Cohesion regions confirm starting points for amending Slovenia’s EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027

The Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development, Dr Aleksander Jevšek, said in his introduction that the proposed amendment will be discussed by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Monitoring Committee for Slovenia’s EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027 later this month, after which the Ministry will forward it to Brussels. “Our goal is to start implementing the amended programme next year, which does not bring additional EU funds, but allows for the allocation of existing funds to other thematic areas. With the planned amendment, we are adapting to the new development and strategic priorities of the European Union, as well as our own national needs. To support the achievement of Slovenia's goals, we are planning to reallocate funds from existing to new cohesion policy measures totalling 241 million euros,” said Minister Jevšek.

In light of the changed geopolitical situation, the European Commission amended the cohesion policy legislation at the end of September and included new specific objectives addressing the following areas:

·         defence and security,

·         affordable housing,

·         competitiveness,

·         decarbonization of the EU,

·         resilience and water supply,

·         energy transition.

“With the proposed amendment, we will further accelerate the use of non-repayable cohesion funds, especially in 2026. We will take advantage of the systemic benefits for Member States brought about by the amended legislation, namely the extension of the cohesion policy implementation until the end of 2030, a higher co-financing rate for new objectives, which may be increased by 10 percentage points, up to a maximum of 100 percent, and, of course, we will take advantage of the new areas,” underlined State Secretary Marko Koprivc, who presented the proposed amendments in more detail to representatives of the Development Council of the cohesion region Zahodna Slovenija.