- 2026-06-16 “Thank you very much, Marilena. And I congratulate the Cypriot presidency for the agreement on the partial general approaches. Well done. Um, we can support the three legislative acts. This achieved progress is very important in order to maintain the timeline and with the implementation of the new MFF in January of 2028. Having said that, the agreement must not come at the expense of quality and here is one issue which I have already hinted at during the previous discussion the issue of competitiveness and in particular the European Competitiveness Fund, where Slovenia, together with Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Hungary submitted a declaration to the minutes in this. We claim that we need further work to mobilise and connect complementary capacities, infrastructures, expertise and innovation ecosystems across all member states, thereby enabling the union to fully harness its collective potential. What are we talking about? We are talking about helping small and medium sized businesses primarily as well as those with niche products and expertise. These are the stakeholders who require additional tools to compete globally, and we will continue to strive and support these companies. Thank you very much.”
EU industrial funding (mechanism level: EU-pooled vs nationally-financed)
- 2026-06-16 “This is a question of ensuring that we do not lose focus of the key existing policies with EU added value, which already strengthen competitiveness, convergence, economic growth and improve resilience and security, including food security. The second issue, which is important to be followed further on is the issue of competitiveness. We should ensure that efforts to improve competitiveness of the EU do not introduce obstacles for most while benefiting some. Only the single market shows that we all have something to offer and the question is only whether this offer is taken up and will. I will explain a little bit more when we come to the Legislative Act discussion. And the third issue is the issue of the revenue side. They're still crucial. Issues remain open. We must avoid, we believe, designing an MFF, which is both unambitious and also unfair for small and less developed member states. This means that we need to restructure the proposed revenue side so it is less regressive and by no means reintroducing rebates on the NI based own resource, as there is no more justification for them done on these issues. I must say that we are ready to work constructively in the months ahead for an for an MFF, which would, um, develop tools available to compete, uh, for the union to compete globally to strengthen our citizens well-being and reduce disparities among member states. Thank you very much.”
Cohesion and rural funding · Own EU resources
- 2026-06-16 “Thank you very much, Marilena. Thank you for the warm welcome. It's good to be here and I'm looking forward to working with all of you. And the commission, of course, in the month ahead. Um, first of all, allow me to comment on the issues. Uh, the important issues that we are discussing today. Allow me to commend the intense efforts of the Cypriot presidency. We appreciate very much how you have handled the file, uh, and prepare this revised negotiating box. This is a key step in the negotiations, uh, enabling both the timely discussion of the leaders, uh, at the upcoming European Council and also the future work on this important file for Slovenia. The revised negotiating box contributes to a rebalancing of the proposal in some key aspects. Uh, and I can say it's a step in the right direction. Having said that, there are, of course still issues that needs to be addressed. I will mention three elements which remain crucial for us, uh, for the future. Uh, deal. First of all, the issue of the reduction of national envelopes in the PNR compared to the current MFF. The revised nego box contains elements that strive to rebalance the. The Commission. The initial Commission proposal, which we generally welcome. But work on this issue must continue. We believe we must not ignore the fact the treaty based policies are the only ones whose volume is decreasing compared to the current MFF. This is not a question, we believe, between traditional versus modern policy priorities.”
Size of EU budget
- “Thank you very much, chair chairman, for giving me the floor. We too welcome the object objectives of DNA, in particular, the strengthening of connectivity, competitiveness, and the functioning of the internal market for electronic communications.
We would nonetheless like to highlight 3 areas where we will have to ensure an adequate balance between European objectives and member states competence. Firstly, we support simplifying procedures, But, with regard to the authorization regime and the proposed single passport, we think that we should maintain the current general authorization regime because the mechanism that is now proposed could cause a burden for national regulators.
Secondly, radio spectrum and numbering resources must remain member state competence as this is a limited resource. This also extends to defining remuneration fees and the conditions for their use.
Thirdly, with regard to the universal service, member states must keep their freedom to choose between financing it from the national budget or from the compensation fund.
Finally, we would like to point out that the 6 month deadline for the application of the regulation is too short because we will have to adjust national legislation, so we will have to extend it to somewhere between 18 and 24 months. Thank you. Thank you all for your comments. Would the commission like to react to these interventions before, I conclude?”
EU industrial funding (mechanism level: EU-pooled vs nationally-financed)
- “Thank you, president. I will be brief. Slovenia has a long standing tradition of cohabitation with [00:27:00] large carnivores, especially with the brown bear population. We therefore see our approach to managing these populations as an example of good practice. In 2024, we estimate the brown bear population at about 1000 individuals. The results of genetic monitoring of the brown bear population are due for this autumn. To manage large carnivores populations, we must also ensure [00:27:30] international coordination and cooperation, as well as have a good understanding of the condition of the population. What is also key is to get our societies on board, and this can only be achieved if we build trust among different stakeholders and ensure intensive consultations. In this context, we support the idea to update the guidance document on strict protection. Thank you.”
Nature protection and restoration in the EU
- “Thank you. President. Allow me first to thank the Commission for presenting the proposal, which is extremely important. And it partly also touches upon the areas that fall within the competence of agriculture ministers. Slovenia supports any joint efforts to reduce the quantities of food waste. Any wasted food is an indicator of the sustainability of our food systems, and in particularly it is an indicator of our society's attitude towards food resources necessary for its production and the environment. By reducing food waste, we will also deal with objectives in the field of global hunger and climate change. This is why we believe that the approach taken to [00:18:30] set legally binding targets is important in the light of achieving Sustainable Development Goals, as well as objectives set down in the Green Deal and in the Paris Agreement. We welcome the flexibility afforded to Member States when implementing individual measures. These measures need to be adapted to the specific national situations. It is also important to address the issue of food waste along the entire food supply chain chain. We need to point out that data should be based on should be reliable and verified in order to guarantee the representativeness and comparability among member states.
[00:19:15] We should also focus on issues related to improving the education and awareness of producers, manufacturers and consumers, as well as issues related to [00:19:30] food labelling and the use by date on food products. By way of an example, allow me to say that in Slovenia, we have adopted a national food waste strategy at the end of 2021. All actors operating along the entire food supply chain have subscribed to a joint statement expressing their interest and support for the objectives, which aim at promoting a respectful, responsible and sustainable approach to food. We also [00:20:00] undertook some activities in schools and kindergartens, as well as other measures dedicated to developing and disseminating examples of best practices, as well as measures related to promoting food donations which are already entitled to a fiscal relief. I should also point out that Slovenia celebrates no Wasted Food Day on the 24th of April, which gives even more prominence to this common challenge. At the end of [00:20:30] September, Slovenia also adopted an action plan for the implementation of of this national strategy, which calls for a closer cooperation between all actors in the food supply chain. Thank you very much.”
Food waste
- “Thank you, President. Also, Slovenia supports [00:07:30] the initiative for a stronger EU policy and adoption of action in global digital affairs, which would significantly improve EU's impact on the global stage. In our view, it is important to continue cooperation. We accept, in particular on standardisation and the ITU's objectives to achieve universal and meaningful connectivity that respects fundamental human rights and freedoms. And we believe that we should increase cooperation among EU [00:08:00] member states represented in the ITU Council. Thank you.”
EU digital & tech sovereignty
- “Also, we are concerned that the available um will available funding will not be sufficient to have for enumeration and protective practices. As regards the second question, we think that the Commission needs to take care that, um, This is all common policies which will ensure these have at least 4,540% coverage of the level of the National Strategic Plan for partnership. Also, in considering agriculture's contribution to climate change mitigation, we need to consider the limitations of agriculture, which arise from the nature of biological processes. Finally, allow me that I would like to thank Austria for the presentation of the common document. We share many flexibility. We share the same opinion with many other Member States, also with the for the national and for regional partnerships that they are, that they are included into the regulation of the cap. And we are not included in the transitional period. We would see that it would be important that the presidency conducts this analysis. We need to continue with the strong agricultural policy, which is a firm pillar for agricultural policy, to support local communities and to preserve natural resources. Thank you.”
Agricultural funding
- “Thank you very much for the floor. President Slovenia agrees with Portugal that in order to respond appropriately to climate change, emergencies and crises, we need a comprehensive, integrated and holistic approach at the EU level. This approach must include rapid responses, effective risk mitigation measures and support for innovation and investment that will help our farmers to face these challenges. We need to mobilise additional funding, including public funds. We are in favour of greater flexibility when it comes to using different financial resources available in EU policies. Also when implementing CIP strategic plans. This could also be achieved by an ad hoc crisis mechanism that we had already proposed together with Croatia. Within this mechanism, a member state could earmark up to 2% of funding for rapid response to a regional or national crisis situation, thus supplementing the use of the agricultural reserve. We also endorse the call to the Commission to come up with an EU strategy to manage climate risk and crisis.”
