The article discusses the challenges faced by Bulgaria in defining new regions to qualify for EU funding. The goal is to adjust boundaries to better match population requirements. The focus is on supporting underdeveloped areas while not funding already highly developed regions. To bridge the gap between regions, a flexible regional development policy is needed. Integration of national and EU policies is crucial for successful implementation. The NUTS 2 regionalization process is essential for Bulgaria's statistical and Cohesion Policy development within the EU.