The strategic objective of the HRD OP is to improve the quality of life of people in Bulgaria through enhancement of the human capital, achievement of high employment levels, improvement of the productivity, access to high-quality education and lifelong learning and strengthening the social inclusion.

This means: to invest in people so that they acquire new knowledge and skills, strengthen the practice for lifelong learning aimed at professional realization during the whole active life; to guarantee to all adequate participation in the society and the right to decent work; to achieve higher quality of the labour force; to guarantee access to high-quality education and training for all; to make the social protection more sustainable and “active”; to ensure equal opportunities, to promote development of the social economy sector, and as a result of all purpose-oriented actions –to achieve economic and social cohesion.

In the course of implementation of the HRD OP will be pursued the following specific objectives:

• Increasing the labour supply and the quality of the labour force;
• More intensive investment in the human capital through better and more accessible education;
• More social capital, partnerships and networks and development of the social economy.

In order to attain the set up objectives it is envisaged that the Operational programme will focus on achievement of the following priority axes:

• Promotion of economic activity and development of inclusive labour market;
• Raising the productivity and adaptability of the employed persons;
• Improving the quality of education and training in correspondence with the labour market needs for building a knowledge-based economy;
• Improving the access to education and training;
• Social inclusion and promotion of social economy;
• Improving the effectiveness of labour market institutions and of social and healthcare services;
• Transnational and interregional cooperation.