Agricultural funding
- “Before I switch to Slovene, thank you. To you and your team. And also to Commissioner for all your efforts that you put in the process, negotiations and etc.. Slovenia supports the target of a 90% net reduction in emissions by 2030. This is a scientifically based target that is consistent with the Paris Agreement, ensuring a fair contribution by the EU to global climate efforts and guiding us towards climate neutrality by 2050. For us, this is not an abstract figure, as Slovenia is warming faster than the European average and is one of the EU countries most affected by climate change. Therefore, enhanced action is in our strategic interest. However, a figure alone is not enough to achieve the target. We need a comprehensive support framework, clear legislation, fair distribution of financial resources, especially ETS revenues, which should remain with the Member states. And of course, a link to the Multiannual Financial Framework. In doing so, it will be necessary to take into account national specificities and the principles of social justice, justice, cost effectiveness and technological neutrality Reality for Slovenia, it's crucial to recognize the challenges and uncertainties arising from the lull UCF sector, which stem from its natural variability and the negative impacts of environmental factors. Let me touch on three key points related to flexibilities. First, international carbon credits.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thank you very much. Dear Lars. Dear Commissioner, dear colleagues. First, let me also thank the Danish presidency for its tireless work on this challenging file. Slovenia supports a 90% net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. This is science based, it's Paris aligned, and it's a sensible milestone on the path to climate neutrality. For us, this is not an abstract number. Slovenia is warming faster than the EU average and already faces disproportionate, disproportionate climate damages. Through them, we are being reminded that stronger action is our existential and strategic interest. But a target alone is not enough. We need a robust enabling framework, clear and coherent legislation, and a fair allocation of financing, especially retaining ETS revenues in member states. We also need to uphold technological neutrality and social justice alongside national specificities. The European Council conclusions reflect, reflect on our concerns and the concerns of of others, and they give us a clear mandate to move forward with with the ECR on international carbon credits, guided by the European Scientific Advisory Council, as well as well as our own National Climate Council. We see them as a safety valve and not a substitute for domestic domestic reductions. Given given limited affordability and high quality supply before 2035, we appeal for their use to be in to be to start in 2036 and be appropriately capped.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thank you. Chair. Dear colleagues, Mr. Draghi's report on the future of European competitiveness is indeed very timely. Slovenia welcomes the report as it places energy and decarbonisation at the forefront of our discussions on boosting the competitiveness of European economy. It also adequately addresses some key challenges and areas in need of improvements and further action. We also appreciate the in-depth analysis, which represents a solid and credible basis for this report. We are pleased to see that the recommendations drafted by Mr. Draghi call for the continuation of work related to the ambitious green transition policies. And it also identifies measures necessary to address certain gaps in current energy policies. In principle, Slovenia agrees with the evaluations and recommendations in this report, and I would particularly like to draw your attention to the following four points. We support further considerations regarding a more consistent and coordinated development of grids, including by strengthening cross-border electricity and gas interconnections. I am convinced that in the next few years, together with our operators, we will be able to find the appropriate improvements, thus strengthening our energy union. But I think we can make a step further. A common European market also requires common control measures. As I said on several occasions, it is necessary to remove the unnecessary administrative obstacles when it comes to permitting procedures for renewable energy resources. And I think that we all still have some work to do, both when it comes to national legislations and procedures, as well as at the commission level. Coordination between policies is of utmost importance. Slovenia also welcomes the fact that the report focuses on technology neutral approach for the green transition policy, thus also recognising the important role of nuclear energy and its developments. Last but not least, we will have to boost investments, investments into digitalisation and innovation. Draghi's report clearly illustrates that the EU is very much lagging behind in this respect when it comes to the possibilities for financing our investment needs. Slovenia supports particularly those measures aimed at releasing the EU investment potential, despite the fact that we are still counting on EU funds, we understand that the majority of funding will have to be provided by member states alone. Of course, in cooperation with the private sector in this area, Slovenia has a great deal of positive experience. We manage to use several support schemes in order to ensure a constant growth of renewable share in Slovenia. We need to at least maintain this trend, and that's why I expect further discussions regarding the modalities of financing and state aid rules. The system ought to be clear and predictable in order to achieve results. Thank you very much.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thank you for giving me the floor. Slovenia welcomes the proposal for a CEF regulation for the period of 2028 to 2034, because it remains a key instrument for financing infrastructure projects of common interest in the fields of transport and energy. We also welcome the increase in the overall budget of the programme and its ambition to complete the Ten-t network. I agree that this is key if we want to be successful. In principle, we believe that the presidency has effectively addressed the key concerns of the Member States in the text of the regulation, and we hope that the agreement of the Multiannual Financial Framework will take due account of the needs of transport and energy. The more complex part of the negotiations for us remains an annex with examples of cross-border dimensions, which has high political visibility. I would like to thank the presidency for coordinating the compromise in this part as well. But I'd like to reiterate that Slovenia remains committed to the ambition of establishing establishing a high speed railway line between Ljubljana, Maribor and Vienna. This is our number one priority. It's a priority within the ten-t corridors and an important element in the communication on high speed rail. So we count on your support in the future. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thank you very much, Minister. Um, first of all, I would like to also thank the presidency team for their excellent work on this important file. I want to stress that we find the CEF instrument very valuable, both for transport and energy projects. Slovenia has used successfully to finance to co-finance projects in both areas, and we aim to continue this strong and well interconnected energy infrastructure is one of the key pillars of a successful competitive, clean energy transition. It is therefore important that all available funds are used for advancing the core objective of the CEF, namely the development of grids on the transport side. You will know that our main problem was the so-called Illustrative Annex. Despite its nature, it has, however, high political visibility. We are therefore pleased with the inclusion of copper in the annex within the cross-border connection from Venice to Trieste, copper and divaca to Ljubljana on the Mediterranean corridor at the same time. We regret, however, that we were not able to extend the cross-border link from Vienna to Graz and Maribor all the way to Ljubljana. Nevertheless, we remain committed to the ambition of establishing a high speed rail line between Ljubljana and Vienna. This is a priority within the Ten-t corridors, and an important element in the action plan on high speed rail. So we count on the Commission's support in the future. All in all, although not completely satisfied, Slovenia supports the adoption of the partial general approach. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thank you very much for giving me the floor. I would like to thank the Commissioner for all the information you've provided. We agree that the revision of the control system in fisheries is an important step forward towards more sustainable management of marine biological resources in the European Union. We are aware that this is an important contribution to ensure traceability, transparency and the prevention of illegal fishing. During the negotiations process that was not brief. We have alerted to certain burdens related to smaller fishing sectors in in the area of digitalisation. In the initial phase of implementation, we have noticed certain challenges. As colleagues have already stated, we are seeing some issues related to technical equipment and the administrative readiness of fisheries. Slovenia is closely monitoring the implementation of the regulation together with its fishermen and related institutions. We would like to foresee adequate support for implementation, Including technical assistance. Our goal remains ensuring the sustainability of Slovenian fisheries, while also safeguarding its economic and social role in the coastal area.Thank you. Sir.”
Environmental regulation of fisheries
- “Dear colleagues, thank you very much for the discussion. Slovenia supports the partial general approach to the Agora EU. I would like to sincerely thank the Cyprus presidency for its inclusive and constructive collaboration throughout the preparation and also to all the member states for the discussion.
We particularly appreciate that the negotiations are in the final phase were following a European spirit and also were conducted in respect of cultural and linguistic diversity, which is for us as smaller states, particularly important. I would also like to welcome the inclusion of the principle of a level playing field in the media plus strand as well as the explicit recognition of protected groups and also the fights against crimes within the surf plus strand. These elements represent important added value. They reflect a shared commitment to fundamental rights and inclusiveness.
Also, I would still like to stress out the importance of our in-depth expert level discussion and these financial aspects, these are all connected with the content and also with the implementation of the programs. They have to be in the expert area be conducted and in our case also in the Cultural Affairs Committee. We will be insist on that in Slovenia.
A greater flexibility of the program should be carefully balanced with the principles of predictability, transparency and they all remain essential for its effective delivery. That's why we need the support of financial means, which enable all this. We are looking forward to an expert discussion. And, of course, in Slovenia, we'll do the utmost to have a constructive contribution. Thank you very much.”
EU and national cultural identities
- “11:22 – 16:13:59): Thank you chair and dear colleagues ai seems to be a general purpose technology that could have a transformative effect on our society turning to history we find that technological advancement has always given rise to hope that tech would make work easier including John Maynard Keynes' infamous prediction of fifteen hour work weeks for his grandchildren or concern that it would lead to mass unemployment.
While no one's hopes or fears have fully materialized the rate of change in the case of ai may be unprecedented regarding the use of ai to reduce labor market frictions Slovenia has developed a labor market platform that works as a single entry and access point for job seekers employers researchers policymakers and other interested parties and it uses multiple data sources to provide current labor market data demand for skills forecasts on structural imbalances skills development requirements and so on in the short medium and long run one five and fifteen years.
And while unemployment including frictional unemployment is already in an all time low in Slovenia we feel that this tool in which econometric analysis also relies on ai and machine learning will help keep it low.
Regarding the second question I believe I mentioned during a similar debate in Luxembourg in the autumn of two thousand twenty three that the cause for our concerns is that there is no guarantee or universal economic law that the benefits will pertain to all workers or even a substantial share of workers.
In order to support the fair digital transition the social and employment aspects of the semester must be put to the forefront and we believe that the ebsco council should take central role to ensure that priorities such as workers' rights job quality skills development and social protection are fully considered in the process.
Thus we see three levels of action one a strong legal framework and the ai act platform work directive and jobs quality act are an example second solid and broad minded general education followed by strong support for lifelong learning offered to all workers without exclusion and third strong collective bargaining to ensure a more uniform distribution of both burdens and benefits of new technologies.
Taking a step further worker participation in management and ownership has already provided good results in this regard there is already broad eu level support for employee ownership and we believe that moving further from declarative to material level would be a good course of action thank you”
EU regulation on worker representation in company decisions · Artificial Intelligence · European Semester (social dimension)
- “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Distinguished Commissioner, thank you for presenting all the information, for all your endeavours that we need to continue with. We emphasize the necessity of a stable framework and the support to farmers and rural areas in order to strengthen competitiveness and innovativeness of agri food sector. We welcome the measures for simplification and improvement of transparency of the market and the support for sustainable investments in rural areas. We are pleased to note that the Commission is proposing an all encompassing proposals in order to face difficulties at the global market. Thank you.”
