Rural Development Directorate
Director
Elena Ivanova
Functions
The Rural Development Directorate is the managing body of the Rural Development Program for the period 2014-2020 (PRSR 2014-2020). The governing body is responsible for the programming, management and implementation of the program in an efficient, effective and fair manner, including:
1. develops and updates the 2014-2020 RDP and carries out the negotiation process with the EC offices in connection with the approval and amendments of the program;
2. develops the national legislation for the implementation of the 2014-2020 RDP and the documents under Art. 26, para. 1 of the Law on the Management of the European Structural and Investment Funds;
3. develops the policies of the Partnership Agreement for the period 2014-2020 in the part "Agriculture and Rural Areas" in sync with the European Structural and Investment Funds and other instruments and initiatives of the EU during the period 2014-2020;
4. ensures that the selection of activities for financing under the 2014-2020 RDP corresponds to the applicable criteria for supporting the program according to the current legislation;
5. organizes the evaluation of the received project proposals and the negotiation of the measures "Transfer of knowledge and awareness-raising actions", "Consulting services, management of the farm and replacement services in the farm", "Support for investments in infrastructure - development, modernization or adaptation of agricultural and forestry infrastructure', 'Cooperation', 'Community-led local development/Leader' for sub-measures 19.1, 19.3 and 19.4 and 'Technical assistance';
6. carries out control of the process of the implementation of the functions delegated to the State Fund "Agriculture" - RA, including of the process of creating and operating an appropriate electronic system for collecting and processing information for monitoring the RDP 2014-2020, which would monitor all indicators from the Indicator Plan of the RDP 2014-2020 and all monitoring indicators, according to the Guidelines for EC monitoring;
7. implements corrective measures and actions in accordance with gaps, weaknesses and irregularities in the regulations for the implementation of the 2014-2020 PRDP identified by external and internal control bodies;
8. is the responsible governing body for implementing the "Community-Led Local Development" (CLD) approach;
9. organizes and participates in the Committee for Coordination of VOMR under Art. 12 of Decree No. 161 of the Council of Ministers of 2016 on determining rules for coordination between the governing bodies of the programs and the local initiative groups, and the local initiative fishing groups in connection with the implementation of the "Community-Led Local Development" Approach for the period 2014 - 2020 (PMS No. 161 of 2016);
10. ensures that the projects of the thematic subprogram are determined separately for the purposes of monitoring and evaluation according to Art. 67 of Regulation (EU) No. 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on support for the development of rural areas from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulation (EC) no. 1698/2005 of the Council;
11. programs appropriate measures and schemes to combat climate change, to protect soils, biodiversity and water resources, through which to ensure the fulfillment of commitments related to the environment and climate, resulting from the applicable European legislation for the European Structural and Investment Funds;
12. collects information on basic indicators, including data on the economic development of individual sectors on a national/regional level, as well as on the socio-economic characteristics of rural areas;
13. ensure that the beneficiaries and other responsible bodies involved in the implementation of the 2014-2020 RDP are informed of their obligations arising from the provision of assistance, maintain a separate accounting system related to the program and are aware of the requirements for the provision of data of the governing body and the recording of all products and results;
14. prepares and is responsible for the implementation of the Evaluation Plan in connection with Art. 56 of Regulation (EU) No. 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 to determine generally applicable provisions for the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down common provisions for the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (OJ , L 347/320 of December 20, 2013) (Regulation (EC) No. 1303/2013) and ensures that the estimates of the 2014-2020 RDP in relation to Art. 55 and 57 of Regulation (EC) No. 1303/2013 have been prepared within the necessary time limits and are in accordance with the monitoring and evaluation system;
15. provides the RA with the necessary information to ensure the effective implementation of the 2014-2020 RDP regarding the measures and activities implemented by the governing body;
16. coordinates the work of the 2014-2020 RDP Monitoring Committee, organizes and participates in its meetings and prepares the necessary data and analyzes for its work, including of the permanent working groups/subcommittees to it;
17. ensures the implementation of a Communication Plan, including promotion and information about the 2014-2020 RDP, informational activities for familiarization with the opportunities provided by the program and the rules for obtaining funding, aimed at potential beneficiaries, partner and interested organizations and the general public;
18. prepares the annual progress reports on the implementation of the 2014-2020 RDP and, after their approval by the Monitoring Committee, submits them to the EC;
19. organizes and supervises the work of the National Rural Network for the period 2014-2020;
20. performs all other functions of the managing body of the RDP 2014-2020, arising from the applicable EU law and national legislation, such as:
a) organizes and coordinates work on the preparation of program documents for the development of agriculture and rural areas;
b) coordinates with the programs financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds and other instruments and initiatives of the EU during the period 2014-2020;
21. develops policies for managing EAFRD funds for the period 2021-2027;
22. develops and supervises financial instruments that are implemented with EAFRD funds;
23. carries out legal representation in cases in which the head of the managing body of the Rural Development Program for the period 2014-2020 is a party.
(2) The directorate under para. 1 organizes and coordinates the other activities of the Ministry for the management of EAFRD funds, including monitoring, evaluation, reporting and publicity of the 2007-2013 RDP until its completion.
