The general objective of the project is to create the road infrastructure in Mangalia and Balchik representing direct connections to the TEN-T.

7,049,095. 87 euro, out of which 5,991,731. 48 euro ERDF

Lead Beneficiary (LB): Territorial Administrative Unit – Mangalia Municipality

Beneficiary 2 (B2): Balchik Municipality

Start date: 04.04.2019

End date: 03.10.2022

Duration: 42 months

Mangalia in Romania

Balchik in Bulgaria

• Development of 4 common mechanisms, namely route guide, feasibility study aimed at cross-border transport, traffic safety measures and awareness-raising activities;
• Modernization of 7.83 km of road infrastructure in Mangalia;
• Modernization of 8.62 km of road infrastructure in Balchik.

Program output: 16,450 m (16.45 km) total length of reconstructed or modernized roads; 4 common mechanisms to facilitate the connection of secondary / tertiary nodes to the TEN-T infrastructure (e.g. route guidance, incident / emergency detection and management, traffic flow studies, feasibility studies addressing the cross-border region);

Programme results: Cross-border population served by modernized infrastructure leading to TEN-T - 49,301.00 citizens.

The project is completed.

The project was completed on 03.10.2022.

LB (Territorial Administrative Unit - Mangalia Municipality) - "Improving the road infrastructure in Mangalia for a better connection to the TEN-T network" includes 17 city streets with a total length of 7.83 km. The contract for the execution of the works was signed on 12.12.2019 and on 23.12.2019 the order to start the works was issued.

The construction works for the objective - "Improving the road infrastructure in Mangalia for a better connection to the TEN-T network" were completed on 04.10.2022, according to the Reception Protocol at the end of the works no. 74841 of 04.10.2022.

Although the project was completed, during the special monitoring visit on 11.04.2024, the following were found:

- A number of 4 streets out of a total of 17 streets (16,450 m) are affected by the works carried out by RAJA (replacement of water pipes and sewerage).

- These streets are: Dr Motas street., Mihai Viteazu street., Oituz str. and Negru Voda street.

The modernized streets are currently affected by the works carried out by RAJA SA for works on the water and sewage network. After the completion of the works, the streets will be brought to the initial stage of modernization, prior to the intervention of RAJA SA.

B2 (Municipality of Balchik): "Modernization of road infrastructure in Balchik in order to improve connectivity to the TEN-T network" - 8.62 km

All construction activities have been completed. All necessary documents according to the Bulgarian spatial planning law have been issued and signed by all relevant parties for all three sections:

I. “Rehabilitation of municipal road DOB1149 /I-9, Kavarna- Balchik/- Topola- Ikantalaka- municipality limit (Kavarna- Balchik)- Tuzlata- Balchik - Albena / I-9 /, from km 4 + 500, to the municipality limit (Kavarna - Balchik), at km 10+020, at the intersection with Road II-27 from the city of Balchik – L=5 520 m” - Protocol of reception of the executed works, issued on 28.08.2020;

II. “Rehabilitation of municipal road DOB 3160 - /DOB 1149, Topola - Balchik/ - municipality limit (Kavarna - Balchik) - Tuzlata - /DOB 1149/” from km 2+170 to km 4+083 – L=1 913 m - Protocol of reception of the executed works, issued on 10.03.2020;

III. “Rehabilitation of a part of the street network of the city of Balchik”, for which the Protocol of reception of the works executed on 01.09.2020 was issued, including:

- “Primorska” street section from OT77 to OT118, L = 400 m;

- turnaround for buses on “Primorska” street, F = 1,400 m2;

- a crossroads between “Primorska” and “Cherno more” streets;

- the section of “Cherno More” street from OT37 to OT308, L = 790 m.

The common challenge approached by the project is to improve the accessibility and mobility to the TEN-T network and thus to create suitable conditions for sustainable development in the border area.

4,945,538.25 euro, out of which 4,203,707.51 euro ERDF

Lead Beneficiary (LB): TAU Giurgiu County

Beneficiary 2 (B2): Borovo Municipality

Start date: 01.08.2019

End date: 31.12.2023

Duration: 53 months

Ruse (Bulgaria)

Giurgiu (Romania)

• Integrated information and awareness system
• Joint traffic management system and awareness
• Modernization of DJ 601: Bolintin Vale – Malu Spart
• Works in Borovo Municipality

Programme outputs: - Modernized transport infrastructure providing access to the TEN-T network (Total length of reconstructed or upgraded roads 11.73 km.);

- 2 joint mechanisms to facilitate the connection of secondary/tertiary nodes to TEN-T infrastructure

Programme results: Cross border population served by modernized infrastructure leading to TEN-T – more than 20,877 inhabitants.

