Brussel zeer tevreden over Sloweens cohesiebeleid (en)

Regional policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner and Employment and social affairs Commissioner Vladimír Spidla congratulated the Slovenian authorities for reaching agreement with the European Commission on the national plan and priorities for Cohesion policy 2007-2013. In their National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) the Slovenian authorities describe how they are going to invest EU funding of € 4 101 million that they will receive over seven years to deliver growth and jobs to their regions. The adoption procedure has now been completed as the European Commission issued its decision on elements of the Slovenian NSRF, including priorities, indicative annual allocations, and list of operational programmes.

Commissioners Hübner i and Spidla i expressed their satisfaction at the Member State's efficiency in the timely submission of this key document and having all its elements adopted, urging other countries to follow their example.

" I am very happy that the Slovenian NSRF includes a significant commitment to the Lisbon strategy for jobs and growth. At least 65% of the investments for the "Convergence" objective have been "earmarked" for Lisbon related expenditure. This is the proof of Slovenia's commitment to the Lisbon Strategy. I am confident that we can make an important contribution to improving the competitiveness of the Slovenian regions through this new generation of cohesion programmes", said Danuta Hübner.

Commissioner Spidla added: "The Slovenian strategy contains a strong commitment to promoting the quality and intensity of investments in human resources. This shows once again that more and better jobs lie at the heart of the European reform agenda. With the priorities chosen by Slovenia, workers will be able to better adapt to changing circumstances. The strategy will also boost employment and promote social inclusion."

All Member States have already sent their national strategic reference frameworks (NSRFs) to the Commission, Malta, Greece and Austria being the first countries to have the plan approved by the Commission in December 2006, March and April 2007 respectively.

The Slovenian NSRF, negotiated over the past few months, sets out in broad terms how Slovenia will use € 4 101 million EU resources in the next seven years to deliver growth and jobs, strengthen human capital, and ensure a balanced and harmonious development including the reduction of regional disparities

( http://www.ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/atlas2007/fiche/sl_en.pdf ).

Slovenia's strategic thematic and territorial priorities for 2007-2013, as set out in the NSRF, are to: promote entrepreneurship, innovation and technological development; improve the quality of the educational system, training and research and development activities; improve labour market flexibility along with guaranteeing employment security in particular through job creation and the promotion of social inclusion; ensure conditions for growth by providing sustainable mobility improving the quality of the environment and by providing the appropriate infrastructure; promote a balanced regional development. Emphasis will also be given to the improvement of institutional and administrative capacity, in particular of the public sector, as this is a necessary condition in order to accelerate economic growth in Slovenia.

Slovenia intends to translate the broad priorities contained in the NSRF into three operational programmes. The operational programme for Strengthening Regional Development Potentials will receive funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The operational programme for Human Resources Development, will be funded by European Social Fund (ESF). Finally the operational programme for Environmental and Transport Infrastructure Development will be funded both by the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund (CF).

Slovenia sent electronically its National Strategic Reference Framework to the European Commission in February 2007. Now that negotiations have been successfully concluded on the wider framework document, the list of programmes and the indicative annual allocation from each fund will soon be adopted by the Commission. Approval of the NSRF is a legal prerequisite for adoption of the operational programmes, negotiations on which are at present in the final stage.

In drawing up their NSRFs, all Member States must take account of the Community guidelines for 2007-2013 which place particular emphasis on innovation, research and technological development, the information society, environmental protection, renewable energy sources and creating more and better jobs. The NSRF must also tie in closely with Member States' national reform programmes which set out the measures they will implement to deliver the Lisbon jobs' and growth strategy.

Further information about European Regional Policy available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm