Brussels, 08/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission will pay €5.4 billion to the Czech Republic as part of the integrated regional operational programme for 2014-2020 adopted on Friday 5 June. Out of this amount, almost €4.6 million will come from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which seeks to correct regional socio-economic imbalances.
The Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, stated: “I am pleased to adopt this programme today; it will deliver concrete benefits for the Czech citizens”.
The programme will be divided into five sections (regional access, public service efficiency, regional administration and public institutions, local community development and technical assistance) and will benefit primary and secondary education systems, community health services, as well as the development of 320 social enterprises. It will also be seeking to improve the road network (building 146 km of regional roads, renovating more than 729 km of roads and creating 225 km of cycling lanes), modernise public transport infrastructure and introduce quality online public services. In addition to developing and regenerating around 40 national cultural monuments, there will also be integration of so-called marginal sections of society, such as the Roma, among the objectives. This will be done by supporting the development of social housing (5,000 buildings) and setting up around 30 mobile medical assistance teams.
On 26 August 2014, the Commission adopted a partnership agreement with the Czech Republic to ensure optimum use of structural and European investment funds for the 2014-2020 period. The country is part of the eight countries benefiting from a 2007-2013 European fund “absorption plan” (72.6% of aid has been absorbed by the Czech Republic so far).
A programme signing ceremony will take place on Thursday 11 June in Brussels, which will be attended by Corina Cretu and the Czech Prime Minister, Bohuslav Sobotka. (Pascal Hansens)