Methodologies and criteria for the evaluation of procedures with a total budget exceeding 1 billion BGN were approved.

The Managing Authority of the Environment Programme 2021-2027 held the fourth meeting of the Monitoring Committee for the programme in Burgas on Monday. During the forum, members approved methodologies and evaluation criteria for procedures planned until the end of 2023 and for 2024. The procedures are in the priorities "Water", "Waste", "Biodiversity", and "Air" and have a total value of nearly 1.1 billion BGN.

An investment of 807 million BGN is foreseen in the water sector, aimed at the construction of water and wastewater infrastructure. The Committee members approved the methodology and criteria for a procedure that will support seven water and sewerage operators - Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Pleven, Sofia, Targovishte, Haskovo, and Dobrich. The construction and reconstruction of water supply and related infrastructure will reduce water losses in the water network and improve the quality, as well as ensure access to drinking water. The tender is to be launched by the end of 2023.

Methodology and evaluation criteria for the procedure for the construction, expansion and/or upgrading of municipal/regional systems for separate waste collection and recycling of biodegradable waste have been approved. As a result of the funding, municipal systems for the separate collection of biodegradable municipal waste will be built and put into operation, whereby waste will be transferred for subsequent recycling in municipally owned facilities. Municipal composting plants for separately collected biodegradable municipal waste will be built, upgraded, and commissioned. The implementation of the projects will be a major contribution to diverting up to 100% of the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled in the municipalities concerned. The procedure will be announced by January 2024 with a budget of nearly 243 million BGN. Eligible beneficiaries are 167 municipalities from 33 Regional Waste Management Systems.

In the framework of the priority "Biodiversity" a procedure "Implementation of measures 46, 47, 48 and 49 of the National Framework for Priority Actions for NATURA 2000" will be announced in January next year. As a result of the implementation of the measures, the conservation status of the targeted natural habitat types is expected to improve by introducing sustainable forest management practices. The budget of the procedure is 41.5 million BGN. Eligible beneficiaries are state-owned enterprises under the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the Forestry Executive Agency, research institutes, or universities.

The committee members approved the methodology and criteria for evaluation and the procedure for the establishment of a National Network of Experts on Ambient Air Quality under the priority "Air". The establishment of the system will enhance the expert capacity of the beneficiaries and the authorities involved in the development and implementation of air quality policies, including the monitoring of their implementation at national, regional, and local level. The budget of the procedure is up to 3 million BGN, which will be distributed per region.

During the Committee, the Draft Indicative Annual Work Programme of Program Environment for 2024 was agreed. At the end of the Forum, the impact assessment for the contribution by Operational Programme "Environment 2014-2020" under each priority towards the specific objectives of the European Structural Investment Funds was presented.