Structural funds in Slovenia for 2014-2020

On 30 October 2014 the European Commission signed a “partnership agreement” with Slovenia on the mobilization of Structural Funds and EU investment in favor of growth and employment for the period 2014-2020.

The partnership agreement defines the strategy to be implemented for the use of European Structural and Investment Funds. In the context of this document, the Member State establishes priorities and investment objectives for the next seven years to contribute to the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy, namely sustainable growth, inclusive and intelligent.

The European Structural and Investment Funds consist of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the Cohesion Fund, the European Fund for Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and the European Fund agricultural Fund for Rural development (EAFRD).

This agreement will provide the country of 3.25 billion euros in total under the cohesion policy (including the first three funds) for the period 2014-2020. Slovenia also receive an allocation of EUR 837.8 million for rural development and a budget of 24.8 million euros for the shipping industry and fishing.

Funds for cohesion policy will be distributed as follows:

– 1.26 billion for the least developed regions (eastern Slovenia)

– 847 million for the more developed regions (Western Slovenia)

– 895.3 million under the Cohesion Fund

– 64 million under the European Territorial Cooperation (Interreg)

– 9.2 million under the Youth Employment Initiative

Under the ESF, Slovenia benefits from € 716.9 million, in particular for social inclusion.

The European cohesion policy in Slovenia accounts for its priorities:

– Promoting investment in research and development to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs and improve the innovation capacity of Slovenia

– Promoting incentives to increase employment and employability by encouraging the development of quality jobs and improving education and training system while taking into account the current social challenges

– Encourage the transition to a low carbon through sustainable and efficient

– Use of energy and renewable energy sources, as well as sustainable mobility

– Improve the quality of transport infrastructure and develop infrastructure for better environmental status and effective management of resources

– Enhance institutional capacity and efficiency of public administration and the judiciary