Agriculture (green)
- “Thank you. Chair, Commissioner. The new commissioner. Colleagues, thank you very much for the floor. First of all, I would like to congratulate the new Commissioner. Tzitzikostas, I would like to congratulate you on your confirmation. I also wish you a lot of success at the beginning of this new term of the Commission. I'm looking forward to our future cooperation. Now, briefly on the file at hand. Dear chair, I would like to thank you and your entire team for the dedicated work you have put into this last file from the road safety package. Slovenia is a transit country. The general approach that we are discussing today can be endorsed by us. Therefore, the proposal on driving disqualifications is the first step of sanctioning serious infractions, especially road safety related offences throughout the EU. I believe that throughout the implementation of and with the mutual cooperation among member States within this dossier, we will learn a lot and we will improve road safety in the EU. Therefore, we are in favour of the review clause. It gives us an opportunity to improve things and to address potential problems with the implementation. In conclusion, allow me to stress once more that the area of road safety is one of the main priorities of my ministry. We would like to do everything in our power to implement the so-called Vision Zero. Thank you so much. And I also wish a lot of good luck to the future Polish presidency negotiations with the European Parliament. Thank you.”
Road transport environmental policy
- “Kuala. Thank you very much. We'd [00:09:30] like to thank Italy for addressing this topic. We agree that agriculture and forestry are key sectors to ensure food security, to preserve biodiversity and to manage environment in a sustainable way in rural areas. When discussing conclusions on long term vision, we said that these council conclusions are key to maintain a vital countryside. This must be taken into account [00:10:00] when putting together measures from the Green Deal, and the costs need to be shared equitably between different actors. We also agree that we need to pursue a strong and sustainable agricultural policy, through which we need to realise strategic autonomy for the European Union through agriculture and forestry. We need to have sustainable management of forestry and agriculture. This would ensure positive [00:10:30] results for big carnivores and big herbivores. We do know that we need to upgrade the current system, but we will need in-depth discussions on these measures. Last but not least, the new role of farmers should be evaluated through international trade agreements and through EU trade policy. Quality food is still undervalued. Undervalued quality food and safe food is the kind of service that our our farmers can provide.”
Agriculture (green)
- “Thank you. Markus. As I promised some year ago, we will. And we're trying to primarily evaluate all activities regarding the the integration and development of capital markets from a common European perspective rather than a subjective, narrow minded national perspective. But nevertheless, of course, we will always pay attention on the specifics of smaller countries with underdeveloped markets. So in this regard, we strongly support strengthening supervisory convergence as a cornerstone cornerstone of deeper, more integrated and globally competitive EU capital markets. However, integration must be designed in a way that delivers real efficiency gains while. Preserving the ability of all member states to develop their capital markets. We support a targeted transfer of supervisory powers to ESMA for entities that are genuinely significant from a cross-border and systemic perspective. This should be based on clear and objective criteria as a guiding principle. The level of centralisation must correspond to the level of risk and cross-border relevance. At the same time, centralisation should not be pursued as an objective in itself. This is particularly relevant in the case of crypto asset service providers. While we recognise the potential benefits of a more centralised model, any transfer of supervisory responsibilities must clearly demonstrate added value in terms of effectiveness, proportionality and cost efficiency. A blanket transfer risks imposing unnecessary burdens and could undermine market development, especially in smaller member states. Without improving supervisory outcomes, a more differentiated and risk based approach is therefore essential on governance. Effective supervision requires meaningful involvement of national competent authorities. Their expertise and proximity to markets are critical and must be adequately reflected in decision making structures. Finally, on financing, we must ensure a fair and balanced distribution of costs. The new framework should not create disproportionate burdens for smaller markets, but rather support the overall objective of a stronger and more inclusive European capital market. Thank you.”
Financial regulation
- “96% of the fossil fuels our economies and societies need are imported. Second, let me go further. Uh, made in EU. Uh, well, it's also about trade defence instruments In that sense, I would like to see Mark Carney in the room. So building strategic partnerships with the like minded partners across the globe that believe in a rules based global order, uh, and trade rules, um. Let me just conclude with some very specific remarks from our industry, for example, uh, from our chemical industries. Uh, by the way, we are third, uh, in share of industry in GDP and well above the average in energy intensive industries. So all the sentiments across the room are really shared by Slovenia. Uh, however, uh, for example, our chemistry industry emphasises that since low carbon technologies are not yet available at scale for many chemical processes, we should make sure that the upcoming revision of the Its directive would reflect realistic timelines. They also stress that the phasing out of free allowance should be aligned with the actual availability of decarbonisation solutions. The interaction with Cbam must be carefully assessed before major changes are introduced here. Our industry sees many uncertainties, particularly free allowances are withdrawn faster than cbam can effectively protect the EU market. Thank you and sorry for being a bit too long.”
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
- “The chair. Vice president of the Commission. Colleagues. The first debate about the European Competitiveness Fund is important. So let me say a couple of things. It is clear that we will need to combine public and private funds, but we shouldn't forget that at this moment we're in a relatively bad position. We are not as good as we were about five years ago when the last commission started working, or compared to the year 2000. We are much worse off right now. Why is this important? Expecting that with less public money. Given compared to our competitors such as China and the USA, we cannot compete with them in this way. Secondly, we are all aware of where we are because of poor development of digital tools. We were in talks with the USA and it was problematic because we are suffering because of the foreign monopoles. So what we need now is digital autonomy. But when you look at the proposal of the budget, this is only under the second point. Are are we willing to give up our sovereignty? Moving on. For Slovenia, it's very important that we take into account excellency, but also excellency of mid-sized companies. All Member States agree that Excellency is important. But some countries have a lot of mid-sized enterprises. We don't have multinationals or very big enterprises. So this is what we will monitor closely in Slovenia. And to conclude, let me say that this path is right. It's right that we are talking about competitiveness, but we are here for the citizens of the EU and they deserve a better life, but they will not achieve this if we don't make greater steps in this field. Thank you.”
"Buy European" provisions
- “Uh thank you. Minister. Commissioner. Slovenia supports the objectives of the European Ocean Pact. Despite our short coastline, we are deeply connected to the Mediterranean environmentally, economically and strategically. We believe that in order to achieve good environmental status of the sea. It is crucial to consistently implement the ecosystem approach, which is also the basis of the Slovenian plan for the management of the marine Environment. It is important to maintain a balance between the protection of marine and coastal ecosystems and sustainable economic development, in particular in the maritime sector and tourism. We would particularly like to highlight the impacts of climate change on highly sensitive coastal areas. We need integrated coastal zone management and nature based solutions that increase the resilience of coastal cities. I also expect all measures to be based on a source to sea approach. As others have mentioned, only by linking river basin and sea management programmes can we effectively reduce pressures on the marine environment. In the context of the revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. We would like to stress the importance of an integrated ecosystem approach. Common methods for monitoring the state of the sea, taking into account regional specificities and better coordination in reporting and planning measures. We also advocate closer integration of fisheries policy and maritime spatial planning. Thank you.”
Decarbonisation of maritime transport
- “It is absolutely important and necessary that we reduce the dependence of the EU agriculture and that we devise an effective policy for sustainable agricultural practices, and that we devise a good agricultural sector. We welcome the initiatives that are being prepared. We are especially happy to see a fertiliser action plan and a strategy for a sustainable agriculture. These two points and the protein strategy are key for a long term sustainability of our agriculture. We also support the announced revision of the legislation for animal welfare, especially the prohibition of, uh, of fostering in cages which we have prevented in Slovenia already. We see an added value in food as well. And the revision of the public procurement. We believe that this will strengthen value chains. We give special attention to the risk management for farmers and in the solution seeking of solutions for farmers and the schemes for insurance in agriculture. All these solutions will have to be enabled in the future cap post 2027. We need a stable, simple, yet sufficiently flexible legal framework for the future cap, which will have adequate funding and will enable the continued development of a sustainable, competitive and a resilient agri food sector. Thank you.”
Agriculture (green)
- “Thank you. [00:16:30] Chair, Slovenia. I would like to thank Austria for addressing this particular issue. We agree that we are ahead of important challenges and that our agricultural sector and farmers will have to face these challenges. In this respect. We would particularly like to subscribe to the following messages of the Austrian document. Firstly, in relation to the imports from Ukraine, we agree that there is a need to strengthen our activities in order to strengthen to reinforce [00:17:00] the internal market, particularly when it comes to improving the functioning of solidarity lanes. And secondly, we need to strike a balance between climate targets and food security. When it comes to this second aspect, we would like to increase the potential of agricultural lands, thus allowing our agriculture to fulfil its primary role on on the basis of principles underpinning all three pillars of sustainability. We believe that within the strategic dialogue announced [00:17:30] by the Commission, there will be a good chance of doing exactly that. Thank you.”
Agricultural trade: Ukraine imports
- “Let me mention that our cross-border capacity is at 245% of our overall installed capacity. It was built with contributions from Slovenian consumers in the past and taking away the benefits of this cross-border integration from the people. Now, they after they have paid for it, it will not be well accepted. So we need greater flexibility in the use of these revenues. It is of essential importance to us and the stay in country principle must be fully respected. Funds collected from cross-border capacities must remain in the member state where they were generated. It is also important that the basic rule governing the use of these revenues and the release mechanisms are clearly defined in the regulation. Member States must have a decisive role in determining the detailed rules, which means that the delegated act is not acceptable to us. Finally, Slovenia, of course, is very supportive of measures to accelerate permitting procedures for grid energy storage, renewable projects. But we. It must be done. And we caution about this in a way that ensures coherence with the environmental legislation, which is also currently being revised. And we should definitely strive for a more clear, more simple, and not to overly complex legislation. While any new measures should bring clear short term benefits. Thank you.”
