The Project “Bulgarian Municipalities Working Together to Improve Air Quality“ (LIFE-IP Clean Air) is an integrated project according to the REGULATION (EU) No 1293/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 December 2013 on the establishment of a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 614/2007.

The integrated projects implement on a large territorial scale (regional, multi-regional, national or trans-national) environmental or climate plans or strategies required by specific Union environmental or climate legislation, developed pursuant to other Union acts or developed by Member States' authorities, while ensuring involvement of stakeholders and promoting the coordination with and mobilisation of at least one other relevant Union, national or private funding source.


LIFE-IP Clean Air supports the implementation of the Air Quality Programs of the Sofia Municipality, Burgas Municipality, Ruse Municipality, Stara Zagora Municipality, Veliko Tarnovo Municipality and Montana Municipality.

The main objective of the Integrated project is improvement of air quality in the municipalities of Sofia, Burgas, Ruse, Stara Zagora, Veliko Tarnovo and Montana. The core instrument to achieve the objective is design and implementation of a scheme for transition to alternative forms of the household heating in the six municipalities. The scheme envisages transition from heating with wood and coal to heating with pellets, gas or use of the central heating network.

The duration of the integrated project is 6 years; from October 2018 to October 2024.

The project budget is EUR 16.7 million, and the financial contribution of the European Commission is 60%.


Project information is avalable at the website of the European Commission - LIFE Programme