Three of seven operative programmes have been finally approved and by the end of 2007 it was expected all seven would begin operation, New Europe weekly reported.

The European Commission (EC) has approved three of seven operative programs for Bulgaria starting with Human Recourses Development programme, Administrative Capacity and Competitiveness. Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev and European Commissioner of Regional Policy Danuta Hubner signed an agreement for the competitiveness programme at an official ceremony in Brussels, New Europe said.

This operative programma in particula was of great importance to businesses as in the next few years they would have the opportunity to absord together with the natioanl co-funding institutions over one billion euro, Stanishev said. Hubner said she was satisfied that Bulgaria was among the first countries with an approved referential framework.

The EU needed competitive and innovative partners to contribute to the well-being of the union and was optimistic Bulgaria would manage to appropriately absorb the EU funds, New Europe said.