Policy Background
Black Sea Basin Cross-Border Cooperation Programme, in which Türkiye has participated in since 2007-2013 budgeting period of the European Union, is a multilateral cooperation programme implemented within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy which aims to strengthen cooperation among neighbouring countries and communities in Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and the Mediterranean basin, with the goal of enhancing stability, prosperity, and security in the region.
Being financed under the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) which is a financial mechanism – established in 2007 – providing funding for the European Neighbourhood Policy, ENPI Black Sea Basin Cross-border Cooperation Programme is one of the 15 Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) programmes under ENPI. The Black Sea Basin CBC Program was implemented under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), which is the successor of ENPI during 2014-2020 period.
In the 2021-2027 period, the Program, converging with the EU Cohesion Policy, has been included in the regional cooperation mechanism for cross-border areas called Interreg, which has been a component of the EU Regional Policy and Cohesion Policy since 1990. Designated by the acronym NEXT (NEighbourhood at EXternal Borders) used for cross-border cooperation programs along the EU's external borders, the Black Sea Basin CBC Programme is supported through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for participation of EU member states as well as the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) for participation of candidate and potential candidate countries for EU membership and the Neighbourhood, Development, and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) for participation of neighbouring and third countries.
Programme’s Eligible Area
The programme area covers the following regions:
Armenia – whole country,
Bulgaria: Severoiztochen, Yugoiztochen,
Georgia – whole country,
Greece: Kentriki Makedonia, Anatoliki Makedonia Thraki,
Republic of Moldova – whole country,
Romania: Sud-Est,
Türkiye: TR10 (İstanbul), TR21 (Tekirdağ, Edirne, Kırklareli), TR42 (Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu, Yalova), TR81 (Zonguldak, Karabük, Bartın), TR82 (Kastamonu, Çankırı, Sinop), TR83 (Samsun, Tokat, Çorum, Amasya) and TR90 (Trabzon, Ordu, Giresun, Rize, Artvin, Gümüşhane),
Ukraine: Odessa oblast, Mykolaiv oblast, Kherson oblast, Zaporizhzhia oblast, Donetsk oblast (Bakhmut, Kramatorsk, Volnovakha, Mariupol, Pokrovsk).
Although some regions of the Russian Federation fall within the eligible area of the programme, after the aggression against Ukraine, the participation of Russian regions in the cooperation programme has been suspended by decision of the European Council of February 24, 2022, the European Commission suspended the participation of the Russian Federation in the 2021-2027 Black Sea Basin programme.
Programme Bodies
Monitoring Committee (MC): Decision making body (National Authority representatives from 8 countries)
Managing Authority (MA): Implementation body (Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration of the Republic of Romania)
The Audit Authority (AA): Audit body (Romanian Court of Auditors)
National Authorities (NA): For each country (Türkiye: Directorate for EU Affairs Cross-border Cooperation Department)
Joint Secretariat (JS): Support to implementation (South East Regional Development Agency based in Constanta/Romania)
National Controller: For each country (Türkiye: Directorate for EU Affairs Monitoring and Evaluation Department)
Member of Group of Auditors (MoGoA): For each country (Türkiye: Ministry of Treasury and Finance Board of Treasury Controllers)
National Contact Point (NCP): Directorate for EU Affairs İstanbul Office
Eligible Applicants
Public and private legal entities established in the Programme area,
Local entities of public authorities (Governorships, District Governorships, Provincial Directorates, Regional Directorates)
Local Authorities (Municipalities including Municipality Undertakings, Provincial Special Administrations)
Bodies Governed by Public Law (Development Agencies/Administrations/Unions, Chambers, Commodity Exchanges, Cooperatives)
Educational and Research Institutions (Universities, Research Centres, Institutes, State Owned Schools)
Non-profit Organizations (Associations, Unions, Foundations and other NGOs)
Programme Budget
2007-2013: 38 million Euro,
2014-2020: 54 million Euro,
2021-2027: 94 million Euro.