APPLYING FOR FUNDS
The Bulgarian Labour Ministry will distribute more than 1.2 billion euro in six years under the EU Human Resources programme, Dnevnik daily reported on July 23 2007. The money will be given to companies, educational institutions and people assisting disabled people. Producers, training organisations and trade unions can apply for financing to the National Employment Agency. The programme will grant a further two million euro for students at 30 universities and scientific institutions who want to receive a PhD. Two million euro will be spent on internship programmes. Educational institutions will get a total 5.1 million euro to make schools appealing to students. The social support agency will co-ordinate the projects for training assistants of disabled and will finance them with a total of 15 million euro.

ONLINE ADVANCED PAYMENT
Bulgarian online  retailers of telecom services can accept advance
payments but others cannot unless they have the buyers’ consent,
according to a compromise legislative amendment approved on July 19, 2007, Dnevnik daily reported. Online shop owners welcomed the new clauses in the Consumer Protection Act and said that they hoped that Parliament would give the provisions final approval. The clauses impede foreign online retailers but protect Bulgarian consumers, an |Economy Ministry official said. Under the amendments, the first reading of which was approved in early July, online retailers may not accept or demand advance payment of both services and products.

INDUSTRIAL ZONES PROJECTS
Municipalities in 26 regions of Bulgaria have presented proposals for
the development of industrial zones on their territory, the Regional Development Ministry said, as reported by Pari daily on July 24. The project is financed under the Phare programme and by the state. About million euro will be provided for the first stage and 18 million for the second. The state co-financing will total 4.5 million euro. There is keen interest. Nearly all regions submitted documents by the July 18 deadline, the ministry said. The offers will be unsealed after a commission is appointed to assess them. The final results will be clear in late November. The long-term goal of the project is increasing foreign and local direct investment, while the short-term objective is improving infrastructure.

EASED ROAMING TARIFFS
Bulgaria’s mobile phone operators, GloBul, MobilTel (M-Tel) and Vivatel, have finally announced their roaming rates. The rates are in accordance with the new EU roaming regulations, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported. M-Tel and Vivatel customers will pay 1.15 leva for outgoing calls to EU member states. Incoming calls will cost 0.56 leva.Globul’s prices were 1.08 leva for outgoing calls and 0.52 leva for incoming calls, BNR said.The new roaming prices will come into force on September 1 2007.