Economic activities Main activities are: promotion of entrepreneurial infrastructure granting credit to small and medium enterprises granting credit to the agricultural family farms and to agritourism cofinancing the insurance policy in agriculture cofinancing the seed material cofinancing the development of LEADER approach cofinancing the fisheries infrastructure development cofinancing the development of competitivness and quality of agricultural production irrigation in SDC implementation of hunting law under the competence of SDC realization of approved and forthcoming programms for EU program energy management organization of county line passenger transport in SDC PROMOTION OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES Split-Dalmatia County, in cooperation with relevant Ministry and business banks, is continually implementing subsidized interest rates of granted credits through relevant credit lines/projects. Operational implementing of the Small and Medium Entreprises Promotion Program is in the process by implementing the project 'Local development projects of small entreprises for 2009.' and the project ' Local development projects – microgrants', assigned to production and information technology in particular. All afore mentioned granting programs for small and medium enterprises are continually promoting the new investments and are used for the new investments. In this respect 1,0 billion kn of direct investment has been made to the economy of Split-Dalmatia County in the last 5 years. The realization of afore mentioned County enterpreneurial projects has stimulated an investing impetus and accordingly proportional employment. According to the available data it is estimated that the realization af all programms has influenced on the opening of 4,000 new working positions and maintaining 17,000 existing ones. PROMOTING CONSTRUCTION OF ENTERPRISE ZONES With its programme guidelines Split-Dalmatia County has opted for the development of small and medium entreprises. Besides promotional measures in the area of granting credits, another important precondition for the development is the construction of economic infrastructure. Having in mind this fact, certain activities have been started on founding and developing economic-entrepreneurial zones for small and medium entreprises which contribute to: balanced county development diversification of county economy acquiring new technologies small and medium eneterprises development as the most vital part of the economy, and reduction of unemployment rate, especially amongst local inhabitants. The program of enterprise zones construction promotion in SDC in the period 2008 – 2012, confirms the continuity in the enterprise zones development policy. In Split-Dalmatia County there are 39 enterprise zones at the moment, in different realization phases. From the mentioned number, one third is in function, the other third is at high level of preparatory phase, whereas the rest is yet in plans. In enterprise zones in SDC 180 different subjects are currently making business, and have over 4,000 people under empoyment. SPLIT DALMATIA COUNTY AGROCULTURAL AND AGRITOURISM DEVELOPMENT FUND By founding 'SDC Agricultural and Agritourism Development Fund' Split-Dalmatia County has created high quality preconditions for successful promotion of agricultural production and cattle industry both in the County hinterland and on the islands and in coastal area. The users of loan funds are agricultural family farms, tradesmen and companies within the area of agriculture and agritourism. The sofar results are showing that these funds are making substantial contribution to working structure and equipment as well as to technological changes to farms using the funds. In the course of using the Fund in the period of 2001. – 2010. 1,423 credit demands were received, of which 579 credit loans have been realized with overall placement of 58.058.400,00 kn. Of the total amount of 579 credit loans the majority is invested in fruit growing and wine-growing. COFINANCING SEED MATERIAL SUPPLY From 2004. Split-Dalmatia County together with districts and cities in its area has been continually cofinancing seed material. Financing has been carried out in a way that all participants in the programme of the counties, districts that is cities and farmers ensure each one third of the funds of seeds purchasing price. The main goal of this programme is surfaces area increase with long-term crops (vineyards, olive trees and orchards), and bringing cultures to new agricultural areas in Split-Dalmatia County. IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL FIELD PATHS Investments in improving agricultural field paths is one of the main preconditions of bettering access, reducing uncultivated agricultural land and building appropriate infrastructure (irrigation, excess water drainage, bulding economic facilities) in order to use agricultural equipment and apply agrotechnical measures with the aim of enhancing productivity. The program of field paths improving is a continuation of ' the Improvement