EU energy infrastructure integration
- “Thank you very much for the floor. The council conclusions are based on the midterm review of achieving the objectives of the eighth EAP, and they come at the right time. Scientists have been warning us that time has been running out for tackling climate and environment and challenges and also our planet is approaching the tipping points in terms of the climate and natural systems only the full implementation of the target set and following climate and environmental science is the right way forward. We need in the future to focus our efforts on implementing without any delay. It is also important to reaffirm our commitment to climate neutrality and to timely phase out subsidies for fossil fuels. In doing so, we environment and climate ministers must act as an example, as role models for every EU citizen. The support of every individual is essential and this will also require putting the principles of just transition into practise. This is why we must stand firmly behind the objectives of the eight EAP. This must be seen as the EUs development and investment guidelines. Thank you very much to the presidency for its efforts in drawing up the conclusions.”
Climate efforts
- “96% of the fossil fuels our economies and societies need are imported. Second, let me go further. Uh, made in EU. Uh, well, it's also about trade defence instruments In that sense, I would like to see Mark Carney in the room. So building strategic partnerships with the like minded partners across the globe that believe in a rules based global order, uh, and trade rules, um. Let me just conclude with some very specific remarks from our industry, for example, uh, from our chemical industries. Uh, by the way, we are third, uh, in share of industry in GDP and well above the average in energy intensive industries. So all the sentiments across the room are really shared by Slovenia. Uh, however, uh, for example, our chemistry industry emphasises that since low carbon technologies are not yet available at scale for many chemical processes, we should make sure that the upcoming revision of the Its directive would reflect realistic timelines. They also stress that the phasing out of free allowance should be aligned with the actual availability of decarbonisation solutions. The interaction with Cbam must be carefully assessed before major changes are introduced here. Our industry sees many uncertainties, particularly free allowances are withdrawn faster than cbam can effectively protect the EU market. Thank you and sorry for being a bit too long.”
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
- “Thank you very much, chair. Allow me just a few words. Firstly, to thank Spain for bringing this issue to the table and then referring to our policy discussion. I would just like to mention that the priority setting and the governance of both programmes, as just mentioned, is clearly the most outstanding issue and challenge for us. And I would just like to emphasize that Slovenia fully supports and is committed to intensifying and deepening the discussion on both the strategic policy setting mechanisms and corresponding governance structures. Thank you very much.”
EU political integration
- “Thank you for the floor. Madam president, Slovenia recognizes just how important it is to protect health and environment and how important it is to guarantee the transition into circular economy. That's why we fully support the targets from the chemical strategy for sustainability. This strategy will still maintain its importance in achieving targets from the Green Deal. However, we think that some goals could be reached by a more balanced approach that could enable us to fulfil all of these measures. In practice, these measures must be adapted to global challenges, to geopolitical changes, to the lack of key raw materials and to significantly fiercer competition at global markets. The final goal of this approach is to protect the health of people and of the environment. This is the key guiding principle in defining sustainable and long term solutions. Companies, SMEs in particular, are facing numerous challenges when adapting to new demands and to modified relationships within supply chains. Therefore, it is of crucial importance that we adequately support them. The measures from this strategy are suitable for addressing all of these challenges. However, if we don't help companies, these measures will not be effective in enhancing the sustainable development of the sector. Slovenia welcomes all of the processes of simplification of the European chemicals legislation. However, what we are noticing is that the legislation is becoming ever more extensive and complex. That's why we hope that the revision of the Reach regulation will include the simplification of procedures and the loosening of certain requests and limitations. This will simplify its implementation in practice as well. We are very glad that you are introducing the principle of one substance, one assessment. This will enable us to comprehensively deal with chemicals. We also believe that all actors at the EU market should have a level playing field. We have to protect the environment, human health and the competitiveness of the industry within the EU. We do realise that the full compliance with legislation is probably not within reach. Therefore, the problem of non-compliant substances and products be dealt with. The combination of different approaches and solutions. We also believe that we have to strengthen the capacities of the European Chemicals Agency. We have to make sure that member states cooperate among themselves. Slovenia will continue endorsing all of the measures intended for the fulfillment of the goals in this strategy. Thank you.”
Chemicals regulation
- “Thank you very much, Slovakia. Slovenia would like to thank the Commissioner for presenting the most important elements of the vision. It is important that as part of the vision, as a strategic sector, we take account of agriculture as a strategic sector and also the role of farmers in society. And we also agree that farm farming and food systems must be able to operate within the limits that we can afford, and it's vital that we have a focus on integrated and sustainable development. But it must also be flexible in order to ensure that countries are able to take their own decisions. And with that in mind, we favour a simple and more stable environment which is easier easier to calculate, and it's vital that we ensure that agricultural products on the market are better priced and that production is better rewarded. But we also need to provide better access to local food, and consumers also need to be better informed, as do the public at large. They need better information about food and, as a matter of priority, climate change, the loss of young people in farming, those are very important areas, and it's really important, as we see it, that agricultural areas can be protected. Animal welfare is very important as our other objectives in order for us to be able to achieve that. It's important that farmers are properly remunerated in order for them to be able to play those roles and take on those tasks, and we won't be able to achieve those objectives if we don't have the appropriate financial framework. The Cap must have sufficient funding earmarked in order to foster the development of rural areas. And support to farmers must be preserved. Thank you very much.”
Agricultural funding
- “Dear colleagues, madam chair, in Slovenia, we believe that this work program of European Union for Culture is a valuable and effective framework that will strengthen cooperation among member states and enhance the visibility of culture across all relevant EU policy areas. We, therefore, support the continuation of its key priorities in the next work plan, while also advocating for their substantive further development to reflect new realities in cultural and creative sectors. But this has to be closely aligned with our new long term strategic framework embodied in the cultural compass and our joint declaration.
That is why we would like to upgrade this substantively to reflect new circumstances, also the geopolitical ones, because we see that the needs keep changing from work conditions to climate change.
Allow me to highlight several priority areas that we are facing. First, we must improve the position of artists and cultural workers. Slovenia strongly supports enhanced practices, fight against precarious working conditions, establishing minimum standards of remuneration, strengthening social protection. In Slovenia, we have adopted legislative and strategic measures in these areas. We can also share this. We believe that this common plan for minimal remuneration and good working conditions is good in culture. We should adopt this at the EU level.
Second, culture must be recognized as an autonomous pillar of sustainable development. We must ensure equal access to culture participation in cultural life for all citizens regardless of their social or geographical background. Inclusion is not only a cultural objective, it should be our democratic necessity.
Third, culture plays a crucial role in strengthening democratic resilience and active citizenship. In this context, safeguarding freedom of artistic expression remains an essential and nonnegotiable commitment.
Fourth, Slovenia strongly supports continued efforts at the intersection of culture and health, particularly mental health. We are convinced that stronger cooperation at the yield level can deliver additional tangible results in this field.
And fifth, we advocate for stronger financial mechanisms to support sustainable practices in the cultural sector and to protect cultural heritage from the impacts of climate change. In the future, this should be our basic priority.
We would like to have good remuneration for artists in change digital environment. Also, when it comes to artificial intelligence, that is why I would like to point out that we would like to cooperate. We know that we need a strong EU work plan. This is important for democratic, resilient, and tangible Europe. Thank you so much.”
EU and national cultural identities
- “Thank you. Thank you, President, [00:42:00] for the floor. Colleagues. Good morning on behalf of Slovenia. We've had a long debate on this legislative proposal on Friday in the national parliament, and that discussion was quite similar to the one we're having here today. So an ambitious approach towards the protection of the environment on the one hand and on the other. Fears [00:42:30] about what is happening in the European industry and the trends are not promising. So we are talking about a balance here. How much of additional costs is being incurred by the population and by the industry? And the question is, are we really doing everything in our power to make sure that the European cars are more competitive throughout [00:43:00] the world and not just in Europe? So we had an in-depth debate and we are grateful to you presidency to present to us today a balanced approach. We believe perhaps it's best to take small steps forward and get to the final destination. Thank you very much.”
Road transport environmental policy
- “And that is how culture is actually an investment for future. And I believe that this program should stay autonomous and adequately funded. Now, on content priorities in the future programme here, I would like to highlight, uh, that the quality of content is of utmost importance. We believe that creative and sectors should become part and parcels of programs developed in other sectors. There is research that shows that culture actually contributes to well-being, uh, of general population. We believe uh, that uh, that that transparency, uh, of programs is very important as well. Visibility is also important, like, uh, the program Pillar Media, uh, which is very visible. The program pillar culture should be as visible as that as well. Uh, now, priorities of cultural compass should be clear. The question you posed about, uh, the political priorities and culture compass. Now, let me answer that question. Culture is the main pillar of our resilience and international relations. Resilience of cultural sectors, uh, means better working conditions for artists. Culture of first a room for discussion and dialogue. That is why appropriate financing is very important. International. International international relations are the prerequisite of cultural development. That is why we have to cooperate closely more closely with Unesco and Council of Europe. The Compass should promote cooperation of all with audiovisual UN houses. Long term cooperation is needs to be guaranteed and this needs to be cross-cutting. We have to be daring and have strategic vision. We are investing in the future. Culture is showing and Europe is flourishing. Thank you.”
