At its session on Thursday the Government adopted the Report on Structural Reforms for 2004 and a bill on general valuation of real estate, and supported a healthier diet with the Resolution on National Food Policy Programme.
The Report on Structural Reforms 2004 assesses the functioning of goods and capital markets, identifies obstacles for the functioning of these markets and defines the existing and planned measures for the elimination of such obstacles. The Report examines structural reforms on goods and capital markets, and considers other reforms having an impact on goods, services and capital markets.
Last year some positive changes in developments were registered, arising, among other things, as a result of the measures Slovenia instituted in response to recommendations by the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and the Economic Policy Committee. With the Report on Structural Reforms, Slovenia has adopted the main actions from the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines, related to reducing inflation, increasing employment, improving conditions for productivity growth and increasing competition in all sectors of the economy.
Entry into the ERM II and the further lowering of inflation will create increasingly stable macroeconomic conditions. Increased productivity growth and reduced costs per added value unit had a positive impact on the competitiveness of companies, and this resulted in their increased shares in major international markets. Actions to increase the effectiveness of the institutional regulatory framework and public administration were adopted, including measures to improve the business environment and measures to increase investments in research and development. The process of liberalising web industries continued and progress is reflected in greater competition, particularly in the fields of telecommunications and energy. Signs of progress in financial services were seen in the implementation of reform in the area of regulation and harmonisation of the legal order in accordance with EU directives, which created possibilities to increase the competitiveness of the sector. The role of the agency promoting the inflow of foreign investment was strengthened institutionally and financially, and special actions have been designed to tackle the problem of the land availability. Active employment policy implements measures to employ specific target groups, including older unemployed workers.
The bill on general valuation of real estate provides a legal basis for the introduction of the system of general valuation of real estate, which will appraise the market value of all real properties prescribed by the law as objects for valuation. In addition to the introduction of the system of general valuation of real estate, the law will significantly contribute to the regulation of a systematic record-keeping on buildings and parts of buildings and to a systematic collection of data on real properties and data on the real-estate market.
The Resolution on National Food Policy Programme provides a single and comprehensive definition of the inter-sectoral strategic plan for the first time ever in Slovenia. Included are envisaged systematic actions and preventive and promotional activities aimed at reducing the harmful effects of an unhealthy diet on Slovenia's population, with particular attention on reducing the incidence of disease and mortality due to chronic non-infectious diseases and on reducing general health risks.
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