PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL CONSIDERATIONS ON BIOECONOMY AND TRANSFER OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES IN THE BULGARIAN COSMETICS AND PERFUMERY INDUSTRY /THE CASE OF THE BULGARIAN UNIVERSITY PROJECT “VITA PLUS”/

Abstract

This paper is focused on presenting possible modes of introduction and implementation of bioeconomy and biotechnologies in the cosmetics and perfumery industry of Bulgaria. Financing of this paper is provided by the project “Vita Plus” (2021-2022) – a transdisciplinary project at University level in Bulgaria. The object of the paper is to investigate by the “Vita Plus” project and demonstrate a mode of transferring sustainable biotechnological into Bulgarian industrial reality of cosmetics and perfumery businesses in the country. The focus of this paper, thus, is upon one of the long-standing and successful industries of the country, which is 100% private – production of cosmetics and perfumery in Bulgaria. The aim is to research this sector and propose successful adoption of biotech models for producing high-end cosmetics and perfumery products, based on Public-Private Partnership models. We aim to suggest how a classical PPP Model may be adjusted to the Bulgarian cosmetics and perfumery industry, as essential part of the new generation of biotech equipment is located at publicly funded Bulgarian scientific environment – Institutes and Universities, while cosmetics and perfumery enterprises are private stakeholders, as a matter of fact, and pertain to the EU business environment. Hence, it is a must to consider the EU Green Deal, which is to be envisioned for the programming period 2021-2027, as both Bulgarian scientific and business environment shall be aligned to greater EU policies of knowledge transfer among public and private stakeholders within EU.