EU and national cultural identities
- “Dear Minister, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues. Today it is the first time I participate at this Council. So I would really like to thank you, the Polish, the Polish Presidency for the document that is of excellent quality. We live in turbulent times that test our ways of working and culture is what shows us the way forward. It highlights our values. It shows that we have many ways to address the issues and problems we face. Europe is actually the continent that supports culture, and this is unprecedented. Nowhere else is that so. The Creative Europe is a program that offers great opportunities for creative sector. It strengthens our fabric of life. I would like to thank you, dear Commissioner, for attending the opening of the European Capital of Culture in Nova Gorica and for attending the ministerial meeting on Western Balkans, you highlighted the importance of culture. Actually, a strategic document is needed about culture. Culture is needed for long term resilience of, uh, of Europe. I believe that the instrument that is going to support us in future is the Creative Europe programme. This is the programme that is very important for Member states and also in those states that would like to become members of European Union. This is a program that offers these candidate countries the first touch, the first contact with Europe. It highlights the importance of culture, culture, European culture in their local communities. Uh, local creators, uh, have uh, get in touch with European institutions. The programs that the institutions lead, uh, become present in their territories.”
EU and national cultural identities
- “Madam chair, thank you to friends for putting this issue on the agenda. We believe that we must find a solution as quickly as possible. We [00:14:30] have to ensure that notified bodies can, in a timely manner, assess and certified medical devices. We must focus more on shortages of in vitro medical diagnostic devices, especially we must to make sure that Euromed functions well. Let me also mention the following smaller countries, uh, have a difficult access to the best products and the best prices. [00:15:00] In line with what we've heard. We might, uh, it might make sense to think about, uh, solutions at the EU level. Thank you.”
Medical devices
- “Voila. Thank you very much, chairman. Thank you to Austria for putting this point on the agenda. As regards cell based meat production, we agree with Austria that a thorough impact assessment must be made of such products and how they affect traditional methods of [00:19:30] farming and how they affect the environment. If a mass production could follow the same as for GMOs, and DNT applies compulsory labeling so that consumers can make an informed choice. Thank you.”
EU policy on lab-grown meat
- “Thank you very much. President and I too would like to thank Luxembourg for a very kind gesture. The proposals on simplification, uh, represent, uh, an important step to more practical and farmer friendly cap without lowering the environmental ambitions of our agricultural policy. However, the technical discussions now underway have shown that several matters need to be clarified, even those that did not sign the joint letter. We agree with those member states who call for the debate to take place in the Agri Fish Council formation on the proposal by the Commission. As such, we welcome the simplifications for small and organic farmers. The faster crisis response measures the fact that we are doing away with performance clearance, and that we are simplifying the process of amending SAP strategic plans. We also welcome additional flexibility for certain types of conditionality. As to any other topics to include in the Commission's proposal. We regret that the Commission did not include social and conditionality. The experience in the first year of implementation showed that there are certain issues we need to address ASAP. Otherwise we risk sanctions for Member States. We therefore believe that this package should be completed in the in that part. Or perhaps these matters should be discussed in the future. Cap. Then there is the question of establishing a single national authority for Cap data management and interoperable interoperability. This idea raises many questions. So this should be voluntary for Member states and introduced only as of the next programming period. Slovenia welcomes the possibility to use payments per beehive. However, we believe that these measures should also be allowed in the framework of the beekeeping envelope and we welcome the idea to include EU doctor into the simplification package. Thank you.”
Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
- “Thank you. As a green and sustainable country, Slovenia welcomes the initiative put forward by Sweden and we, of course, advocate the improvement of animal welfare. We firmly believe that high standards in this area are key, not just because we have a moral responsibility, but because they build the fundamentals of our future agriculture and food system. So we will continue to support all initiatives that will aim at improving the conditions for animals. In addition, in particular the ban on animal cages, improved protection during transportation and clear and unified standards of welfare are key steps that are expected also by our citizens. Citizens who want to have a more just and sustainable food system. And we would like to stress that the same standards of animal welfare must be applied also for all imported products, because we want to have a level playing field for our producers, and we want to prevent the import of food that does not take into account our standards. Thank you.”
EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers · Import of agri-food products in the EU
- “Thank you for the floor. Slovenia would like to thank the presidency for presenting this proposal. We welcome the Belgian presidency's intention [00:54:30] to deal with this proposal, primarily under the auspices of the Agri Fish Council. It is crucial that experts on forestry be included in these discussions, as the obligations stemming from the proposal pertain to the forestry sector. At the same time, forestry experts are best placed to implement or continue to implement forestry monitoring activities that are very much under way already. This proposal is very important. As such, it is still under scrutiny by our experts, [00:55:00] especially to assess the added value in terms of knowledge and know how, and to assess the additional financial and administrative burdens. My comments today will therefore not be final. Firstly, Slovenia must point out that forestry is an exclusive national competence.Second, Slovenia would like to stress that the added value of a legally binding act is questionable given that voluntary monitoring and reporting systems in member states and in international organisations already exist. These also allow for coordination in defining indicators to ensure comparability, and the European Commission can also provide comments and guidance in these discussions. It is essential that [00:00:30] new obligations do not lead to additional financial and administrative burdens. Member States must maintain their flexibility in implementing these activities. Third. We will need to address several other questions in our discussions, including the type and range of data to collect compliance and coexistence with the existing national systems. Furthermore, the legislation on monitoring must [00:01:00] be coherent with other EU regulations. And last but not least, Slovenia has a long tradition of collecting data forest related data. These guide us in planning and development activities for forests to fulfil all their functions, and in parallel parallel we also provide for forest monitoring. Thank you.”
Management of EU forests
- “Thank you so much. Thanks to the Polish delegation. Also in Slovenia, we agree that there is still room for improvement to further increase usability of DC in guiding policies and actions that drive digital transformation. For example, we support the proposal to include cybersecurity in DC with a separate and [00:06:00] dedicated indicator. We also want to point out the need for compatibility with already existing international indices. We believe that the measurement methodology should be designed to monitor development objectives set like the digital decade objectives. On the other side, there are questions such as how many different social networks or media are used by citizens. We believe that this does not exactly show the level of digital [00:06:30] sophistication of a member state. If only three are not for different social media are used. So we support we fully support further discussions on this topic. Thank you.”
Digitalization of public governance & administration
- “As regards diversification of protein sources, uh, what is key is, uh, diversification. So as regards diversification within the strategic plan, Slovenia encourages production of plant based proteins, particularly legumes, and this contributes to strengthening food self-sufficiency and promoting the sustainable use of agricultural land. We provide support through the following measures. Production link payments for protein crops. Environmental and climate measures. Encouraging crop rotation, the promotion of aquaculture as a complementary farm activity, and development of new knowledge and advisory services. Our focus is on small and medium sized farms and short food supply chains. We consider our support measures effective as the area under protein crops continues to grow. However, this success also leads to a reduction in support per hectare, since the 2% envelope cap limits higher payment levels. Concerning the second question, Slovenia supports the development of an ambitious but realistic European protein strategy, which goes beyond a narrow focus on domestic production. So we are to achieve the union's strategic autonomy objectives. We propose the following strategic directions. More effective use of Cap instruments than policy coherence than a. Intensify the investments. Improvements in technology. Uh, as regards the production of plant based products, then efficient, uh, transfer of knowledge, uh, which is essential then support clear labeling of origin and production methods, enabling customers to make informed choices and increasing demand for sustainably produced goods. Cross-sectoral integration ensure links with industrial policy, smart specialisation strategies and the inclusion of fisheries and aquaculture. Slovenia believes that diversifying protein sources offers a valuable opportunity to transfer the European food system. Thank you.”
Plant-based diet
- “Thank you very much. Chairman. Commissioner, allow me to wish you all the best on behalf of the Slovene delegation and a lot of success in carrying out the priorities in your mandate. And you can count on Slovenia being constructive there. We would like to thank the presidency for the report that we have received. This report correctly summarizes the work that we've done so far and the progress that we have achieved. These two proposals are highly technical, so it is extremely important that we deal with them thoroughly and in detail. One of the main issues that we still have to deal with is the control issue. We would like to maintain the current system if possible, because this would allow us not to introduce administrative and financial burdens. And it is also important that certain issues be solved at national levels before taking into account local and national specificities. This is particularly true for forests propagating material as far as plant propagating material is concerned. Some suggested changes should be fine tuned and certain limitations should, in our opinion, be limited even further. Um, in order to reach the goal, which is the harmonization of rules. And in addition, we would like um, to see excluded from this um, verification system, um, plant and uh, fruits and vegetables. But you can count on our constructive cooperation.”
Sustainable use of seeds in EU policy
- “Thank you, thank you. Chair. Executive Vice President, colleagues. Ladies and gentlemen, um, simplification is a popular term nowadays, but it is far from politically neutral. It is framed around competitiveness and reducing the burden reduction, and that aligns with the broader economic goals of the European Union today. But this risks shifting the balance of power in the EU social policy making towards pure market logic. And that means steering away from robust social protection. That is the goal of the all the ministers who sit here. In my opinion. Yes, simplification offers opportunities to make EU more agile, but it poses risks. Serious risks. Risks for European social model. So in my view, harmonisation should not be framed as deregulation. Harmonisation should be conducted as harmonisation of national frameworks. The strength of European Union lies in its unity and EU is not. Unified today. We are still, as reports say, 27 national economies, in many cases 27 markets, 27 legislations and yes, 27 social models. And we we are talking how to simplify things in Europe. We should talk about harmonization, not about deregulation of what we have achieved at the European level, especially when we followed, uh, implementation of European pillar of Social rights.”
