Govt Adopts EU Fund Phasing Plan
The European Commission confirmed in October a partnership agreement with Slovenia, the first of two key documents for the phasing of EU funds in the new period.
In the agreement, Slovenia defined 11 goals as to where it will invest development funds, while the operational programme already contains certain priority investments, State Secretary Alenka Smerkolj said after the government session on Thursday.
Of the EUR 3.2bn available, EUR 1.26bn is earmarked for East Slovenia and EUR 845m for West Slovenia from the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund.
"Both regions will also be able to vie for EUR 1.05bn in the Cohesion Fund, which doesn't make a distinction between the two regions," the state secretary responsible for cohesion policy said.
Over EUR 1bn will be allocated for research and development, to boost competitive edge of SMEs, support transition to low carbon emission economy and for information and communication technology.
About half a billion euros would be invested in "soft content" such as knowledge, mobility and active ageing. "We'll still be investing in infrastructure and green," Smerkolj said.
The programme does not distribute funds in advance because the European Commission recognised this practice as problematic.
"The projects that are ready or will be prepared in first stages will have an absolute priority," the official said, but would not specify other than a Pragersko rail project.
However, other funds would have to be sought for major infrastructural projects such as the construction of a second track between the Divača junction and Koper port with Smerkolj suggesting private investment.
The document was endorsed by both Slovenian cohesion regions last week and will be submitted to Brussels on Friday for confirmation.
The government today also heard a report on the use of EU funds in 2007-2013. Smerkolj noted that progress had made in the past three months, assessing the goal to use all the money available was realistic.
By 30 September, Slovenia drew over 75% of the available funds with the proportion expected to increase to 80% with the remaining 20% probably left for 2015, when the funds would have to be used up.
"All activities designed to speed up fund-phasing are up and running," the official said, noting that the country stepped up the efforts to use up the available money in the past two years.