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EU funds begin trickling into ČR

Three programs approved, but some wait until next year

By Victor Velek
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
October 17th, 2007 issue

After months of wrestling with what critics have called a poorly prepared bid for European Union funding, the Czech Republic has received access to its first fraction of EU money for the 2007-13 period.
The European Commission (EC), the EU’s executive arm, gave the green light to three of the country’s operational programs Oct. 12, unlocking funds worth 105 billion Kč ($5.4 billion). In total, the Czech Republic may draw 26.7 billion euros (734 billion Kč/$37.7 billion) from EU Structural Funds over the next six years.
Brussels closed talks with the Czech government on three programs financed by the European Social Fund: the Competitive Education Program, the Prague Adaptability Program and the Human Resources and Employment Program, said EU commissioner Vladimír Špidla.
Together with representatives of Czech ministries, Špidla — a former prime minister of the country — officially signed the approved programs Oct. 16. By the end of the year, the country will receive more than 2 billion Kč in payments from these programs, Špidla added.
According to the Cabinet, Brussels will soon endorse several other operational programs.
“A program prepared by the Education Ministry should get approval very soon,” said Regional Development Minister Jiří Čunek. “Then, approval of the Industry for Innovation Program, the Enterprise for Innovation Program and the Transport Program should follow.”
However, it is now clear that not all programs will be finalized this year, as those sent to Brussels later than October to be approved until next year, Čunek said.
“So far, there’s [at least] one program that won’t meet the deadline: the Science and Research for Innovation Program,” he said.
When it comes to preparedness for drawing EU money, the Czech Republic has been one of the worst EU member states. While countries like Hungary have already had all their programs approved, the Czech Republic is still trying to push through most of its 24 programs.
Earlier this year, EC officials said that the Czech system of drawing funds was poorly prepared and featured overlapping programs.
Mounting problems with the EU funds caused the downfall of Education Minister Dana Kuchtová of the Green Party, who resigned on Sept. 25 after being criticized for fumbling EU funding for education projects worth billions of crowns.
The Czech Republic’s problems with EU funds are chronic: The country did poorly in the previous period, as well. According to the EC, the Czech Republic was the second most ineffective country among the 10 new member states. So far, the country has drawn only 46 percent of the 40 billion Kč allocated for 2004-06; it has until 2008 to extract the rest.

Victor Velek can be reached at vvelek@praguepost.com


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