The finding suggest that on the local level, EU Structural Funds despite certain negative features such as transport infrastructure projects and energy generation improve life of people living in rural areas.
In recent years, more attention has been paid to the quality of life in rural areas in connection to opportunities offered by European Union regional development programmes.
Besides their clear benefits, there are certain negative environmental impacts, generated by transport infrastructure projects, energy generation and tourist development.
So far, evaluation of Structural Fund’s impact on the local environment has not been properly addressed by a similar research. Existing studies are focused more on regional level (NUTS III and II) due to availability of data for statistical analysis.
The study used evaluation methodology with a special emphasis on quantitative methods for assessment of the Structural Funds impact on local sustainable development and especially on the rural environment.
The study found out how local sustainable development strategies, i.e. Local Agenda 21, Programmes of Economic and Social Development and Spatial Plans, influence use of the Structural Funds.
A questionnaire survey was carried out in all local municipalities of the Nitra District (NUTS IV) except Nitra and Vrable towns. During end of 2008 and beginning of 2009, a more detailed survey was organized in three rural municipalities of the Nitra District - Maly Cetin, Pohranice and Surianky (NUTS V).
During survey among municipalities in Nitra District quantitative data on economic and social development, protection of the environment, quality of life, participation of citizens in decision making, local development strategies and use of EU Structural Funds were collected.
In comparison to other EU countries, Slovakia has a dense structure of settlements with majority of small local municipalities under 1,000 inhabitants. There are 2,831 municipalities, out of which majority, 70% (1,984) has fewer than 1,000 people (17% of the total population).
As to study results, more than half of local municipalities join others to form higher level units such as micro-region or euro-region. Regarding local sustainable development plans, there were Plans of Economic and Social Development in place, but no Local Agenda 21.
This is mainly caused by the fact that Local Agenda 21 has been supported by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in other regions – Middle Pohronie, Zemplin and Slovak Carst.
Majority of local municipalities in the study area financed preparing Plans of Economic and Social Development from their own, rather limited budgets. The study indicated that innovative projects are not in the pipeline and few exemptions included energy local generation from biomass and development of ecological farming.
Interestingly, mere existence of local sustainable development strategy has not been a decisive factor in obtaining support from Structural Funds.
This was caused by the fact that local municipalities have been using subsidies from state budget (Envirofond).
A positive finding is that more than half of local municipalities in the study area have environmental issues well embedded into their development plans.
A closer look on use of the use of available resources in shortened programming period 2004-2006 suggests that majority of local municipalities did not use Structural Funds.
Those successful used co-financing for improvement of basic infrastructure (roads, waste water treatment plans and sewage networks, drinking water supply, reconstruction of schools, etc) and solving problems of unemployed citizens.
Until 2006, environmental projects in Nitra District have been financed from state subsidies rather than the Structural Funds.
In the future, top priority for rural municipalities in the Nitra District will be projects for improvement of environment infrastructure in order to comply with EU regulations.
The most demanding phase of project management is however, preparation, carried out by consulting firms.
This is a challenge for managing and control authorities to look for ways of reducing administration burden related to preparation of project proposals, especially in small scale projects.
It would be interesting to compare experiences in old and new member’s states in this respect.
A potential risk to nature protected areas might pose projects co-funded from Structural Funds in the area of road infrastructure, energy and tourist development.
For more information about the study, contact Richard Muller, e-mail:
richard.muller@shmu.sk
