Enterprise Europe Network
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Stara Zagora is part of the largest European business support network Enterprise Europe Network involving 13 Bulgarian organizations. Started in 2008, the six year project is the main instrument of the European Commission to help SMEs to increase their competitiveness. The project is co-financed by the EC DG Enterprise and Industry and provides integrated business and innovation services to small and medium-sized enterprises. (For more information)

CHANGE
In September 2008, the project CHANGE was started with the financial support of the Intelligent Energy for Europe Program. As part of this project, the Chamber is partnering with the Eurochambers and the National Chambers of 12 EU member states in establishing a network of Chambers providing consulting services in the field of energy efficiency. The target is to advise 800 companies from all over the country in effective use of the conventional energy sources and for utilisation of renewables by the end of 2010.

European partnership for European Prosperity
Starting from April 2009, on going to August 2010, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Stara Zagora implements the project European partnership for European Prosperity (www.chambersz.com/res) in partnership with the administrations of the Italian Province of Terni and the district of Stara Zagora and financed by the Structural Funds Operational Program Regional Development. The project deals in the field of the renewable energy and aims to support the local authorities to realize their energy strategies. The project activities cover experience exchange with the Italian partners, developing RES energy potential assessment tool (REScan), establishing databases providing information and analyses of the RES energy potential in the municipalities in the Stara Zagora district, developing programs to support the use of RES for the period 2010 – 2015 in the 11 municipalities and a pilot project - feasibility study and a RES project in one of the municipalities. The analyzed results on the RES energy potential in Stara Zagora district would be of great interest for the private investors planning to implement RES projects on the territory of the region.

ECREIN+
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Stara Zagora is partner in a consortium of 13 EU Regions in the ECREIN+ project, started in January 2010 and to be finished in December 2012. The project is in the field of innovations, research and technology development and is co-financed by the EU INTERREG IVC program. The project objectives are a survey on “state-of-the-art” of the eco-industry framework on EU level, surveys and experience exchange in the field of policies and instruments supporting eco-innovation and eco-businesses and assessment of their impact and efficiency from the point of view of the SMEs. The project shall result in manuals and databases related to eco-innovation topics. The project team shall generate recommendations to be submitted to the EU Regions on adaptive policies and instruments supporting SMEs’ “green initiatives”.

EU policies for SMEs
In 2010 and 2011 the Enterprise Europe Network contact point at the Chamber of Stara Zagora together with partners from the Bulgarian Network will participate in the project EU policies for SMEs. The project is co-financed by EC DG Enterprise and Industry and aims to survey the SMEs’ opinions and recommendations on the impact of up-coming amendments in concrete EU horizontal and specific policies affecting their economic activities.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Stara Zagora is an associated partner in the project of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Increasing public intolerance of the informal economy in employment and insurance relations and preventive actions to limit these. The project is financed by the Structural Funds Operational program Human Resources Development via the European Social Fund. In 2009 the Chamber started a survey among 120 companies from the region with the aim of establishing the employers’ and employees’ awareness on the legislative regulations in force in the field of in employment and insurance relations.

Promotion of the joint tourist potential of Stara Zagora Region
In 2009 the Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Stara Zagora succeeded in joining the efforts of local and regional authorities, the Regional Economic Development Agency, the Rotary Club, and a range of organizations and institutions dealing in the tourism sector around the idea of promoting the Stara Zagora Region as a sustainable and preferred tourist destination. The idea was formed into a local project implemented by the above organizations with the active support of the World Association of Travel Agencies WATA and the Travel Agency MIEL - member and Bulgaria’s representative in WATA. In October 2009, several forums have been organized in Stara Zagora and Kazanlak with the participation of the Executive Director of WATA Mrs. Christine Fournier, where the potential for non-traditional tourism provided in the region has been presented. Existing problems in the tourist sector and opportunities to solve them have been discussed during the events. The Chamber developed and launched a specialized web site www.stara-zagora.travel presenting the tourist opportunities of Stara Zagora.  
Partnering in companies’ projects within the PHARE Program Human Resources development and promotion of employment.
In 2008 and 2009, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Stara Zagora and the Branch of the National Centre for Vocational Training at the Chamber were partners in the implementation of several company projects - Dinel OOD, Adax OOD, Alteya Trading OOD, SD Qualitet 21 - Genov, Genova & sie, and Rikoshet OOD realized with the financial support of the PHARE Program Human Resources development and promotion of employment. Within the project period 19 unemployed and employed people have been trained in the subjects Economy and Management, Office Manager, Cashier, and Computer Operator. Human resources development strategies have been developed for three of the above companies. The Chamber participated in the project information campaigns and the visualization of the activities of some of the companies, and developed web sites for two of them.

Social CCI’s projects
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Stara Zagora was a partner of The Samaritans Association in the implementation of the project Establishing a Center for social, health, and educational support for children at risk by developing a Social portal of the Stara Zagora region and by producing of a movie broadcast on the regional TV.