The Programme

SocialCrafts project is being implemented with the financial support of the Cooperation Programme Interreg V-A “Greece-Bulgaria 2014-2020”.

The eligible area of the Programme consists of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Prefectures of Evros, Kavala, Xanthi, Rodopi and Drama) and the Region of Central Macedonia (Prefectures of Thessaloniki and Serres) in Greece and the South-Central Planning Region and South-West Planning Region (Districts of Blagoevgrad, Smolyan, Kardjali and Haskovo) in Bulgaria. 

The Greece-Bulgaria cross-border cooperation area for the programming period 2014-2020 extends to 40.202 km2 and has a total population of 2.7 million inhabitants.

The priority axes are:
 
PA 1: A Competitive and Entrepreneurship Promoting Cross-Border Area
PA 2: A Sustainable and climate adaptable Cross-Border area
PA 3: A better interconnected Cross-Border Area
PA 4: A socially inclusive Cross-Border area
PA 5: Technical Assistance

For more information visit the following link:

http://www.greece-bulgaria.eu/home/

EU regional policy:

https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/

A cross-border region is a territorial entity composed of several local or regional authorities that are co-located but belong to different national states. European cross-border regions are more commonly established through cooperation between municipalities, districts or border regions. Cross-border cooperation can develop the economy of each participating country in the area, depending on the relationship between the countries. The basis is the common interest in improving the standard of living, ensuring a sustainable framework and removing barriers, restrictions or other factors. In order to improve the socio-economic position of the regional communities and to remove the negative effects of the border, local communities are increasingly involved in the regional collaboration. The "Social Crafts" project aims to raise awareness of the enormous potential of these areas, specifically that between southern Bulgaria and northern Greece. Problems with labor inequalities, poverty and high unemployment among the different types of vulnerable groups such as young people, women, Roma, elderly, long-term unemployed and disabled, gave us the idea through this program to try and bring them new ideas of self-employment using crafts and at the same time integrating themselves totally into their local community.