Updated last 18.06.2025
What is the budget size available to SMEs?
The total budget of the PCIE for the 2021–2027 period is approximately above 1.2 billion BGN, with funding carried out through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The program is a continuation of the closing Operational Programme “Innovations and Competitiveness” and is implemented by the Ministry of Innovation and Growth. Its main goal is to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bulgaria by stimulating innovation, digitalization, and sustainable development.
How is the budget distributed across the programme?
The programme is structured around three main priorities:
- Innovation and growth: support for research and development, deployment of modern technologies, protection of intellectual property, and development of high-tech sectors.
- Circular economy: funding for efficient resource use, development of new green technologies, recycling, and waste reduction.
- Technical assistance: providing expert and administrative support for successful program implementation.
Resources are directed toward promoting digitalization, increasing cyber security, training staff to work with Industry 4.0 technologies, and modernization of family-owned businesses and those in the creative industries and crafts.
What are the ways to apply for funding?
To create and submit a project proposal for a specific procedure under PCIE, you must register in the UMIS system.
The system is interactive and user-friendly. If you encounter difficulties when submitting a project proposal, you can consult the system’s user guide published to guide and assist users.
On the official PCIE website, for a specific procedure you can find information on how, to whom, and within what deadlines you can ask additional questions and seek clarifications regarding the Procedure’s Terms for Applicants.
What are the conditions for applying to procedures under PCIE?
For each procedure there are published “Application Conditions,” where you will find detailed information tailored to the specifics of the chosen procedure:
- goals, indicators of the procedure;
- the total amount of non-repayable financial assistance under the procedure;
- minimum (if applicable) and maximum amount of non-repayable financial assistance for a specific project;
- co-financing rate;
- the criteria your business must meet to be eligible;
- activities eligible for funding;
- eligible and ineligible costs under the procedure;
- minimum and maximum project duration;
- applicable regime of minimum/state aid;
- the rules, criteria and methodology by which project proposals are evaluated, both for administrative compliance and eligibility, and for the technical and financial evaluation requirements;
- the method and deadline for obtaining clarifications about the procedure.
In what timeframe can I apply for procedures under the programme?
You can apply for funds under PCIE depending on the submission deadline for project proposals for each procedure until the end of the operational program in 2027.
The evaluation of project proposals proceeds in two stages, as follows:
Stage 1
Evaluation of administrative compliance and eligibility – this evaluation addresses, for example, the following questions: have all required documents been submitted; is the project proposal correctly submitted; is the KEП (electronic signature) valid for signing; is the power of attorney for submitting the project proposal valid; does it comply with the specific eligibility criteria listed in the Application Conditions, and other aspects.
This stage also includes verification and evaluation of the realism, effectiveness, and eligibility of all planned activities and costs (whether the project proposal includes ineligible activities, ineligible and/or unrealistic costs, duplication of planned activities and/or costs).
Stage 2
Technical and financial evaluation. The technical and financial evaluation is carried out only for project proposals that have successfully passed Stage 1 administrative compliance and eligibility evaluation. At this stage, the technical capacity of the participants, the environmental impact of the project, compliance with the indicators and priorities of the procedure, partnerships, and other aspects are evaluated.