Updated last 18.06.2025
What is PIS?
The program under the Internal Security Fund 2021–2027 is a program aimed at ensuring a higher level of security in the EU, by supporting the prevention and fight against terrorism, serious and organized crime, cybercrime, as well as the protection of victims and risk and crisis management.
What activities does ISF support?
Procedure No. 1
Specific Objective 1: “Improve and facilitate information exchange between and within the competent authorities and the relevant EU bodies, services, and agencies and, where applicable, with third countries and international organizations”;
Specific Objective 2: “Improve and intensify cross-border cooperation, including joint operations among competent authorities in relation to terrorism and serious and organized crime with cross-border dimensions”;
Specific Objective 3: “Support strengthening the capacity of Member States to prevent and counter crime, terrorism and radicalization, as well as to manage security-related incidents, risks and crises, including through enhanced cooperation among public authorities, competent EU bodies, services or agencies, civil society, and private partners in the various Member States.”
How is the program budget distributed?
Specific beneficiaries under the procedure are the General Directorate “Border Police” –Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the General Directorate “Combating Organized Crime” – Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Within the framework of the procedure, the following operations will be funded:
Operation No. 1 – Participation of GDGP staff in activities related to improving cross-border cooperation;
Operation No. 2 – Training to improve interagency and cross-border cooperation, with a focus on countering the sexual exploitation of children;
Operation No. 3 – Counteracting organized crime through the maintenance and purchase of specialized software for the needs of the National Cybercrime Center.
What is the size of the budget from which they can benefit under the operational program?
The total amount of non-repayable financial assistance for the operations is 5,259,439.57 BGN.
| For more information | |
 | Information on open for-application procedures for providing non-repayable financial assistance under the program can also be found in the Information System for Management, Implementation, and Monitoring (UMIS 2020) created specifically for the programming period 2021–2027. It includes the approved Operational Programs co-financed by the Cohesion Fund and the EU Structural Funds; for more specifics you can visit the page: |
How can you apply for funding under ISF?
To create and submit a project proposal for a specific procedure underISF , you must register in the UMIS system.
The system is interactive and easy to use. 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 ISF 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 Application Conditions.
What are the conditions for applying to procedures under ISF?
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 program?
You can apply for funds under ISF depending on the submission deadline for project proposals for each procedure until the end of the operational program in 2027.
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.