Black Sea Unites Against Natural Disasters

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B NEXT Black Sea Basin

Date of latest update: 2026-09-07

Description

Description (EN):

Disaster is defined by the United Nations as "all kinds of natural, technological or human-induced events that cause physical, economic and social losses for people, affect societies by stopping or interrupting normal life, and cannot be coped with by local means." Disasters cause loss of life, injuries, diseases and property losses, and their negative effects on social and economic life can continue for many years. The effects of disasters can be very large-scale and devastating. At the same time, the process requires preparation for different periods, including before, during and after the disaster. For this reason, it is not always possible for countries to act alone in the field of disaster management, and it also creates various difficulties. Nowadays, international aid calls are made by countries in major disasters. This situation creates the need to approach the issue from an international perspective in the field of disaster management. For this reason, it has been concluded that approaching the issue by centering international cooperation in the field of disaster management will be an effective solution. The general aim of our project is to ensure permanent and sustainable collaborations through national and international activities to be carried out in Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece, to develop the capacities of public-academic and non-governmental organizations in the field of disaster management, to make mutual knowledge and good practice transfers and to support the disaster-related civil initiative in the Black Sea region to contribute to the strengthening of the region. One of the most effective methods to reduce the negative effects of disasters is pre-disaster preparation. In addition to having the necessary technological equipment, having sufficient awareness and awareness of human resources capacity also plays a critical role in reducing the negative effects of disasters. In this context, our project will approach the issue with a multidisciplinary approach and aims to both improve the service capacity of relevant institutions and increase the level of consciousness and awareness of citizens living in the relevant regions against natural disasters. The project includes directly relevant institutions from countries that are included in the Black Sea Basin Cross-Border Cooperation Program and are vulnerable to disaster risk. The institutions include a development agency, a municipality, a non-governmental organization and a university, and it is aimed to develop common solutions in combating disasters by trying to bring together different perspectives of different institutions. The lead partner of the project, Trakya Development Agency, operates in the provinces of Tekirdağ, Edirne and Kırklareli as one of Turkey's 26 Development Agencies. In Turkey's National Earthquake Strategy and Action Plan, Development Agencies are given the responsibility to take into account earthquake hazards and risks within their areas of responsibility and to carry out activities that will not increase or will decrease the risks. Due to this responsibility, Trakya Development Agency, operating in Tekirdağ, which is located in the first degree earthquake zone, felt the need to lead a project of this nature in the field of disaster management. Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipality, which is among our project partners, is the only metropolitan municipality of the Thrace region. The Municipality's Earthquake Risk Management and Urban Improvement Department has active work in the field of disasters, especially earthquakes, and the institution has an accredited search and rescue team consisting of 135 people. Varna Free University is located in the Bulgarian leg of our project. The security and safety department of this university carries out both academic and project-based studies on disasters. Hellenic Rescue Team, the representative of our project in Greece, is a non-governmental organization that specializes in search and rescue activities and is very experienced in international disaster response practices. Contribution to the goal of the disaster-resistant Black Sea Region will be made by carrying out and developing studies together with the synergy to be created between these institutions for disaster management. In order to increase the resilience of the Black Sea to disasters, disaster awareness trainings, visits to an exemplary disaster training center, increasing the equipment and hardware quality of search and rescue teams, disaster awareness activities for students in schools and citizens in public areas, international experience sharing meetings for both professional and volunteer disaster management workers, the creation of suggestions for policy makers regarding the problems they experience for the effectiveness of non-governmental organizations operating in the field of disasters are among the activities of the project.

Actual Achievements (EN):

During the reporting period, the composition of the Project Steering Committee was defined and partner institutions nominated their representatives. The first Steering Committee meeting is planned to be organised in the beginning of the following reporting period in order to review the progress of the initial activities and provide strategic guidance for the upcoming implementation phase. During the initial phase of the project, coordination mainly focused on establishing communication channels and clarifying implementation procedures among partners. Partners remained in regular contact through coordination meetings and exchanges of information. More structured internal monitoring and reporting mechanisms will be further strengthened during the next reporting period. The first reporting period mainly focused on starting the project, setting up coordination between partners and preparing the ground for the implementation phase. The project officially started with the Kick-off Meeting held in Tekirdağ on 19 November 2025, where partners from Türkiye, Bulgaria and Greece came together. During the meeting, partners introduced their institutions, briefly presented their experience in disaster related activities and discussed the main provisions of the Grant Contract and the general implementation approach. Besides the kick-off meeting, two online coordination meetings were organised during the reporting period. These meetings helped partners to stay in contact, discuss upcoming activities and clarify some practical issues related to the implementation process. Another important activity was the study visit to the Bursa Disaster Education Center, where partners had the chance to see the training facilities and simulation areas used for disaster awareness. The visit gave useful ideas about how awareness and training activities can be organised in the partner regions. Preparatory work for the awareness-raising activities also started during this period. Varna Free University identified several schools, contacted school directors and started preparing draft training programmes and educational materials. At the same time, some preparatory work related to equipment and the use of the earthquake simulation truck was carried out. In Greece, the Hellenic Rescue Team contacted schools and designed emergency number stickers that will be used on plastic bottles during school activities to help students remember important emergency contacts. In Türkiye, Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipality coordinated with the local education authorities regarding the organisation of school activities and continued discussions with partners about the planning of the earthquake simulation truck.