Programme of Existing Neglected Field Paths on the Islands and Coast ' from 2006. This programme was carried out by Split-Dalmatia County and relevant Ministry, and was based on merging ministry, county and municipalities funds in cooperation with Hrvatskim sumama d.o.o., Forestry department Split and Croatian Institute for Agricultural Advisory Service. IRRIGATION IN AGRICULTURE Bringing national irrigation plan in 2005., and elaborating and adopting County irrigation plan in 2007, the realization of great program which is to increase the number of irrigated agricultural land has started. Programs are carried out with the Ministry of regional development, forestry and water management cofinancing through Hrvatske vode. COFINANCING INSURANCE PREMIUM IN SPLIT-DALMATIA COUNTY AGRICULTURE Since existing legislative regulations do not compensate completely the actual damage, but provide help to alleviate the damage which is, in most cases, symbolic, the damages from elementar disasters present the ever-growing problem both to agricultural producers and municipalities. According to the afore mentioned, the County has defined cofinancing programme of insurance premiums and has been carrying it out systematically since 2006. The program cofinances up to 25 % of the amount of paid insurance premium. Approved demands have ensured 311,26 ha of agricultural land cultivating grape vine (214,5 ha), olive trees (5,80 ha), orchards (64,41 ha), other cultures (26,55 ha). FISHERY Since 2011 Split-Dalmatia County has been implementing cofinancing measures and activities from Fishery Development Program. The aim of this Program is bettering market effectivness of fishery sector and improvement of fishery infrastructure. The incomplete project documentation is often an obstacle to raising funds. Acquiring the status of EU acceding country, the Republic of Croatia has been given the possibility to use the resources from pre-accession EU funds. The incomplete project documentation is often an obstacle to raising funds. Acquiring the status of EU acceding country, the Republic of Croatia has been given the possibility to use the resources from pre-accession EU funds. Past experience of using IPA, SAPARD and IPARD funds has brought the attention to necessary aid for potential users, in order to accessible funds be used as much as possible. Only finished projects have the possibility of using future programms and funds which we will have at our disposal as a member of EU. Through Program we promote the merging of fishermen and producers in the fisheries as well as appropriate preparation of products for the market through brending and marketing. DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETITIVNESS AND QUALITY OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION Since 2011. Split Dalmatia County has been carrying out cofinancing measures and activities from the Program of development of competitivness and quality of agricultural production. The aim of this program is to increase market-productivity competitivness of agricultural producers, make products of added value and increase the employment rate, stimulate farmer mergings out of interest due to common economic, market or social action, increase the share of ecologically cultivated area, help refiners, entrepreneures, farming cooperatives and all other subjects included in the production or refinement of agricultural products, in obtaining project documentation needed for building, adaptation or renovation of the facilities, for registration of productiona and getting a loan. LEADER APPROACH DEVELOPMENT LEADER, at first the initiative of European community, and now the core Program for developing EU rural area, founded on mobilization and implementation of local development in rural communities through LAG local partnerships. The aim of the project is to motivate included communities to joint action in the aim of making local development strategy and of starting activities which can use IPARD funds, and upon Croatia's entrance, EARDF funds as well as other funds. HUNTING The implementation of Hunting law („NN“, No. 140/05 and 75/09) in the domain of adjusting communal hunting-ground borders is executed by the Committee for the analysis of communal hunting-ground borders in Split-Dalmatia County area and the Commission for determining proposed decisions on established communal hunting-grounds in Split Dalmatia County. Furthermore, according to a tender, tha administrative department carries out the process of assigning hunting-ground, and through the analysis of establishing hunting economic grounds and the analysis of the lease fulfillment,the process of lease extension is carried out. All data entry is done in the central hunting records from given hunting economic grounds for hunting-grounds which have gained a titular by the contracts between the County and hunting unit leaseholder. Conducts investigation of all reported damages done by wild animals, and damages on hunting-grounds, and accordingly makes decisions on compensation through the Commission. Makes decisions on