As part of the initiatives in response to the coronavirus (CRII+), the European Commission approved, on Thursday 26 November, a €511 million change in cohesion policy for the Bulgarian economy and €737 million for Italy.
Thus, in the case of Bulgaria, the Commission has given the green light for an amendment to the operational programme ‘Innovation and Competitiveness’ in order to mobilise €511 million from the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund. These funds will be used to support the working capital of micro-enterprises and SMEs, in particular.
Regarding Italy, the Commission has approved an amendment to three new Cohesion Policy operational programmes for the regions of Calabria, Liguria and Emilia-Romagna to provide €737 million (€500 million for the first with 100% EU co-financing rates, €46.9 million for Liguria and €190 million for Emilia-Romagna). Here, these changes are intended to support the health sector, SMEs and the digitisation of the education system. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)