Inštitucionálne prostredie v období pred vstupom Slovenskej republiky do Európskej únie
NSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK IN THE PERIOD BEFORE SLOVAKIA’S EUROPEAN UNION ACCESSION

Summary/Abstract: Adequate institutional structure is a precondition for EU membership. As the refe-rence date for accession is 2004, all relevant acquis should be implemented until the end of this year and so is expected adequate strengthening of capacities. In the accession process framework are specified another priorities (e. g., harmonization of legal sys-tem), measures for implementation and conditions for providing support. However, adaptation depends also on transparency of decision-making, law enforcement and eli-mination of corruption. Reform of public administration, made through decentraliza-tion, is based on operation of state administration and regional self-government and on changing competencies with the aim to reduce expenditures and improve services. Res-pected in this process are principles of subsidiarity and competitive environment. In general, there has been a strengthening of the system of governmental manage-ment bodies like, e. g., Custom directorate of the Slovak republic. In the case of public finance the gradual reductions of subsidies is the basic principle to be followed in the next future and market functioning should be improved via financial control over enter-prises. Economic policy priorities have shifted from liberalization and privatization to-wards structural changes in corporate sector, reforms of public finance and regional de-velopment. The importance of EU regulation has been increasing. However, in certain areas as, e. g., in ecology, introduction of such measures can lead to higher costs for domes-tic producers and to more intense competition from abroad. Institutional building inclu-des also effort to increase transparency and business ethics. Important is an amendment of Commercial Code, which has transposed several EU directives regulating corporate law. The amendment should increase transparency of ownership and business relations and, therefore, lead to a better corporate governance. Mentioned briefly are survey results on increasing ownership concentration of the biggest shareholders. Among central issues is also formation of competitive environment. Following acts on state assistance and on protection of economic competition, expected is approval of legal regulations allowing to provide group exceptions from prohibition of agreements limiting competition for certain agreements. Despite the fact that, as mentioned above, the state enforces liberal model of the eco-nomy based on transparency of business environment it also aims to develop some in-dustries or branches to make Slovak industrial structure more similar to that of EU countries. Such changes should lead towards higher intra-industry trade, a feature typi-cal for developed economies. Accepted concept of state science and technology policy, supporting participation in EU framework programs, faces problem with inadequate funding.

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