allocation of resources based on public tenders for cofinancing projects and programs in the hunting domain. QUARRYING AND MINERAL RESOURCES EXPLOITATION In the domain of quarrying and exploatation of mineral resources, according to the enterpreneures requests and in the process of issuing the permit for exploration area and exploatation fields, the administrative department gives prior opinion on the legitimacy that is the possibility of exploration due to exploatation of mineral resources. TRANSPORTATION CONNECTION According to the Road Traffic Act („Narodne novine“, No. 178/04, 48/05, 111/06, 63/08 124/09 and 112/10) and Regulation on Licenses for performing line passenger transportation („Narodne novine“, No. 118/05 and 120/10)the Administrative Department: issues licenses to transporters for performing county line passenger bus transportation in road traffic reissues licenses to transporters fulfilling the requirements from article 26 paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Act annuls licenses before date overdue according to the article 29 of the Road Traffic Act approves changes in timetables of existing county lines abolishes licenses upon the request of the transporter for permanent suspension of transportation In accordance to previous activities on overall development of quality, reliable and acceptable way of connecting islands to land and of interisland connection as the basic precondition of islands economic growth. This activity cofinances county fast boat line Split-Milna-Split, and increased frequency on state fast boat line Rogac-Split-Rogac. The fundamental goal of nautical connection of islands to land lies in the islands unstoppable demografic erosion. This connection provides their inhabitants with education and work in graviting centre along with living on the island, increasing economic grounds and real estate value with minimum investment in improving road infrastructure. PROMOTION OF BUILDING, RECONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC LIGHTING This Program plans promotion of bulding, reconstruction and maintenance of public lighting in municipalities of Split Dalmatia County. Its implementation is going to contribute: to maintenance of more efficient system of public lighting; reducement of light polluting; more efficient managemnet of public lighting, and acquiring new technologies in the public lighting area. PROMOTION OF SOLAR SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION FOR PREPARATION OF DOMESTIC HOT WATER AND HEATING IN HOUSEHOLDS IN SPLIT-DALMATIA COUNTY The strategy of energy development states that the households are the biggest single users of energy in Croatia with the share of over 40 % in overall immediate electricity consumption. The strategic documents of the Republic of Croatia dealing with energetics development problems emphasize the need for maximum stimulation of using renewable energy resources and energetic efficiency, both in business and in households. Promotion of using renewable energy resources is mentioned as one of the measures of County development strategy. Furthermore, article 14 of Energy law states that using renewable energy resources is in Croatia's interest. Implementing activities from stated measures among other things contributes to establishing reliable, flexible and ecologically acceptible energy system of the County. The expenses of the equipment and of the implementation of solar heating collector systems are cofinanced in the amount of 45 % of the non returnable funds, that is maximum 12, 000 kn per household. INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION There are three main lines of action in the context of international relations and foreign investment, and these are development programs of the European Union, meetings with potential foreign investors, as well as presentations of the development programs of the county during business meetings and trade fairs in the county and abroad In the area of cooperation in the framework of the EU, fund acquisition for the implementation of three projects in the energy sector, SOLUTION, ENER-SUPPLY and ALTERENERGY are in process. In the framework of the EU program FP 7 (Seventh Framework Program Energy Concerto) a research and development project called SOLUTION, which is the acronym for Sustainable Oriented and Long-lasting Unique Team for Energy Self-Sufficient Communities, is being conducted. SOLUTION is an energy - demonstration program that is based on energy efficiency (ENEF) and renewable energy sources (RES). The area of implementation in the County is the island of Hvar. The project started in November 2009 year and will last until November 2014. Since November 2009, the project ENER-SUPPLY (Energy Efficiency and Renewables Supporting Policies in Local Level for Energy) has been implemented within South East Europe. The estimated duration of the project is 36 months. In December 2011, implementation of the ALTERENERGY project began under the IPA (Adriatic Cross-border_Cooperation Program 2007-2013). ALTERENERGY which will last 48 months.