Current Project Status:

The implementation period of the project ended on 31.12.2023, but because of delays registered in the investment activity of LB, the project was included on the list of un-finalized projects. The new completion date of the project is 31.08.2024.

B2 has finalized the construction works for the modernization of 4.32 km from the street network in Borovo on 14.12.2021.

LB finalized the construction works for the modernization of 7.41 km of road in Giurgiu within the investment activity „Modernization of DJ 601: Bolintin Vale – Malu Spart – DN61, km 13+685 – km 14+184 and km 22+263 – km 29+221, 7.45 km” on 23.05.2024. The reception at the finalization of the works took place on 10.07.2024.

B2 had elaborated the study „New opportunities for traffic management and traffic safety measures in Giurgiu-Borovo area”. The study examined the state of transport infrastructure in the cross-border region, identified affected areas, made a SWOT analysis of the current situation, a risk analysis related to optimizing transport conditions in the cross-border region Borovo - Giurgiu, review of applicable regulations in Bulgaria and Romania defining the institutional responsibilities of the authorities regarding transport conditions and traffic safety by analyzing their role in the whole process.

The interactive map and the smartphone application are available for free on Google play and App store under the name “Borovo Blackspots”. The map is available in Bulgarian, English and Romanian and it contains the locations of the black spots https://w-ten.info/?ait-items=blackspot-locations&lang=en.

The application allows a user to report a new accident and it also promotes important touristic objectives, which can be visited by potential tourists coming to the area and it promotes the rules of traffic safety.

B2 elaborated the Traffic Management Plan and purchased equipment on his behalf for the traffic monitoring system in order to realize a functional information system for traffic monitoring. In addition, LB purchased equipment for the traffic management system and put it onto operation on 23.11.2023. The Joint traffic management system developed by the project’s beneficiaries is functional and can be accessed at https://wtentraffic.eu/.

Within the project were organized the following events:

- 2 Conferences “New opportunities for traffic management and traffic safety measures in Giurgiu-Borovo”, one in Borovo on 24.11.2023 and one in Giurgiu on 27.11.2023.

- The Workshop „How to improve the traffic safety measures within the Giurgiu - Borovo cross-border area?” on 24.11.2023 in Borovo.

- The closing press conference on behalf of B2 took place on 11.12.2023 on Borovo with 50 participants.

- B2 implemented also the traffic awareness activities and developed the promotional materials (leaflets, posters).

To improve the infrastructure on the both sides of the Danube river in order to maintain the navigability on the Danube.

5,946,041.76 euro, out of which 5.054.135.48 euro ERDF

Lead Beneficiary (LB): Territorial Administrative Unit – Calarasi County

Beneficiary 2 (B2): Silistra Municipality

Beneficiary 3 (B3): Territorial Administrative Unit – Calarasi Town

Start date: 30.03.2019

End date: 15.10.2024 (since the beneficiaries needed additional time for the complete completion of the investment objective achieved by Beneficiary 3 in Borcea Arm and for the operationalization of the navigation system through the full use of the created infrastructure, the project was included on the list of non-functional projects, with a new deadline for completion on 15.10.2024).

Duration: 66 months and 16 days

Silistra in Bulgaria

Calarasi in Romania

• Strategies and action plans to improve the safety of the navigation on the Danube;
• Works in Calarasi County – to facilitate the direct access of the boat owners from one community to another, offering an open area of ​​navigation on the inside Borcea arm;
• Works in Silistra District – rehabilitation of Riverside fortification walls;
• Promotional activities focus on providing project information, transparency and effective communication with stakeholders, as well as presenting the results of project activities and target groups and local stakeholders working in the cross-border region;
• The transport waterway between Calarasi and Silistra will be improved by installing beacons on 5 km inland waterway on the Borcea – secondary arm of Danube. Two river station will be developed, one for each side of the Danube. Two river buses of medium size will be purchase for passengers transportation.

Programme outputs: Total length of new and improved inland waterway – 11 km;

Programme results: 2.34 % of the RO-BG CBC Danube length and Black Sea where safety of the navigation have been improved.

The project implementation period was completed on 31.12.2023, but due to the fact that, the investment works were not completed, the project was included on the list of non-functional projects, with a new completion date of 15.10.2024.

