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Vision

The Cohesion Directorate brings together the divisions that manage and administer EU funds, which are one of the key policy tools for promoting Slovenia’s development objectives. Taking into account the available resources, the complexity of the implementation system and the implementation structure, they contribute in a transparent and systematic way, within the given timeframes of the programming periods, to a stronger economic, social and territorial cohesion in Slovenia, in cross-border cooperation as well as in international and transnational networks and relations.

Mission

Management of EU programmes, that channel EU funding to Slovenia, is a strategic development task that should be an active process. The implementation system, i.e., the tool facilitating the achievement of the set objectives, is designed to be flexible in all situations, responsive and long-term oriented. Transparent legal basis, appropriate administrative capacity and proactive and targeted management make up the system’s framework.

Vision

The Cohesion Directorate brings together the divisions that manage and administer EU funds, which are one of the key policy tools for promoting Slovenia’s development objectives. Taking into account the available resources, the complexity of the implementation system and the implementation structure, they contribute in a transparent and systematic way, within the given timeframes of the programming periods, to a stronger economic, social and territorial cohesion in Slovenia, in cross-border cooperation as well as in international and transnational networks and relations.

Mission

Management of EU programmes, that channel EU funding to Slovenia, is a strategic development task that should be an active process. The implementation system, i.e., the tool facilitating the achievement of the set objectives, is designed to be flexible in all situations, responsive and long-term oriented. Transparent legal basis, appropriate administrative capacity and proactive and targeted management make up the system’s framework.

The Management Division monitors the fulfilment of enabling conditions. Enabling conditions are set out in Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 and must be fulfilled for expenditure to be reimbursed form the Union budget. The member state adopts the relevant sectoral legal bases, strategies, national programmes and makes sure that policy, strategic and regulatory frameworks are in place so that Cohesion Policy is effectively implemented in these areas.

The Division coordinates the implementation of the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It monitors their implementation and takes part in complaints handling procedures. It organises employee training events in this area.

It concludes agreements with the intermediate bodies on the implementation of the tasks.

In accordance with Article 69(11) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, it prepares the description of the management and control system together with the intermediate bodies and makes sure that the description is updated to reflect any modifications and published. The Division informs the Budget Supervision Office of any modification of the description of the management and control system.

The Division is responsible for the adoption and publication of the Implementation Plan for Slovenia’s EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027. The Implementation Plan translates the content and the budget of the Programme by disaggregating the relevant data and underpins the preparation of the general government budget. In the Implementation Plan, the relevant amounts are broken down and displayed per priorities, specific objectives, direct budget users, ESI Funds, cohesion regions, years, and potential other elements. The Implementation Plan is adopted by the managing authority and published on the dedicated website www.evropskasredstva.si.

The Division is also responsible for planning the general government budget in the part relating to Cohesion Policy as well as for monitoring and deciding on the development programmes plan. The managing authority takes the decisions regarding the incorporation of new projects in the development programmes plan and regarding the changes to projects in the development programmes plan on the basis of the proposals made by the direct budget users after prior coordination with the Ministry of Finance. It also decides on the reallocation of commitments, unless otherwise provided for in the applicable budget implementation act, between EU funds budget lines and national co-financing budget lines.

The Division covers the area of auditing and reporting on irregularities and fraud. It is responsible for preparing the relevant guidelines, making the relevant entries into the IT system and keeping records of audits carried out.

It participates in the development of guidelines, manuals, strategies and other documents and takes part in coordinating the programming of the new programming period by acting as the link between the managing authority and the intermediate bodies.

The Division acts as the national SFC coordinator. SFC or System for Fund Management in the European Union is the electronic data exchange system for all official exchanges of information between the member state and the Commission concerning ESI Funds. It assigns user rights, and, together with the Ministry of Finance, assists users in forwarding various reports to the European Commission.

The Division coordinates and steers the work of the monitoring committee and coordinates the preparation of documents for monitoring the quality of the implementation of Slovenia’s EU Cohesion Policy Programme and other Cohesion Policy implementing documents.

The primary function of the Funds Division is to ensure efficient and effective implementation of Cohesion Policy and corresponding Cohesion Policy Programme for the ”Investment for jobs and growth” goal in Slovenia. In this exercise, the Division works closely together with the intermediate bodies delivering Cohesion Policy.

The Division is responsible for verifying the relevance of the calls for proposals prepared by the intermediate bodies and of individual projects forwarded by the intermediate bodies. The Division is responsible for issuing the funding decisions which form the basis for co-financing the operations.

The Division draws up the relevant guidelines to ensure efficient and effective implementation of Cohesion Policy and works together with the intermediate bodies and, if necessary, with the audit authority, to coordinate these documents.

It is in close contact with the relevant national authorities and the beneficiaries to ensure more efficient management, in particular to address any implementation-related issues.

