Finanční nástroje ESIF – potenciál a limity jejich využití územní samosprávou v ČR v období 2021–2027

This Bachelor thesis deals with financing from the European Structural and Investment Funds and the implementation of the resulting support in the form of financial instruments. The aim of the thesis is to identify problems with the repayable form of support for local governments, based on the information obtained about the countries of the Visegrad Group, while the findings are applied to the current programming period in Czechia. The thesis also aims to define the sectors in the competence of self-government, which are suitable for this form of support. The structure of this thesis consists of two sections, the theoretical part, and the practical part. The theoretical part acquaints the reader with the theoretical framework of the chosen topic, such as fiscal federalism, and it also outlines the characteristics of ESI funds and financial instruments, including their positives and negatives. Furthermore, the experience with the JESSICA program in Poland and Czechia, and other newer programme is reflected here. The practical part is focused on the examination of the past and planned use of financial instruments in the programming periods 2014-2020 and 2021-2027 in the V4 countries. Finally, the thesis aims to describe previous experience with the repayable form of financing in Czechia and determine the limits and potential for the current and future period. The thesis identifies that the Czech Republic lags behind other V4 countries in key sectors in the competence of municipalities in the use of financial instruments, although in the previous period it implemented more than planned in the current period. However, previous experience can serve as a starting point for the future implementation of financial instruments, because despite the continuing preference for subsidy support, municipalities can implement viable projects that are eligible for repayable financing.