The EIAH should in particular build upon good practices in existing programmes, such as ELENA (European Local ENergy Assistance), EEEF (European Energy Efficiency Fund), JEREMIE (Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises), JASPERS (Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions), JESSICA (Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas) and JASMINE (Joint Action to Support Micro-finance Institutions in Europe).

180. Appreciates the complexity of promoting more synergy between FP7 and the Structural Funds (SF); believes that the Commission could intensify its communication with the Member States by presenting certain good practices in order to ensure that the SF are efficiently used to facilitate both the up-stream (project preparation, capacity building) and the down-stream (full-scale demonstration, market realization) synergy approach; believes, thus, that the regional dimension of RI could be enhanced by encouraging the innovation-resea ...[+++]rch-education (the so called ‘triangle of knowledge’) and the creation of pockets of excellence and regional clusters, thereby expanding the FP 7 geographic scope with a view to the efficient and effective distribution of projects among all Member States; recognises the need for more coordination of SF allocations for development of research infrastructure and the subsequent financing of research activities under the framework programmes;

180. Appreciates the complexity of promoting more synergy between FP7 and the Structural Funds (SF); believes that the Commission could intensify its communication with the Member States by presenting certain good practices in order to ensure that the SF are efficiently used to facilitate both the up-stream (project preparation, capacity building) and the down-stream (full-scale demonstration, market realization) synergy approach; believes, thus, that the regional dimension of R could be enhanced by encouraging the innovation-resear ...[+++]ch-education (the so called “triangle of knowledge") and the creation of pockets of excellence and regional clusters, thereby expanding the FP 7 geographic scope with a view to the efficient and effective distribution of projects among all Member States; recognises the need for more coordination of SF allocations for development of research infrastructure and the subsequent financing of research activities under the framework programmes;

(5) ‘programme support actions’ means all accompanying measures necessary for the implementation of the Connecting Europe Facility and individual sector-specific guidelines, such as services (notably technical and financial engineering assistance), as well as preparatory, feasibility, coordination, monitoring, consultation of interested parties, control, audit and evaluation activities, which are required in order to facilitate the preparation of projects of common interest notably in Cohesion countries with a view to obtaining financing under this Regulation or on the financial market, or directly for the ...[+++]management of the facility hereby established and the achievement of its objectives.

155. Notes that Bulgaria is rated as the third largest recipient of EU pre-accession funds; notes with concern, however, that available funding remains unspent and that bureaucratic hurdles in the preparation of projects, whether on the part of the Commission or of the Bulgarian authorities, must be overcome; in addition, asks for a strengthening of the administrative resources within Bulgaria to handle these funds; recommends that the focus of assistance should be on infrastructure projects ...[+++] of lasting value to Bulgaria; requests a further detailed breakdown from the Commission of EU funding of projects and programmes in response to these points;

146. Notes that Bulgaria is rated as the third largest recipient of EU pre-accession funds; notes with concern, however, that available funding remains unspent and that bureaucratic hurdles in the preparation of projects, whether on the part of the Commission or of the Bulgarian authorities, must be overcome; in addition, asks for a strengthening of the administrative resources within Bulgaria to handle these funds; recommends that the focus of assistance should be on infrastructure projects ...[+++] of lasting value to Bulgaria; requests a further detailed breakdown from the Commission of EU funding of projects and programmes in response to these points;