The following results have been reported so far:

LB – The contract for the technical design was signed (investments for Borcea arm). The Start Order for elaboration of the Technical Project was issued in the middle of November 2020. The development of the Technical Project together with all obtained permits was completed in the end of March 2021. In addition, contract for the purchase of an Amphibious was signed and the respective equipment was officially receipted and tested by the LB in the end of November 2023, still being in process of registration under Romanian flag and for obtaining the Registration certificate.

B2 – Based on the received permission for construction, B2 started the works execution in Port of Silistra in the end of May 2023 and finalize it in the end of December 2023. Furthermore, B2 succeed to sign also a contract for delivery of a Catamaran for 28 passengers, which was officially delivered and tested from B2 in the middle of November 2023 and is also in regime of testing along the Danube waters. The final reception of the works execution in Port Silistra took place on 31.07.2024.

B3 - LB has started the procedures to clear the land of the investment, demolishing the existing constructions on site. A contract for execution of the construction works in Borcea arm was signed in November 2021 and the Start Order for works execution was issued in the middle of December 2021. So far, the works execution level as a percentage has reached approximate 92%.

ARTOUR project aims at creating a thematic art & culture events tourist product based on the natural and cultural heritage in order to promote the CBC region as more attractive tourist destination and better use the potential of the tourism on the lower Danube.

454 130.10 euro, out of which 386,010.58 euro ERDF

Lead Beneficiary (LB): Association "Institute for Territorial Innovations and Cooperation - ITIC"

Beneficiary 2 (B2): Valahia Transalpina Professional Association

Start date: 06.09.2018

End date: 05.03.2020

Duration: 18 Months

Calarasi, Drobeta - Turnu Severin, Giurgiu, Constanta – in Romania

Vidin, Ruse, Silistra – in Bulgaria

• Conducting a study of potential application of art & culture tourist product and services in the CBC region;
• Close consultations with the key stakeholders in identifying particular artists, traditions and sites so that high-quality art & culture tourist product, services and animation can be delivered;
• Development of joint thematic art & culture tourist product with art animation and programme for its pilot implementation in the course of the project;
• Organizing 4 art & culture tourist events as plain-air festivals over three (3) days with the participation of artists (painters, dancers, singers, actors) who will make live presentations of their arts (2 in BG and 2 in RO) for pilot implementation of the thematic art & culture tourist product according to the elaborated programme;
• Analysis of the pilot implementation of the thematic art & culture tourist product and elaboration of 5-year programme for its implementation after the project completion;
• Development of promotional webpage of the newly created thematic art & culture tourist product and undertaking a wide promotional online and media campaign.

Programme outputs: a study of potential application of art & culture tourist product and services in the CBC region; one thematic art & culture events tourist product created with art animation and programme; 4 art & culture tourist events with animation (2 in BG and 2 in RO) organized as part of the thematic art & culture tourist product; 5-year programme developed for implementation of the thematic art & culture tourist product; promotional website of the thematic art & culture tourist product launched.

Programme results: increase of the number of overnights in the CBC area with 10.000

The project implementation was finalized.

The following results have been achieved:

- An analysis of information and study of the potential application of the tourist product "Art&Culture", was elaborated;

- The joint thematic art & culture tourist product with art animation and programme for its pilot implementation in the course of the project, were elaborated and reviewed by 2 external experts appointed by the LB in the period 14.01-13.02.2020. LB accepted the art & culture tourist product with a 5-year programme for its implementation on 13.02.2020;

- 4 art & culture tourist events such as: plain-air festivals over three (3) days with the participation of artists (painters, dancers, singers, actors) who made live presentations of their arts for pilot implementation of the thematic art & culture tourist product, were organized;

- 2 short promo videos (30” – 1’) and 2 professional videos (up to 10’) for the plain-air events organized in Bulgaria were produced by Mi Art Stream Ltd. and uploaded on the project website and Facebook page. The videos were finally accepted by the LB on 05.12.2019;

- The project Facebook page, available at the link https://www.facebook.com/Artour-110410830299202/ and the project website, available at the link https://artour-robg.eu, were developed;

- Evaluation of the pilot application of the art & culture tourist product was made in the period 30.10.19-30.12.2019 by KPM Consulting Ltd. appointed by the LB. The Analysis and evaluation report were accepted by the LB on 10.01.2020.

- Final conference was organized and held in Vidin on the 27th and 28^th of February 2020 for 30 participants from BG and RO.