Decision made about the domestic use of over CHF 130 million 5 July 2012
The Swiss-Hungarian Cooperation Programme reached an important milestone as 13 June 2012 was the deadline for the decision to be made about the allocation of resources and support to be granted for the applying projects by the party providing the support. Hungary’s share is over CHF 130 million, approximately HUF 31.2 billion worth support (at current rate) from the Programme, by which it is in the third place among the beneficiary states. As a result of the decision nearly forty projects and over one hundred small projects via the application funds will be implemented with the help of the support. Hungary and Switzerland have every right to be proud of all of them.
The Swiss Contribution is part of an overall national development plan supplementing the European Union’s structural and cohesion funds and aimed at financing projects which are not, or only partially eligible to other financial resources. The supported areas were specified by the party providing the contribution based on cooperation with Hungary and according to the actual needs of the country, with special Swiss know-how considered.
One of the fundamental objectives of the programme is to close the gap in the underdeveloped areas. The support is primarily focused on the underprivileged territories, therefore several projects are implemented in North Hungary and the North Great Plain considered as target areas of the programme, where support is most needed. That is why the opportunity to reduce Hungary’s social and economic inequalities and the general development gaps is of special importance.
Despite the quick growth experienced in the newly ascended EU member states the economic standard of these countries is behind the level of other EU member states. For this reason the other priority objective of the Swiss-Hungarian Cooperation Programme is to reduce the inequalities between Hungary and the more developed states of the enlarged European Union (EU).
The new EU member states receive support in the following 4 thematic fields:
• Safety and security, stability and reforms;
• Environment and infrastructure;
• Stimulation of the private sector;
• Human resources and social development.
As a result of the Swiss-Hungarian Cooperation Programme investments such as the potable water supply infrastructure development of Ózd, the flood protection information system development in the Upper Tisza River catchment area and the development of bionic and genetic equipment for blind and partially sighted people could be implemented.