It monitors the implementation of Cohesion Policy and spending of Cohesion Policy funds on the basis of the implementation of operations and participates in the creation of the spending plan. It also regularly monitors the progress of implementation of the operations co-financed by each Fund or Programme, analyses physical and financial indicators, manages the implementation of priorities, etc. This often involves the development of analyses, materials and implementation reports. Considerable attention is paid to the preparation of information for the Monitoring Committee and other authorities whenever amendments are required to the programming documents and other materials.

The Division participates in national audits and those carried out by EU authorities.

It participates in evaluation activities to make the needed improvements to the Cohesion Policy Programme and its implementation.

It actively contributes to the Multiannual Financial Framework programming exercise at the national level by drawing up the relevant baselines and documents for the upcoming Cohesion Policy programming period.

The Smart Specialisation Coordination Division, also referred to as the S5 Division, serves as a technical secretariat established for the Working Group of State Secretaries that supports the implementation of Slovenian Sustainable Smart Specialisation Strategy (S5); it also acts as the body responsible for coordinating S5 development and implementation. Smart specialisation strategy is one of the enabling conditions for Policy Objective 1 (A smarter Europe) under the 2021-2027 Cohesion Policy.

Coordination of S5 implementation across the whole multilevel governance structure takes place as follows:

• Through coordinating the entrepreneurial discovery process among all actors of the quintuple helix model and drawing up proposals for changes to the action plans and S5 priority areas to be considered by the Working Group of State Secretaries.
• Through participating in inter-ministerial coordination of strategic documents and taking part in decision-making at the government level.
• Through coordinating the design and implementation of S5 policy mix, including through giving green light to operation implementation.
• Through monitoring and evaluating the implementation of S5 measures and developing periodic progress reports for the government.
• Through supporting the integration of RDI stakeholders in cross-regional networks and consortia applying for funding under EU calls for proposals and for other funding opportunities.
• Through representing Slovenia in EU groups dealing with smart specialisation implementation.

The primary function of the IT Support Division is to provide IT support to the exercises of planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of Cohesion Policy implementation in Slovenia.

In this context, the Division is responsible for the overall management of the information system called e-MA (i.e., e-MA and e-MA2) and the services it provides. The Division plans and manages the technical aspects of the system’s development and maintenance, makes sure that IT infrastructure runs smoothly and that the information system itself operates smoothly. It also monitors and supervises the work and services provided by outsource companies. One of the key roles of the Division is to make sure that e-MA security policy rules are complied with.

As part of the integration with other information systems, particularly MFERAC and e-CA, the Division manages the data exchange system and makes sure that data flows unhindered and is regularly exchanged between the information systems underpinning the implementation of Cohesion Policy in Slovenia for the purposes of monitoring, evaluation, financial management, verification and control of the implementation of EU-funded operations.

As part of the information system operation, the Division acts as system administrator, managing its processes and key code lists, provides IT support for the design and upgrade of implementation processes of development programmes and programmes in Slovenia and co-shapes the proposals, guidelines and other implementing documents in the area of Cohesion Policy. It provides the necessary IT support for the purpose of monitoring the financial and overall performance of programmes and works together with national and international authorities and institutions in the area of work of the Ministry.

The Division provides support to the users of the information system to enhance the overall user experience (the beneficiaries, the agents, the intermediate bodies, the managing authorities, the certifying authority, auditors, etc.) and organises and delivers training for them, which is particularly important when an information system is being set up.

The Division also prepares and provides data for the purpose of reporting on the implementation of EU development programmes and projects in Slovenia and to support the preparation of various reports at all levels, i.e., the managing authority, the certifying authority, the intermediate bodies and other users in the field of Cohesion Policy. It provides IT support to the managing authority, the intermediate bodies and other public institutions helping them draft the relevant reports and analyses. It is involved in the preparation of analyses, information, materials and reports on the implementation of the system of each ESI Fund or Programme. It also coordinates and implements the activities necessary for the closure of projects under each ESI Fund or Programme at the end of each programming period.

The Interreg and Financial Mechanisms Office performs the functions of the Managing Authority, with the support of the Joint Technical Secretariat, for the cross-border cooperation programmes with Austria, Hungary and Croatia. It also carries out the functions of the National Authority for the cross-border, transnational and interregional programmes under the responsibility of the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development. It is responsible for managing the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the EEA (European Economic Area) Financial Mechanism (also referred to as the Norway and EEA Grants).

The European Territorial Cooperation or ‘’Interreg’’ programmes that are co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund aim to strengthen cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation in various areas, both within the EU and at the EU’s external borders.

In the 2021-2027 period, Slovenia participates in four cross-border programmes (Slovenia-Austria, Slovenia-Hungary, Slovenia-Croatia and Italy-Slovenia) and five transnational programmes (Interreg Alpine Space, Interreg Central Europe, Interreg Euro-MED, Interreg Danube and Interreg IPA ADRION).