Programming documents of the Republic of Slovenia – 2007-2013 programming period
Document Actions
For the implementation of Cohesion Policy in accordance with normative bases the Member State prepares programming documents at two hierarchical levels:
- At the first level the Member State prepares the National Strategic Reference Framework which defines the general strategy of the Member State for reaching a faster convergence
- At the second level, on the basis of the National Strategic Reference Framework, the operational programmes are prepared
The National Strategic Reference Framework analyses the current state, defines the strategy and the basic mechanisms for attaining the set objectives including defining the number of operational programmes and the basic financial distributions. In doing so it is of key importance that the Member State shows coordination with the Community Strategic guidelines for Cohesion Policy and the National reform programme (Lisbon Strategy) and the Join report on social inclusion.
National Strategic Reference Framework
At the European Council in Lisbon in March 2000 the EU Member States adopted a long-term policy according to which the EU will become the most dynamic and competitive economic area in the world by 2010. The analysis of the implementation of the adopted decision, performed after a few years, has shown that the results are far below the expectations. It was established that it is necessary to respond to bad economic results in the EU with decisive measures aimed at increasing economic growth and employment. If the EU wants to increase its competitiveness, boost economic growth and productivity and strengthen social cohesion, a significantly bigger stress will have to be put on knowledge, innovation and optimal use of human capital than it used to.
In February 2005, the Commission presented a strategic document titled Partnership for growth and new jobs, which was approved by the EU Council at its meeting in March. One of the key conclusions of this Council was that for a new push of the Lisbon Strategy the EU has to “mobilise all the necessary funds on the national and the level of Community - including the Cohesion Policy”1. As clearly indicated in the Third Cohesion Report in February 2004 20042, the EU Cohesion Policy has already contributed to the increase in economic growth and employment in those Community regions which are eligible for these funds. With the enlargement of the EU to 25 member states and dramatic increase in the development disparity between individual members, the interdependence of achieving both objectives, i.e. economic growth and cohesion on the EU level, has further increased.
The formal EU content framework that places the cohesion policy in the implementation of the new Lisbon Strategy is contained in the communication from the Commission titled Cohesion Policy in Support of Growth and Jobs - Community Strategic Guidelines, 2007- 2013. The main objective of these guidelines is to define the Community priorities that will receive support from the Cohesion Policy - the two Structural Funds, the European Regional Development Fund (hereinafter ERDF) and European Social Fund (hereinafter ESF), and the Cohesion Fund (hereinafter CF)- with a view to ensuring that Community priorities are better integrated into the national and regional development programmes, as defined in the Integrated Guidelines for Growth and New Jobs, and as assistance towards its realisation”.
The Community Strategic Guidelines are one of the strategic basis on which the Member States draw up their cohesion policy priorities, the programme basis for the utilisation of the cohesion policy resources.
The National Strategic Reference Framework includes the analysis of the situation and the strategy; the basic mechanisms for achieving the set objectives are specified including a list of the operational programmes and the basic financial allocation. In doing so, it is from the viewpoint of the European Commission essential that in this document the member state exhibits consistency with the Community Strategic Guidelines on Cohesion, National Programme of Reforms (Lisbon Strategy) and the Joint Report on Social Inclusion. The operational programmes for the 2007-2013 period have the same function as the Single Programming Document for 2004-2006 period and thus in the legal framework present the legal basis for drawing on the resources of the funds as the European Commission approves them by issuing a decision.
The operational programmes for the 2007-2013 period will have the same function as the Single Programming Document for the 2004-2006 period. From a legal point of view the operational programme represents the legal basis for drawing on the EU funds as the European Commission approves them with a decision.
| Operational programme | Fund | EU funds (in €, current prices) |
% | % | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OP for Strengthening Regional Development Potentials | ERDF | 1,709,749,422 | 40.7 | 41.7 | 63.6 |
| OP for Human Resources Development | ESF | 755,699,370 | 18 | 18.4 | 28.1 |
| OP of Environmental and Transport Infrastructure Development | CF ERDF Altogether |
1,411,569,858 224,029,886 1,635,599,744 |
33.6 5.3 38.9 |
34.4 5.5 |
8.3 |
| OP Cross-border and interregional operational programmes | ERDF | 96,941,042 | 2.3 | ||
| Transnational operational programmes | ERDF | 7.315.278 | 0.2 | ||
| Altogether: | 4,205,304,956 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
The operational programmes in the framework of the European Cohesion Policy:
The operational programmes in the framework of the European Territorial Cooperation and Pre-Accession Instrument:
- Cross-border cooperation operational programme Slovenia-Austria 2007-2013
- Cross-border cooperation operational programme Slovenia-Italy 2007-2013
- Cross-border cooperation operational programme Slovenia-Hungary 2007-2013
- Cross-border cooperation operational programme Slovenia-Croatia 2007-2013
- Adriatic IPA cross-border cooperation operational programme 2007-2013
- Promoting entrepreneurship, especially the development of small and medium-size enterprises, tourism, culture and trade
- Promotion and improvement of joint management of areas, preservation of natural and cultural heritage, joint preservation of the environment and joint measures against natural and technological risks
- Promoting the cooperation of cities and urban centres and the rural areas of the border regions
- Improving accessibility (transport, information-communication connections, cross-border waters, waste and energy systems)
- Promoting the cooperation in the legal matters and between the administrations
- Promoting cooperation in the field of human resources, health, culture, education
Transnational cooperation operational programmes:
- Transnational programme “the Alps area”
- Transnational programme “Central Europe”
- Transnational programme “South-Eastern Europe”
- Transnational programme “The Mediterranean”
- Innovations and the development of scientific and technological networks
- Environment (water and energy management, risk prevention and the protection of nature)
- Accessibility (activities which improve the access and quality of transport and telecommunication services)
- Sustainable development of cities and functional urban areas
- Establishing an information system as a support for the spatial development decisions and monitoring the current state
- Connecting urban areas for reaching greater competitiveness in the international space
Interregional cooperation operational programmes:
- Interregional programme INTERREG IVC
- Interregional programme INTERACT II
- Interregional programme ESPON
- Interregional programme URBACT
