First Phase (2007-2013): REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME

Taking firm steps towards accession to the European Union, Turkey endeavours to align with the EU legislation, to reach the fundamental standards of EU and to adopt its economic and social values. Achieving targets towards accession to the European Union also brings along significant economic, political and social reforms.

The instrument for pre-accession assistance (abbreviated as IPA) is the financial assistance agreement between Turkey and the European Union that supports this reform process. The first phase of this financial assistance, which is planned as seven-year periods, has ended in 2013.

The Competitive Sectors Programme under IPA, technically called "the Regional Competitiveness Operational Programme (RCOP)", has been implemented in the first period covering 2007 - 2013. In this period, 480 million Euro fund has been entrusted to the management of our Ministry and including the Turkish Government contribution a total of 565 million Euro budget has been transferred to the relatively less developed 43 provinces of our country, in the framework of the priorities set for the manufacturing and tourism sectors.   

Via Regional Competitiveness Operational Programme (RCOP), various types of support were provided to the provinces with less than 75% national income when compared to the average in Turkey and to the sectors that are important in regional economy. In this period, the aim was to enhance competitiveness of enterprises and decrease economic disparities among regions.

After the selection and development processes of these projects, which provides different types of support in different regions of the country, they were completed and the facilities started to operate.

Which areas have been supported?

In the first period of the Competitive Sectors Programme, projects were supported in 8 different activities under 3 key priority areas.

Priority: Improvement of Business Environment

Supported Activities:

1. Development of industrial infrastructure,

2. Creation and development of financing instruments,

3. Improvement of R&D, innovation, technology and ICT environment and infrastructure,

4. Improvement of tourism infrastructure, promotion and marketing activities in these areas.

Priority: Strengthening of Enterprise Capacity and Foster Entrepreneurship

Supported Activities:

5. Providing basic information and consultancy support for enterprises,

6. Strengthening cooperation amongst various sectors key to the industry.

Priority: Technical Assistance

Supported Activities:

7. Support to the preparation, management, implementation, monitoring, control and evaluation of the Operational Programme

8. Publicity, Information and Promotion of the Programme.

520 million Euro funding was provided to 46 projects that have been supported under the first phase of the Competitive Sectors Programme.

In the first period of the Programme, the projects were awarded to respond to the needs of the target regions and sectors. Projects investing in establishment of facilities for the common use of SMEs and Entrepreneurs, licensed warehouses, laboratories and R&D centres, as well as projects adding a higher value to tourism infrastructure and promotion activities, and projects generating financial instruments for the use of SMEs and entrepreneurs were financed. 

Main achievements of these projects can be summarized as follows:

•  3 Techno parks with 22,4 Million Euro budget

•  4 laboratories and research centres with 38 Million Euro budget

•  9 common use facilities with 78 Million Euro budget

•  10 Business Development Centres with 9 projects and 65 Million Euro budget

•  3 licensed warehouses with 28,8 Million Euro budget

•  Samsun Logistics Centre with 50 million Euro investment

•  3 Financial Instrument Project

–  Turkey's first regional venture capital fund with a 20 million Euro budget

–  Turkey's first regional credit guarantee mechanism with 60 million Euro investment and 1 billion Euro volume

–  Turkey's first two risk capital funds for R&D and commercialization activities with 50 million Euro budget

•  5 tourism projects with 36,5 million Euro budget

Furthermore,

•  3 clustering projects are implemented with 11 Million Euro budget.

•  4 Capacity Building Projects (including 2 project for the Ministry itself) with a budget of 36,5 million Euro are completed.

What was the Budget?

The Competitive Sectors Programme has provided 520 million Euro to 46 projects out of 565 million Euro total budget allocated for the programme in the first phase. 

Who were the Beneficiaries?

What are the outcomes of the Programme?

In the first period of our Programme;

• 10 business development centers to improve manufacturing infrastructure,
• 9 common use facilities for the common use of SMEs,
• 3 licensed warehouses and 1 logistics center were established. 1415 SMEs benefited from these facilities and 262 new businesses were established within this scope.
• 323 SMEs benefited from 8 centers related to R&D and innovation and 328 new R&D jobs were created within this scope.
• 7 tourism attraction centers have been created to improve tourism infrastructure and approximately 1.5 million tourists visited these centers.
• 128,446 jobs created/safeguarded in SMEs supported within the framework of the financial instruments.
• By creating a loan volume of EUR 1 billion for SMEs to access to finance, financial support to 15,771 SMEs were provided, EUR 51.7 million in venture capital support and loan guarantee of EUR 40 million.
• In addition, nearly 500 SMEs benefitted from the 16 new business clusters established, direct and free consultancy services were provided to at least 1,300 SMEs and business and investment plans were prepared for around 400 SMEs.
• 14.071 people were reached through information meetings held under the program.