Türkiye is by far the leading country in all categories of the Black Sea Basin Programme 2021-2027 Final Call Project Applications

Türkiye, which broke a record in the results of the first call for project applications for the 2021-2027 period of the Black Sea Basin Cross-border Cooperation Programme, ranked first in every field among the eight countries included in the Programme in the application statistics of the second call.

With a budget of 52.4 million euros, the second call for proposals was divided into two categories: small-scale projects with a budget between 250,000 euros and 500,000 euros and standard projects with a budget between 500,001 euros and 1,500,000 euros. Small-scale projects will be implemented for a maximum of 18 months, while standard projects will be implemented for a maximum of 30 months.

Under small-scale project category, projects developed to promote climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention, resilience, taking into account eco-system based approaches. Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrasturcture, including in urban areas and reducing all forms of pollution linked to the Programme's objective of a greener and low-carbon Europe. In this project type, projects also prepared to enhance the institutional capacity of public authorities, build up mutual trust, enhance sustainable democracy and support civil society actors in the pursuit of a better cooperation governance cooperation for Europe. On the other hand, in the scope of the standard projects project ideas presented as the development and enhancing of research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies under the objective of a more competitive and smarter Europe as well as a greener and low-carbon Europe objective.

Within the scope of the call, it was expected to develop project partnerships with institutions and organizations in the regions of the countries included in the Programme area. Accordingly, in both categories of project applications, at least 1 EU member country and at least 1 non-EU country from the countries included in the programme area developed partnerships. In small-scale projects, at least 3 and at most 4 institutions and organizations and in standard projects, at least 4 and at most 6 institutions and organizations were asked to establish partnerships.

In this context, according to the call application statistics, a total of 258 project applications were made from Bulgaria, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Romania, Ukraine, Greece and Türkiye, of which 156 were standard projects and 102 were small-scale projects. Thus, while 240.3 million Euros of grant was requested from the EU through the applications made under the call, 83.55 million Euros, corresponding to 34.8% of this amount, was requested from joint projects involving Turkish institutions and organizations.

Accordingly, Türkiye became the first country to break a record in the history of both the call and the programme by becoming a partner in 200 projects, which corresponds to 77.5% of the applications. Türkiye also broke the record by submitting the highest number of applications under all priorities.

Within the scope of the call, while 1096 partnerships were established between institutions and organizations in 8 countries, Türkiye had the highest number of partner organizations with 286. In other words, 26% of the applications were made with partners from Türkiye. In 146 of these projects, Turkish institutions and organizations, which presented their projects as the main partner coordinating the project, broke a record in this field as well.

Türkiye also established the most project partnerships under all priorities. The highest number of partnerships and calls from Türkiye were established under the priority "A greener and low-carbon Europe", second under "A better governance of cooperation for Europe" and third under "A smarter and more competitive Europe".

In this context, among the provinces included in the Programme area from Türkiye, the highest number of applications were made from Istanbul, Trabzon and Edirne, respectively, and this order did not change in terms of partner organization applications.

Following the evaluation process, the results are expected to be announced at the beginning of 2025 and the projects will enter the implementation phase.