Under proposals and a financing plan concerning European Union (EU) structural funds for 2014–2020 that the government approved on Thursday, Estonia would use 3.18 billion euros of EU funds to finance five nationwide goals.
Estonia planning to use EUR 3.18 b EU funds
25th April 2013, 18:06
Please note that the article is more than five years old and belongs to our archive. We do not update the content of the archives, so it may be necessary to consult newer sources.
The goals are high-quality, available education that takes into account the needs of the learner and the society; high employment and high-quality career life; as well as knowledge intensive and internationally competitive economy, the Finance Ministry said.
Further goals are a clean and diverse natural environment and sustainable connections and mobility solutions that satisfy the needs of residents and support entrepreneurship.
Besides increasing the administrative capability of the state is to be financed.
"There were applications for double the amount that there is in the funds, not all proposals could be satisfied," Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi said at the government press conference.
"Our goal this time is long-term leverage. We must give an impulse that has a lasting effect," the minister said.
The plan is to allocate 755 million euros to developing a competitive economic environment, 438 million to renewal of the education system, 553 million to developing the labor market and increasing social security, 600 million euros to developing transport, 666 million euros to promoting a clean and diverse natural environment, and 173 million euros to increasing administrative capability.
In making investments in the new budgetary period one has to see to it that the investments were sustainable also without continued support by euro money, had a positive effect on the economy and society, and did not cause a burden on the state budget.