Project outputs: Number of people participating in multinational organizations(EN)
Number of organizations collaborating internationally(EN)
Jointly Developed Solutions(EN)

Thematic information

Managing natural and man-made threats, risk management Cooperation between emergency services Knowledge and technology transfer

Priority: (VI-B_BSB_P3) Competent and Resilient Region

Priority specific objective: ISO6.3. Build up mutual trust, in particular by encouraging people-to-people actions (strands A, D and, where appropriate, strand B)

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO6 (ISO1) A better cooperation governance

Type of intervention: 173 Enhancing institutional capacity of public authorities and stakeholders to implement territorial cooperation projects and initiatives in a cross-border, transnational, maritime and inter-regional context

Partners (4)

Lead Partner: Trakya Kalkınma Ajansı

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 897652842

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 8590541589 | N/A | N/A (EN)

Address: Cumhuriyet Mahallesi Elif Hanım Sokak No:9, 59020 Tekirdag, Turkey

Department address: Cumhuriyet Mahallesi Elif Hanım Sokak No:9, 59020 Tekirdag, Turkey

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.trakyaka.org.tr

Total budget: EUR 79 875.50

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 71 887.95

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 7 987.55

Contractors:

Name: Ruhan Yalçın
VAT registration or tax identification number: 52132122648
Name: Aslı Arslan
VAT registration or tax identification number: 22903298544
Name: Rumeli Sey. Hiz. Org. Ltd. Şti
VAT registration or tax identification number: 7352203790

Tekirdağ Büyükşehir Belediyesi

Name: Tekirdağ Büyükşehir Belediyesi

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 907123146

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 8360015014 | N/A | N/A (EN)

Address: Atatürk Mahallesi 57.Alay Caddesi No:6, 59000 Tekirdag, Turkey

Department address: Atatürk Mahallesi 57.Alay Caddesi No:6, 59000 Tekirdag, Turkey

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website (not verified): http://www.tekirdag.bel.tr

Total budget: EUR 169 969.50

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 152 972.55

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 16 996.95

Contractors:

Name: Tur. Eearthquake Fnd. Com. Ent
VAT registration or tax identification number: 8360015014

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΟΜΑΔΑ ΔΙΑΣΩΣΗΣ ΣΩΜΑΤΕΙΟ

Name: ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΟΜΑΔΑ ΔΙΑΣΩΣΗΣ ΣΩΜΑΤΕΙΟ

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 971652202

Partner’s ID if not PIC: EL090197790 | N/A | N/A (EN)

Address: Kifisias 13, Thessaloniki 54248, 54248 Thessaloniki, Greece

Department address: Kifisias 13, Thessaloniki 54248, 54248 Thessaloniki, Greece

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.hrt.org.gr

Total budget: EUR 107 425.86

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 96 683.27

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 10 742.59

Contractors:

Name: ΜΕΤΑΞΟΡΑΜΑ ΕΕ
VAT registration or tax identification number: 802703919

Варненски свободен университет "Черноризец Храбър"

Name: Варненски свободен университет "Черноризец Храбър"

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 998213227

Partner’s ID if not PIC: BG103010965 | N/A | N/A (EN)

Address: Yanko Slavchev N84 str., Chayka resort, 9007 Varna, 9007 Varna, Bulgaria

Department address: Yanko Slavchev N84 str., Chayka resort, 9007 Varna, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.vfu.bg/en/

Total budget: EUR 140 448.20

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 126 403.38

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 14 044.82

Contractors:

Name: SPEED COMPUTERS
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG148096673
Name: TEMPEX EOOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG115628318
Name: BIOEVIBUL EOOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG130862417
Name: DREGER BULGARIA EOOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG040463419
Name: SUNNYSOFT S.R,O,
VAT registration or tax identification number: CZ25753215
Name: TEHNO MIR BG EOOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG206123193
Name: RU ANGEL KANCHEV
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG000522685
Name: KAUFLAND BULGARIA EOOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG131129282
Name: BIO FRESH RETAIL OOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG206029943
Name: TECHNOPOLIS BULGARIA EAD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG130858590
Name: MORE 2020 OOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: bg202616509
Name: FOOD KEY OOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG207407698
Name: YULINEL OOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG103617851
Name: TIRIZIS CLUB OOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG103846841
Name: CHERNO MORE HOTEL MANAGEMENT
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG103167660
Name: ROMIT EOOD
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG124604184
Name: SPEED COMPUTERS
VAT registration or tax identification number: BG148096673

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Tekirdag Metropolitan Municipality

Black Sea Unites Against Natural Disasters

Partners and Projects info

HELLENIC RESCUE TEAM

Black Sea Unites Against Natural Disasters

Partners and Projects info

Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar"

Black Sea Unites Against Natural Disasters

Partners and Projects info

Trakya Development Agency

Black Sea Unites Against Natural Disasters

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Black Sea Unites Against Natural Disasters

Project acronym: BSB-BSUAND

Project ID: BSB01014

Project start date: 2025-09-02

Project end date: 2027-03-01

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey Strategic Plan 2024-2028 (Türkiye Afet ve Acil Durum Yönetimi Başkanlığı Stratejik Planı 2024-2028) (EN) | This action plan aims to increase social awareness and preparedness for disasters and emergencies, improve the volunteering system and its quality, and increase international cooperation. Our project directly contributes to these goals. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 497 719.06

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 447 947.15

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 90.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

SeaBasinStrategyBlackSea "The Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea (CMA) is a sea basin initiative that aims at supporting regional cooperation for a more sustainable Blue Economy in the Black Sea. One of the 3 goals of the agenda is "Goal II: A competitive, innovative and sustainable blue economy for the Black Sea". By increasing resilience against disasters in the region, our project will contribute to ensuring the sustainability of blue economy investments in the region and reducing economic losses in disasters as emphasized by this agenda. Our project will increase the disaster preparedness of institutions in the countries of the region. It will strengthen the regional disaster management by increasing the information sharing and cooperation of institutions working on disasters in Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria.
EUStrategyDanubeRegion EU Strategy for Danube Region has 4 pillars and 12 priorities. The pillars are named as strengthening the region, connecting the region, building prosperity, protecting the environment. Priority Area 5 includes disaster management and enhance continuous support to the implementation of Danube Flood Risk Management Plan. It is reported in the strategy that this priority also supports the assessment of disaster risks, encouraging actions to promote disaaster resilience, preparedness and response activities. Our project proposal is directly aligned with this priority of the strategy as it directly includes activities to promote disaster resilience and pre and post-disaster preparedness and response activities.
EUStrategyAdriaticIonianRegion The strategy involves ten countries: four EU Member States (Greece, Croatia, parts of Italy, Slovenia), five candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and North Macedonia), and a third country, San Marino. The aim of the strategy is building bridges between people, cultures, and economies to foster stability, peace and unity in Europe. Our Project includes activities to build up mutual trust and people-to-people actions which serves also the aim of the EUSAIR. Our project contributes to the EUSAIR strategy's goal of preserving and restoring ecosystems and fostering inclusive and sustainable development through trainings and activities to increase resilience in the region.
Other Our project on increasing disaster resilience is closely linked to the European Green Deal strategy. Our project contributes to the European Green Deal's climate change adaptation and resilience goals by increasing the resilience of communities against climate change-induced disasters. It also supports the European Green Deal's goals of sustainable development and raising environmental awareness by educating the public on disaster awareness and preparedness.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:
RCO 081 - Participations in joint actions across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSAIR

EUSAIR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSAIR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B NEXT Black Sea Basin

Latest month of project-partner-call data publication

2026-09

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

83 / 83 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

373 / 374 (99.73%)

Notes on the data

There are discrepancies in this programme's financial data in keep.eu. Namely, in one or more cases, the sum of the project partners' budgets exceeds the total budget of the respective project. Interact is working with the Programme to correct those figures.

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Black Sea Unites Against Natural Disasters

Description

Thematic information

Partners (4)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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