03.10.2008 - Article
Swiss Contribution: Signing of the first Project Agreement for the private sector

Implementation of the accounting and auditing provisions in Slovenia

In Ljubljana the first Project Agreement for the private sector as part of the enlargement contribution has been signed on 3th October 2008. SECO is providing CHF 1.5 billion towards supporting the implementation of the accounting and auditing standards for businesses in Slovenia. The project helps to ensure a competitive market for the auditing business in Slovenia and high-quality test performance, and to meet other requirements set out in EU company law.

Switzerland signed the bilateral framework agreements with the ten new EU member states - including Slovenia - in Bern on 20 December. The agreement with Slovenia provides for a sum of CHF 21 million towards the reduction of social and economic disparities. The bilateral agreement specifies the importance of environment and infrastructure, promotion of the private sector, and human and social development in Swiss-Slovenian cooperation.

In the field of promotion of the private sector, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Slovenian officials of the Government Office for European Affairs responsible for the implementation of the Swiss-Slovenian cooperation programme were able to expedite the preparatory work for the implementation of the programme. At the beginning of September, SECO approved the first project. In Ljubljana today, the Slovenian Minister of Finance Andrej Bajuk, the head of the Slovenian Coordination Unit for the enlargement contribution Rado Genorio and the deputy of the Swiss Ambassador in Slovenia Annegret Zimmermann signed the first Project Agreement.

The CHF 1.5m-subsidised project helps to ensure a competitive market for the auditing business in Slovenia and high-quality test performance, and to meet other requirements set out in EU company law. In specific terms this means that over the next four years public control of statutory auditors should be tightened, a quality assurance system should be built and the responsible authorities should be trained in the application of the established international norms. The project is being carried out by the World Bank, which, in the context of an overriding country programme, is also helping promote cooperation of the new EU states in the field of accounting and auditing. Through this project, SECO is making an important contribution to the comprehensive implementation of the European Union’s Community law (Aquis Communautaire).
 
Additional information and documents
Press release of the Slovenian Ministry of Finance (only in Slovenian): http://www.mf.gov.si/slov/mediji/2008/2008-10-03_1.htm
Website of Switzerland’s contribution to EU enlargement in Slovenia
http://www.erweiterungsbeitrag.admin.ch/de/Home/Laender/Slowenien
Local website with information about Switzerland’s contribution to EU enlargement
http://www.swiss-contribution.admin.ch/slovenia