Information package

COFACE expert meeting on Digitalisation

1st-2nd February 2018, ,

Venue: Sofia City Hotel, 6 Stara planina Str., Sofia 1000, Bulgaria

1. Agenda

Thursday 1st February 9.00-12.30 Session 1: Training seminar “Analog families in a digital world” (open meeting with BG stakeholders) 14.00-17.30 Session 2: Policy/advocacy (closed for COFACE members only)

Friday 2nd February 9.00-12.30 Session 3: Communicating the impacts of digitalisation through a COFACE video series (closed for COFACE members only)

2. Hotel delegation

COFACE has already booked and paid the rooms for its entire delegation (as agreed by e-mail with each participant), at the following hotel: Sofia City Hotel, 6 Stara planina Str., Sofia 1000,

Bulgaria. The different sessions of the 1.5 day meeting will also take place at the hotel.

The contact at the hotel for the COFACE delegation is:

Stanislav Avramov / General Manager Mobile: +359 888 111124 6 Stara planina Str., Sofia 1000, BG Web Page: www.sofiacityhotel.com

Map here.

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3. Local transportation

Sofia Airport – Sofia City Hotel (10 kilometers)

1. By (https://www.sofia-airport.bg/en/passengers/and-airport/public-transport)

The metro station at is located in the eastern part of Terminal 2. You can reach it by following the floor markings in blue at the public area of Terminal 2. Sofia Airport provides free-of- charge transportation between the two terminal buildings. The metro trains on the route to the airport operate from 5:30 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and weekends/holidays. Line 2 (blue one) connects Sofia Airport to the city center.

The closest metro station to the hotel Sofia City is Serdika (12 stations from the airport, around 30 minutes from the airport), then you will have to walk for 12 minutes. Metro website with maps and schedules here, the way to go from Serdika to the hotel here.

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2. By Bus

BUS ROUTES NO 84 AND NO 184 84 bus route connects city centre (Gen. Gurko Str.) with Sofia Airport Terminal 2 and Temrinal 1. Then it goes back along Christopher Columbus Blvd. – Blvd. to Gen. Gurko Str. 184 bus route connects city centre (Gen. Gurko Str.) with Sofia Airport Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Then it goes back along Christopher Columbus Blvd. – Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd. – Gen. Gurko Str. Both bus routes operate under an all-day timetable. The exact times, including the first and last buses, are published at the Urban Mobility Center.

TICKETS AND BAGGAGE At Sofia Airport you can buy tickets for the public transport at the kiosks of Urban Mobility Center or at Razprostranenie na Pechata (RP) in the public areas of Terminal 2, as well as from a ticket vending machine, installed at Terminal 1 Arrivals public area. The machine works with Bulgarian levs and coins and the issued tickets are valid for bus lines 84,184 and 384. Ticket machines for metro tickets are located at Sofia Airport Metro Station. The ticket machines accept Bulgarian banknotes and coins, and one of them accepts credit cards as well. Important: Passengers with regular transport documents can carry up to 2 pieces of hand luggage, with a sum of length, height and width for each one not exceeding 140 cm. Luggage with dimensions exceeding the specified ones must be charged with a separate single trip travel card or a card with vouchers for 10 single trips. For further details on the routes, timetables, and tariffs of the public transport, please refer to Sofia Urban Mobility Centre or Metropolitan Sofia .

3. By Taxi (https://www.sofia-airport.bg/en/passengers/and-airport/private-transport) - Fare: around 10 (10 km). COFACE has a strong preference for the use of public transport, when available. The European Commission under general circumstances does not reimburse taxis. COFACE however does reimburse taxi transport under the following conditions: - travel to and from the airport to the meeting venue or hotel between 22.00 and 6.00. - if there is no public transport available (e.g. strike, remote location) - if the traveller can justify the use of taxi for other reasons (illness, reduced mobility…etc.) COFACE reimburses taxi travel under the above guidelines with a ceiling of 100 EUR per claim.

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4. Dinner A dinner will be organised on Thursday 1st February, details will be given to participants later.

5. Refund for members Please send us by regular postal service the expenses form you will find on the webpage of the event dated and signed, as well as the original documentary proofs (boarding cards of your flight, transport tickets) within 30 days after the meeting. Unjustified amounts will not be refunded (minibar, telephone expenses). Thank you for your understanding. Please send your expenses form and original proofs to Florian Charron, Project and Finance Manager: COFACE Families Europe, Rue de Londres 17, 1050 Brussels, , [email protected], Tel +32 2 511 41 79.

6. Contact details For all practical questions in Sofia please do not hesitate to get in contact with: Liz Gosme [email protected] Tel : +32 4 85 32 33 54

COFACE Families Europe • Tel +322 5114179 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.coface-eu.org

COFACE Families Europe is supported by the Programme for Employment and Social Innovation "EaSI" (2014-2020).

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