Slovenia has secured itself an option to change its classification at the level of NUTS 2, which serves as a basis for drawing funds from EU structural funds, Prime Minister Janez Jansa has said.
The European Commission in a special statement voiced its readiness to change the country's regional classification at any appropriate moment if necessary, Jansa said on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels on Wednesday.
"In Slovenia's case, this means that it could enforce a different regional classification before 1 January 2007, if the country makes such a request, and thus continue with negotiations for division into regions under terms of NUTS directive," Jansa said. According to him, the Commission made a commitment to draft changes on time.
The Commission issued the statement at the Monday session of the committee of deputy permanent representatives (Coreper 1), which confirmed amendments to the NUTS directive prompted by last year's enlargement.
The agreement reached by this body must be formally endorsed by the Council of the EU, which is expect to give its clearance without debate at one of its future sessions.
NUTS level 2 areas in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics are important under Objective 1 of the EU's regional policy, which is to promote the development and structural adjustment of regions whose development is lagging behind.
Of these geographical areas, only those with a per capita GDP lower than 75% of the Community average are eligible under Objective 1. Slovenia is considered as a single region at NUTS 2 level, but the country has been making efforts to change this.
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