In 1999 the Government of the Republic of Slovenia introduced a new Law on Balanced Regional Development and appointed the National Agency for Regional Development (NARD) as the key national institution to implement the new regional development policy. NARD was established in January 2000 within the Government Office for Structural Policy and Regional Development, and in July 2003 it was registered as a public agency. The NARD Board, which is appointed by the Government, consists of representatives of five ministries, the economy sector and the regions. The aim of NARD is the co-ordination, promotion and implementation of a regional structural policy for balanced and sustainable regional development in the Republic of Slovenia. The Agency encourages inter-regional, cross-border and cross-sectoral co-operation, and is also responsible for the implementation of European Union structural and cohesion policy. NARD functions as a bridge between national, regional and EU institutions in the implementation and monitoring of EU pre-structural programmes and projects such as the TEMPUS PHARE Joint European Project, PHARE Cross Border Co-operation and the Special Preparatory Programme for Structural Funds, Economic and Social Cohesion. It has offices in each of the 12 statistical regions for easier access throughout the region. The Ministry of Culture co-operates with the Agency in conceiving the National Development Programme relating to culture. The Ministry also evaluates cultural provision within programmes prepared by the regional development agencies .