EU competences on social policies
- “Thank you very much. Allow me to say that Slovenia attaches great importance to the establishment of a safe environment for research and the international cooperation thereof. In our view, we should be particularly vigilant when knowledge with the potential for military use is also being created. In these cases it is necessary to properly identify and manage the risks of international research collaborations. As Slovenia has continuously expressed, the risks of such unwanted use of knowledge by third countries becomes greater if a third country is involved in armed conflict. We therefore proposed that this factor would be appropriately recognised as one of the criteria based on which a profile of a third country is developed. However, we see the proposed text as balanced and in view of the significance Slovenia places on research security as a measure for ensuring better, more transparent, effective and excellent international research cooperation. We support and approve the text of the recommendations as it stands, and will endeavour to implement its provisions in line with the principles and values of the European Union. Thank you.”
Artificial Intelligence for military purposes
- “Thank you very much, chair. Allow me just a few words. Firstly, to thank Spain for bringing this issue to the table and then referring to our policy discussion. I would just like to mention that the priority setting and the governance of both programmes, as just mentioned, is clearly the most outstanding issue and challenge for us. And I would just like to emphasize that Slovenia fully supports and is committed to intensifying and deepening the discussion on both the strategic policy setting mechanisms and corresponding governance structures. Thank you very much.”
EU political integration
- “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Slovenia supports the objectives of the proposal. The aim is to facilitate making business in the single market, reduce the administrative burden and increase the competitiveness of the EU economy.
Therefore, in the spirit of compromise, Slovenia supports the general approach. There are, however, some issues for which we hope that will be adequately addressed, during dialogues. The business wallet, should complement the existing national solutions. It should not substitute them. It should not become yet another parallel communication channel. We, support, the approach of linking that up with national solutions. We should use that approach with regard to exchange of documents, especially e service of documents.
We need, we notice that the system in place, only regards that the exchange of documents for competent authorities and not for the exchange between the public sector and economic, operators. This, could, be a lack of legal certain for e business, e service of documents and access to e procedures, especially within the countries where there are well functioning systems in place.
2nd, we need more legal and operational clarity. What is the relation between the European digital directory on the 1 hand and national business registers on the other? In particular, with regard to the following point, addresses for a service of documents, the link of to the business wallet for digital identity and the principle of only once as per single portal regulation.
We need to make sure that the EU digital solutions function coherently. 3rd, successful implementation will depend on timely adoption of clear implementing act and having transition period that will be long enough for the necessary adaptations.
All in all, the business wallet should not entail additional disproportional burden for business operators. Given these misgivings and outstanding issues, Slovenia would like to join the joint declaration by Estonia, Austria, Poland and Malta. Thank you.”
EU Single Market harmonisation
- “Chairman, thank you very much for giving me the floor. Commissioner colleagues, Slovenia would like to thank the presidency for the information and the work done so far. This is a very important file which regulates this area at the EU level. So we understand the ambition of the presidency to try and reach as much progress as possible. But we believe that a common approach at our [00:12:00] next council is a bit premature. We think that certain issues remain unresolved and they are important for Slovenia as well. As pointed out by the Croatian document, these are the following question. The precautionary principle and addressing both benefits and risks of new genomic techniques. Harmonised rules to prevent the risks of these techniques for the health of animals and people and other cultivation processes. [00:12:30] We should not jeopardise organic farming and conventional ways of farming then the mandatory labelling of such products. Traceability and upholding the rights of consumers to make a choice. Then there's the correlation to patent law and the scope of implementing acts by the Commission. All these questions need to be resolved. Thank you.”
New Genomic Techniques
- “Decarbonization shouldn't mean deindustrialization. So I fully share a lot of views in this room. Uh, that basically we have one, uh, core problem and these are unaffordable energy prices. Um, it is clear that we do not have a functioning single market on energy, as well as the lack of investment in cross border, um, grids that would technologically a part of the political will, really create conditions for a single market in that field. Um, however, I do not agree with those that this is the only topic on the agenda we have, uh, the need for market creation. We have a need to boost innovation in the sectors we are covering, uh, both in steel, uh, chemistry as well as and specifically in automotive, because on many technological fronts, we are lagging behind. And it's about the instruments of good industrial policy that has to help develop, uh, such technologies as well as decrease dependencies we face. Uh, um, actually all three of the sectors regarding, uh, Sebum. And I really share a position. Um, yes. Very open to fine tune the instruments. That's why I would call also for joint meeting of not only competitiveness ministers, but also climate and energy ministers, because we have to make a package and it is only feasible to make such package when we combine all three of the aspects, uh, that are covered. We should not, while preventing from some dependencies, uh, further increase and acknowledge the existing one.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Madam chair. Maria, thank you for the floor. Commissioner. Ministers, the energy transition is key to lower greenhouse gas emissions and to increase the energy efficiency and resilience of the sector. That is why we need low carbon energies and we need to go to the renewable energy sources. Careful consideration is required regarding smaller fishing communities within these times of crisis, where the energy transition should not lead to the decline or disappearance of small fishing communities. Therefore, we need to think alongside the energy transition requirements, how to adjust legislation in the future. Common fisheries policy when it comes to energy transition to vessels. How to increase the gross tonnage or engine power? Because currently the rules are common, policy doesn't allow that. We also need the common legislation framework. Slovenian fishing fleet consists predominantly of smaller and older vessels. Therefore, two issues are crucial for us sufficient financial resources for the energy transition and appropriate regulatory flexibility, which means that we also need to simplify the rules to implement the The procedures to have new vessels to change the engines, and also to change the vessels for vessels, for fishermen to facilitate investments. We expect to see this in the upcoming EU vision for Fisheries and Aquaculture as regards Italy's call. Also in Slovenia, the fisheries sector is facing an exceptional increase in diesel prices, putting the income of businesses and fishermen at risk. That is why we need measures to implement everything and we support also the fund for Common Agricultural Policy, for emergency funds to have easier absorption of funds and to also facilitate the rules when it comes to state aid. European fishermen should survive, should preserve their activities. This is also important for food and resilience of the entire EU sector. Thank you.”
Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
- “Madam chair. Thank you very much [00:28:30] for the floor. Slovenia would like to thank the presidency for all the efforts in trying to find compromises. Thank you for trying to adopt this general approach in as short a time span as possible, despite the efforts of the presidency. We believe that the text could be clearer in certain parts, as it currently gives way to different interpretations, and that means that it is not clear enough [00:29:00] for those who will need to follow the rules. We support the longer deadlines, and we believe that the level of ambition stemming from the current directive should not be lowered. We need to stick closer to the principles of the Water Framework Directive. We would particularly like to underscore the six year cycles of water management planning, and given that measures are set based on an analysis of cost [00:29:30] effectiveness and socio economic proportionality, we support higher ambitions when it comes to agglomerations. But we need more flexibility taking into account specificities in member states when it comes to setting common requirements for individual systems with a capacity lower than 2000 P. That is questionable at EU level. [00:30:00] As far as the extended producer responsibility is concerned, we support more flexibility. We support the polluter pays principle, but there needs to be more flexibility. Member states should be able to use other adequate mechanisms to put this principle into practice. We also support all the efforts of the presidency to do more when it comes [00:30:30] to energy efficiency. We may have misgivings when it comes to the feasibility of these targets, particularly when it comes to the 100% energy neutrality in the sector. Our misgivings haven't been completely addressed, but we hope that they will be addressed during the negotiations. Thank you.”
Water pollution
- “Thank you. As a stressed country, also ourselves, we would like to thank Austria for bringing attention to the Lulucf sector, especially following the previous debate on the post 2030 framework. We fully agree with the background note. While the Lulucf sector makes an important contribution to climate neutrality. Natural disturbances, other climate change effects, as well as an aging forest structure should be taken into account when setting the post 2030 climate framework. Short term lulucf targets should not be pursued at the expense of long term forest resilience and sustainable forest management.”
Management of EU forests
- “Thank you, Minister. And thank you to the commissioner as well for the report. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank the presidency and the Commission for representing Slovenia at the meeting and for helping facilitate our accession to the Ipbs during the plenary. As the government decision on our accession was taken just shortly before the meeting, we were unfortunately not yet in a position to ensure our participation. Building on our earlier discussion on global environmental diplomacy and the importance of science based policy making, Slovenia strongly supports the role of Ipbs as a key science policy platform for biodiversity and ecosystem services. We look forward to actively contributing to its work in the future. Thank you.”
EU competences on foreign affairs
- “Thank you. Thank you chairman. We welcome this discussion and we would like to thank you for all the elements that you have included in the discussion so far at the level of the working party. What is important for Slovenia is, um, still the category one, uh, of plants produced with NTS. And here we would like to make sure that the appropriate principles are applied in terms of their risks. We need to define rules and measures in order to prevent possible negative effects of entities, to public health and to the environment, and to other production, uh, practices. We also advocate a case by case approach and a scientific impact assessment or risk assessment rather. We would like to advocate a mandatory labeling of all, uh, such products and the right of consumers to have to make an informed decision. And last but not least, it is really important for all plants of both categories of ncgs are not used in organic farming because we lack appropriate data on their impact on human health and biodiversity. So in this respect, the proposal needs to be further refined. Thank you.”
