National Strategic Reference Framework for the period of 2007 – 2013

Current programme period of 2007 – 2013 is the first programme period during which the Slovak Republic will be able to draw from the EU funds in its entire duration. The document known as the National Strategic Reference Framework for the period of 2007 – 2013 (NSRF) provided the baseline for this drawing. This strategic document has been drawn up pursuant to the new regulations of the European Union (EU) for the Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund. The Government of the Slovek Republic approved the document on December 6, 2006 and the European Commission on August 17, 2007. To download the document, click here.

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The cohesion policy of the EU shall be realised through the concentration of the fund contributions for three main goals during the programme period of 2007 - 2013: Convergence, Regional competitiveness and employment, and European territorial cooperation. To keep the concordance with the regulations, the NSRF SR comprises only of the first two goals.

Convergence Target


Within the Convergence target, the financial contributions from ERDF and ESF funds are primarily focused on the regions whose gross domestic product per capita during the last three years before the adoption of the new regulations was less than 75% of the average of the enlarged EU countries. In case of Slovakia it is the entire territory with the exception of the Bratislava region.

By financing from the Cohesion fund, the Cohesion target covers the member states whose gross national product during the last three years before the the adoption of the regulations was below 90% of the average of the enlarged EU countries and the countries that have the convergence programme. These criteria have been met on the entire territory of the Slovak Republic.

Regional competitiveness and employment Target

Areas not falling within the target of Convergence (Bratislava region, in case of Slovakia) are eligible to draw financial support within the target of Regional competitiveness and employment. The target aims at strengthening competitiveness and making Bratislava region more attractive through anticipating economic and social changes and supporting innovations, knowledge-based society, business-spirit, environmental protection and risk prevention, support for employees and companies adaptability and development of the labour markets oriented on the social inclusion.

The strategic target for the period of 2007 – 2013, which has been in the NSRF defined as the target of “considerable increase of competitiveness and productivity of the regions and of the Slovak economy and employment by respecting sustainable development until 2013”, represents not only the continuation of approaching the EU-15 level, but also growth of competitiveness of Slovakia and its regions as well as enhancing the quality of life of the citizens of the Slovak Republic.

Based on the strategy and following the set strategic target of the Slovak Republic, the NSRF strategy has been defined on three strategic priorities and their three targets that should be achieved through the project financing during the program period of 2007 – 2013:

 

Strategic priority


Target of the strategic priority

1. Infrastructure and regional availability Increasing the infrastructure density in the regions and enhancing the effectiveness of the related public services
2. Knowledge-based economy Development of the sustainable economic growth resources and increase of competitiveness in industry and services
3. Human resources Enhancing employment, increasing the labour force quality for the needs of the knowledge-based economy and enhancing the social inclusion of risk groups

 

At the same time, the NSRF strategy also defines the horizontal priorities (HP) affecting the NSRF targets in four areas. The purpose of each of the horizontal priorities is to ensure achieving the target defined for a particular priority, related to more NSRF priorities. Therefore, it cannot be provided only through one operational programme, but it requires a coordinated approach across more specific priorities or projects. Depending upon their character, the horizontal priorities shall be applied in relevant operational programmes in a following manner:

 

Horizontálna priorita Horizontal priority target Application of horizontal policy
A. marginalised Roma communities Increasing employment and educational level of MRK population and improving their standard of living global approach (integration of projects from more OP)
B. equal opportunities Provide equal opportunities for everybody and prevent all forms of discrimination principle applied for each project
C. sustainable development Providing environmental, economic and social sustainability of economic growth principle at the level of the NSRF strategic goal
D. information society Development of inclusive information society integrated approach (interoperability of public administration information systems and introducing e-services in operational programmes)

 

Strategy, priorities and targets of the NSRF shall be implemented through 11 operational programmes within the scope of individual EU cohesion policy targets:

6 operational programs for the target Convergence, out of which:

- 4 operational programmes, co-financed by ERDF, cover the entire territory of the Slovak Republic except for Bratislava region (Regional operational programme, OP Informatisation of Society, OP Competitiveness and economic growth and OP Healthcare);

- 2 programmes, co-financed by ERDF and KF, cover the entire territory of the Slovak Republic including Bratislava region (OP Transportation and OP Environment);

- 3 operational programmes common for both targets – Convergence as well as Regional competitiveness and employment, i. e. programmes covering the entire territory of the Slovak Republic including Bratislava region, out of which:

- 1 programme co-financed by ERDF (OP Research and development) and

- 2 programmes co-financed by ESD (OP Employment and social inclusion and OP Education);

On August 4, 2006, the European Commission adopted a decision specifying the list of eligible regions, as well as the annual allocation of the financial means for individual member states and individual cohesion policy targets. The following binding allocation of financial means for individual EU cohesion policy targets has been defined for the Slovak Republic:
 

EU cohesion policy targets EU Funds Financial allocation for the Slovak Republic for the particural goal of the cohesion policy of the EU in EUR (current prices)
 Konvergencie SF + KF 10 911 601 421
SF 7 012 862 858
KF 3 898 738 563
Regional competitiveness and employment SF 449 018 529
(122 603 156 + transfer from the target Convergence to the research and development 326 415 373)
European territorial cooperation SF 227 284 545
Total SF + KF 11 587 904 495

 

The following table defines the allocation of financial means for the period of 2007 – 2013 to individual operational programs:

 

Financial allocations 2007 – 2013 to operational programs (SF and KF) in EUR in current prices
NSRF
 ES Contribution
(EUR, current prices)
Operational program
 Fund
Regional OP  ERDF 1 445 000 000
OP Environment  ERDF+KF  1 800 000 000
ERDF  230 756 935
 KF  1 569 243 065
OP Transportation ERDF+KF  3 206 904 595
 ERDF  877 409 097
 KF  2 329 495 498
OP Informatisation of Society  ERDF  993 095 405
OP Research and development
including transfer to research and development)
 ERDF  1 209 415 373
OP Competitiveness and economic growth  ERDF  772 000 000
OP Healthcare  ERDF  250 000 000
OP Technical assistance  ERDF  97 601 421
OP Bratislava region  ERDF  87 000 000
  ESF
OP Employment and social inclusion ESF  881 801 578
OP Education
ESF  617 801 578
All the NSRF funds 2007 - 2013 together  11 360 619 950
Total ERDF  5 962 278 231
Total KF  3 898 738 563
Total ESF  1 499 603 156
EAFRD (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development)  1 969 418 078
EFF (European Fisheries Fund)  13 688 528