The call for drafting the agreements for all 12 regions is expected to be launched in March, with the first signing of the agreements being planned for autumn.

“The first agreements for the project Entrepreneurial approach to challenges (PONI), which makes around EUR 1.5 million available to each region, have already been signed. The call, which we intend to publish in March or April, will include all the areas i.e., objectives and all the funds, except for the PONI project funds,” underlined Minister Jevšek.

According to Mr Jevšek, the call will cover the following areas:

• business incubators,
• wastewater discharge and treatment,
• drinking water supply,
• green infrastructure, with the primary objective of making green spaces accessible to the population, taking into account nature-based solutions,
• promoting sustainable mobility at the horizontal level, including regional mobility hubs, regional integrated transport strategies and ensuring the connectivity of cycling infrastructure at the national level.

Minister Jevšek expressed his satisfaction with closing the 2014-2020 programming period: “By the end of 2023, we will have used all available EU funding, including the funding available under the regional development agreements. This shows that development agencies and municipalities know how to use EU funding.”