New Genomic Techniques
- “Thank you chair. Allow me firstly to express our solidarity also with Romania due to the drone strike. Uh, as to the matter, Slovenia welcomes the progress in negotiations on the Horizon Europe package and thanks the presidency for its efforts in bringing member states views closer. We support the proposed solution for priority setting, which ensures early involvement of member states, including through Iraq. This process should be common for both Horizon Europe and the competitiveness found on European partnerships. Slovenia supports stronger implementation links with the European Competitiveness Fund, while horizon Horizon Europe should remain focused on research and innovation. Up to demonstration level in-kind contributions must not dilute genuine private investments leveraged through partnerships. Slovenia also supports central management of financial contributions and remains open to finding workable solutions for all member states. The provisions for supporting bottom up collaborative research and innovation are welcome as they respond to the need needs expressed also by Slovenian stakeholders. As for many previous speakers. Widening measures remain one of the key unresolved issues also for Slovenia. While we support distinguishing between widening and transition countries, restricting transition countries access to the full widening toolbox is not justified from a policy perspective. Instead, more favourable conditions should be developed for widening countries within capacity building instruments. While all countries should be better supported in their gradual integration into the wider program and phasing out from widening support. Evidence from the commission particularly supports targeted widening interventions to improve participation in IRC and EIC. Slovenia also remains committed by law to increase R&D investments towards the 3% target, but we question whether the proposed conditionality is the best instrument. Lastly, Slovenia believes Horizon Europe should remain primarily a civil research and innovation programme. However, with full support for a dual use EIC support for defence only innovation should therefore be funded exclusively through the ECF, which is specifically distinguished designated to address Resilience, security and defense challenges. We deal with this chair. We remain confident that PGA in June is still achievable. Thank you.”
Research priorities within the EU
- “Thank you [00:09:00] for the floor, chair. Innovation as n-gt. Surely have a lot of potential to improve sustainability and profitability of our agri food sector. But new research shows the need to have an approach case by case and also show new risks and broader effects. So such an approach we should be taken with regulating nt1 as well. We need to be careful [00:09:30] about potential effects on human health, the environment and on potential socio economic consequences. So we are a proponent of the cautionary principle that is a well thought through approach to the use of new techniques, including checks and balances. We also need to not forget about the value of existing techniques, which have proven to be effective and safe through the years, so we should keep using them and [00:10:00] only upgrade them with caution. Our goal is not to slow down progress, but only to make sure that innovation go hand in hand with the highest standards of safety and responsibility. Thank you.”
New Genomic Techniques
- “Thank you Minister. We'd like to thank Romania for raising this issue. It's clear, clearly recognized, that nuclear energy has a positive effect for the energy system stability and costs. However, it is CapEx intensive and we need better access to financing for nuclear. We would especially welcome a toolbox of predefined instruments and blueprints that member states can use under state aid procedures in order to facilitate a streamlined assessment process. Thank you.”
Nuclear energy · Energy transition (state support)
- “Thank [00:17:00] you, chairman, for giving me the floor. First of all, I would like to thank the presidency for all the work which went into preparing council conclusions on the EU's long term vision for rural areas. This is, in our opinion, an important signal that the Council is aware of the importance of rural areas for the EU. The conclusions are also a commitment for us all at EU level, national level and local level to [00:17:30] strive to ensure that rural areas continue to be vibrant and populated, that they can ensure prosperity for people living there, and that they contribute to EU's competitiveness and to green and digital transition. The communication of the Commission, the EU's Action Plan for Rural Areas and the pact for Rural Areas provide a framework for our action. Greater cross-sectoral coherence and an integrated approach will ensure synergies [00:18:00] and prevent any duplications. It's important to involve all stakeholders, stakeholders in this work and to take account of the challenges posed by demographic change, with a particular focus on young people and women. Let me also stress the importance of bottom up initiatives, in particular community led local development. We organised a conference on 19th of October in Slovenia, and we [00:18:30] shared our experience as regards successful and effective implementation of this community led approach that's been successful since 2007. With regard to addressing the many various challenges of territorial development, and in particular the socio economic differences between rural areas and other areas, we should also focus on the importance of developing new cross-sectoral and connected value added chains, which must be [00:19:00] sustainable and socially fair. At the end, I would like to highlight the key role of agriculture, forestry, food and bioeconomy for rural areas. They create jobs, they bring innovation, provide higher income for rural population and are also a source of sustainable food and raw materials. These sectors must be at the forefront forefront of making rural areas more [00:19:30] resilient and competitive. In the future, we will continue to need a strong cap for the future with a strong focus on rural development, and we need to ensure that most EU policies ensure adequate resources.”
Cohesion and rural funding
- “Thank you. Um, for [00:20:00] me, um, the European pillar of social rights is one of the core achievements of the European Union. And, uh, I'm afraid that the rights it represents are not self-evident in today's world. We are competing against regions where it is normal to work the, uh, so-called six, six, six, six, six, nine work weeks for, uh, nine, nine six from 9 to 9, six days per week. [00:20:30] And, uh, for me, it is of crucial importance that in Europe we find the balance between productivity and, uh, work time balance. Now, as we all know, um, we have to perceive our welfare states holistically. Good pension reform, as someone said, starts in a cradle. Good childcare leads to good school achievement. [00:21:00] Good school achievements lead to good jobs and good salaries and good jobs and good salaries leads to lead to good pensions and all together lead to a healthy welfare state. So we must maintain it, and to maintain it, we must be prepared to invest. That is why I will support the concept of social investment tomorrow. And the crucial question is where to invest on the first place. Um, here, maybe, uh, [00:21:30] talking from a generational bias, I would like to underline housing. Housing crisis is one of the most pertinent crisis for my generation.
If, for instance, in Slovenia, my parents were able to build their self a home in 5 to 7 years, my generation needs a credit range that ranges from 25 to 30 years to get a decent [00:22:00] flat. And that is not only our situation. I hear that situation from my colleagues and friends from all around Europe. So housing is one of the key points where we have to invest. The second is we are facing a crisis of, uh, demographic. So there are more and more migrant workers among us in Slovenia. They represent already more than 10% of labour force. And integration is one of [00:22:30] the crucial points for social cohesion. Then I would like to place the problem of wage share. Unfortunately, we have a booming economy, but the wage share in the national GDP is falling. So we will have to ask ourselves how to start transferring extra profits into productive investments and how wages could start representing a larger part of GDP. And [00:23:00] on the last, uh, um, last, um, underline, I would like to expose once again, work life balance. We should not be, um, subsumed to a life where we work. Where we live only to work. Thank you.”
EU housing policy
- “Thank you very much for the floor. Chairman. Slovenia would like to welcome the significant progress made during the last two presidencies. In this file on title four, Pre-pack procedures could make it possible to preserve jobs and to save Businesses which are in financial dire straits, but we have some misgivings. The general principle of civil law is that contracts are not simply transferred from one party to another without the consent of the counterparty. But article 27 derogates from that principle. For example, employment contracts are enforceable contracts if we are to support such an article 27. Employment contracts would be transferred without the workers consent and this would undermine workers rights. We have to keep a principle based approach that protects counterparties. For example, workers Slovenia would propose to delete article 27. Member states should be flexible when it comes to national law and the transfer of contracts. Pre-pack procedures can contribute to the capital Markets Union if they work efficiently. That's why we should try to improve the rules in this title. We also propose to delete the entire title six when it comes to micro-enterprises. Given that the simplified procedure there does not really contribute much to the Capital markets Union. Thank you.”
Financial regulation
- “Thank you for giving me the floor. In principle, we do support the objective of this legislative proposal, but we believe, as many others, that these measures will not be sufficient to strengthen the competitiveness of European industry in the long term. The key factor which negatively impacts competitiveness this is not addressed in this proposal are high energy prices. Affordable and reliable energy supply remains a prerequisite for keeping industrial production in the EU, especially for energy intensive sectors, in terms of public procurement measures and public support schemes. We would like to mention the risk of increased administrative burdens, especially because of the demanding procedure of verification of origin, the ownership of third country bidders and because of compliance with low carbon Urban criteria. The proposal also contains certain ambiguity ambiguities regarding evidence and verification procedures. Harmonized tools are not yet fully in place at EU level, but they would be necessary in order to ensure effective implementation of these requirements. We believe that the measures should be proportionate, technology neutral, easy to implement and in line with the future revision of EU rules on public procurement. The difference in administrative capacities of Member States should also be taken into account and the readiness of the market. The risk does exist that in certain sectors, the market is not mature enough yet to fulfill the proposed criteria, and this could lead to limiting competition, higher prices and to unsuccessful procurement procedures, because there simply won't be enough bidders who would meet the origin or low carbon requirements.”
"Buy European" provisions
- “As regards the provisions on foreign direct investments, we would also like to draw attention to the possible additional administrative burden for national authorities and to the actual implementation of these tasks in practice. This includes feasible deadlines. It is also necessary to ensure that these provisions are in line with international trade obligations of the European Union, and this has been pointed out by certain third countries. It would perhaps make sense to develop some joint key messages, so that our communication with these third countries is aligned. We welcome the efforts to simplify and digitalize permitting procedures, but we stress the need for horizontal alignment across sectoral legislation so that we can avoid Duplications so that we can avoid legal uncertainty and any additional administrative burden for businesses and competent authorities. We also have misgivings as regards the application of delegated acts, and this was pointed out by many other speakers. So we have misgivings about delegated acts as well. Thank you.”
