart cities can attract funding for projects under the Digital Europe Programme and the Connecting Europe Facility 2021-2027. The Ministry of Transport and Communications supports Bulgarian organisations and companies in applying for two mechanisms. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Dilyan Berkovski at the conference "Digital Sofia – The Smart City". He informed that currently there is a possibility to apply in 28 competitions on different topics, and new opportunities will open in September.