EU policy on screening foreign investment in strategic sectors and critical infrastructure
- “Thank you, chairman, and thank you to commissioner as well. This is a very important file, and we would like to thank the presidency for our debate today. Children are our future. They are our fortune, and we need to protect them regardless of how they were conceived or born and irrespective of the type of family they live in. In the past 3 years, a lot of work has gone into this file. Technical discussions have progressed, especially in understanding key concepts. At the same time, these discussions has have allowed us to mutually understand national legal orders. This provides for a good basis for common balance solutions to effectively protect children across the EU. At the same time, this would ensure the continuity of parenthood in cross border situations in the EU. I would like to thank the Cyprus presidency for your determination and your constructive compromise proposals. Now some parts of the draft regulation represent a major challenge for Slovenia as well. For example, surrogacy. Slovenia was clear at our last ministerial debate 2 years ago. Our legal order does not allow for surrogacy through medically assisted reproduction. Surrogacy can jeopardize the fundamental rights of women and their physical integrity, especially if it is based on social and economic inequality and is tantamount to a form of exploitation. It can also raise concerns on child trafficking. We would not like to use EU legislation to indirectly promote surrogacy. Nonetheless, we must strive for common solutions and to and adequate safeguards in the draft regulation. Slovenia was open even during the Belgian presidency to extend the list of grounds for refusal of recognition so as to allow the cooperation among all member states. We believe that more technical work will be needed to come to a final text. Only then will we be in a position to decide on any specific further steps and on the future of the draft regulation. Thank you.”
Regulation of surrogate pregnancy
- “Thank you very much for giving me the floor. Slovenia is aware [00:50:30] of the fact that road transport is one of those sectors where additional efforts will be needed to achieve decarbonisation and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. We welcome this proposal and the ambitious emission reduction targets for 20, 30, 35 and 40, especially when we take into account that the road transport sector is the only sector where emissions are still increasing. [00:51:00] We believe that this legislative act will help us achieve the goals of the burden sharing regulation, which is of great importance. The industry where received a clear signal. This act will set a clear further development track, but we have to pay attention to charging infrastructure. The charging infrastructure needs to provide for smooth operation, so we welcome an earlier revision in 2027. In terms of better air quality, [00:51:30] especially in urban areas. Slovenia is favourable of the 100% target for urban buses by 2030. We also support the public procurement framework here. We would point out that contracting authorities needs to have a simplified tendering procedures at hand. So I would like to thank the presidency for all their efforts [00:52:00] in searching a for a compromise. Slovenia can support the compromise proposal. Thank you.”
Road transport environmental policy
- “Chairman. Thank you for the floor. Commissioner. Ministers. Slovenia would like to thank the commission for presenting this act. The proposal is extremely important, [00:20:00] but our services are still studying it. So I will only provide you with some preliminary remarks. We agree with the need to uniformly regulate. We understand that they could contribute to the sustainable goals of the Green Deal and as such represent the opportunity to adapt agriculture to the current climate conditions. When developing NPS, it is essential to preserve conventional and organic farming, especially [00:20:30] from the point of view of its coexistence with meat production. We therefore wonder whether it is appropriate to deregulate nt1 plants. We are also wondering whether the proposal for NPS will have a positive effect on food security and sovereignty of the EU. Slovenia therefore strongly favours the use of precautionary principle and in doing so, a high level of safety and security of health and the environment. We also must [00:21:00] preserve the trust of the consumers and allow the freedom of choice for all stakeholders of the food chain. We are therefore concerned with regard to the implementability of the proposal by the Member States due to the absence of tools for the. Verification and monitoring of products created with new genomic techniques. We therefore favor a case by case approach, the need for a scientific risk assessment and mandatory [00:21:30] labeling for all products produced with NTS. We also agree with the fact that we need to study this proposal from the point of view of ensuring a sustainable and resilient agri food system. We have certain misgivings with regard to impact assessment, and the document does not provide clear information on to what extent plants with characteristics that could lead to sustainable food production and processing [00:22:00] are already prevalent, or to what extent they could improve resilience to diseases and pests, etcetera. Having seen your work programme, we believe that in the future months we will be given many opportunities to resolve uncertainties, misgivings and outstanding issues and in doing so, improve the proposal. We will be a constructive partner in your future endeavours. Thank you.”
New Genomic Techniques
- “Uh, thank you very much for giving me the floor. I would like to thank the presidency for giving us an opportunity to present our experience after the first year of implementation of strategic plans. Talk about the main challenges and the way forward. We share the presidency's assessment that the beginning has been extremely challenging because of the many new interventions and the short deadlines to prepare for implementation [00:18:00] and to inform advisory bodies and farmers about all the new elements. Administrative burden is also considerable, especially for paying agencies. Nonetheless, I can say that we are satisfied with the first year of implementation because the take up among farmers is in line with our expectations. Farmers responded positively to the agri environmental measures in the second pillar, whereas their participation in the environmental and climate schemes [00:18:30] is somewhat under expectations. The period to submit summary applications for 2023 is now behind us, and we are currently in the process of concluding controls. Also, as regards the finding in the area Monitoring system, this area monitoring system is extremely complex and we must address this. However, what did help a lot with our implementation is the possibility to address [00:19:00] difficulties and amend strategic plans. Such revisions will be necessary in the future as well, so we will need more flexibility and quicker procedures. This is the only way to respond to different geopolitical contexts. The crisis and the needs of farmers during the transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems. We are pleased that the Commission [00:19:30] has confirmed its in its report that the Cap is very important that the strategic plans, uh, help achieve all ten specific objectives and that we must take into account the specific needs of Member States and the agricultural sector. The finding in the Commission's report that is also very important, is that the fact that the [00:20:00] cap, income support and investments are key for the survival of the agricultural sector and for safeguarding farming across the EU. This also ensures a high level of food security. We also agree that we will have to focus more on climate change adaptation and on managing risks. Slovenia has, together with Croatia, already proposed the introduction of an ad hoc mechanism amounting [00:20:30] to 2% of the national allocation to address crisis. And last, but by no means least, it's important to ensure a good level of farmers participation. So we must provide them with a stable environment and predictability needed for planning. This should be taken into account in all areas of EU legislation. Thank you.”
Agricultural funding
- “Thank you for the floor, Madam Chair. Slovenia would like to thank for the preparation and presentation of the fertilizers action plan. In our opinion, it's an important step in solving these problems on the market, and we would like to strengthen the resilience of the EU food system.
Slovenia considers that the measures set out in the commission communication from 2021 remain relevant. However, they have to be adapted to changed circumstances. So it's good to have both short term measures to stabilize the situation and medium and long term measures to enhance the EU strategic resilience in the action plan.
Slovenia supports the comprehensive approach of the action plan, including all food and production chain from securing raw materials and production of the efficient, sustainable and circular use of nutrients in agriculture.
For Slovenia, the most pressing challenges remain the prolonged increase in fertilizer prices and occasional supply disruptions. Therefore, we support the proposed short term measures of the commission, particularly a more stable state aid framework than the use of the key CAP crisis instruments and the possibility of adjustments within the CAP to faster support the sectors and farmers most affected.
Then we would also like to draw attention to the lengthy procedures for amending or reprogramming strategic plans and later modifying national implementing regulations. This could cause delays in implementing measures in the current program period.
Similar to other member states, we would also like to get from the commission more details about the aid coming from the agricultural reserve of the European Union regarding the problems related to fertilizers. We would like to know more about the timeline.
Slovenia supports that the production of mineral fertilizers in the EU is structurally constrained due to the limited availability of raw materials and high dependence of the European Union on energy prices, particularly on natural gas. Therefore, we support efforts to diversify supply sources and measures aimed at reducing the EU's strategic dependencies, including through the establishment of new partnerships for the supply of critical raw materials.
Slovenia also supports strengthening the EU's domestic production capacities and the development of low carbon solutions. For a long term competitiveness, we need a stable, predictable, and competitive energy environment.
We see a joint procurement at the EU level as an important measure, particularly the joint procurement of raw materials for the production of mineral fertilizers. In the event of joint procurement of mineral fertilizers, we have to ensure appropriate ordering and delivery schedule because mineral fertilizers are sensitive to long term storage.
Slovenia also takes a positive view regarding measures promoting circular economy and alternative nutrient sources such as digestate and other biofertilizers. It is also important that at the level of the European Union, we remove regulatory barriers and establish clear rules for their safe use and cross border trade.
Slovenia supports research, innovation and knowledge transfer in the area of precise farming. We need certain measures such as fertilizer plants, use of sensors, satellite data, more legumes, and similar. This can increase and reduce the dependence on other.
So let me conclude. Slovenia emphasizes that we need better security. We need this plan, but what is most important is the implementation of the plan. Thank you.”
Use of fertilisers
- “Thank you very much. I would like to thank Italy for this important initiative. In light of high fertilizer prices and the EU's strong dependence on imports, it is essential to seek effective and sustainable alternatives. Therefore, we support further steps to use digested in the EU more frequently. Thank you.”
Use of fertilisers
- “Thank you very much, chairman, for giving me the floor. Slovenia is has not have a final position with, but we welcome the proposal for EU Inc. We welcome the efforts of the European Commission to boost competitiveness and harmonize the internal market.
The discussion so far has shown, however, that certain areas which are key, for this system will be a major challenge for our national legislation and in general.
As regards tax issues and insolvency issues, I think that we should be prudent and ensure alignment with existing EU procedures.
We welcome standardized digital procedures and the possibility of digital shareholding, including through the use of DLT technology.
As regards the decrease of the minimum share capital, we will have to examine how this affects the protection of creditors and how it affects the rules for financial transaction.
We also emphasize the importance of notaries in ensuring legal certainty and the legality of procedures.
Then as regards co determination, we would, like to stress the risk of forum shopping because differences between national systems could affect the competitiveness of member states. This could also lead to fraud. Thank you.”
EU Single Market harmonisation
- “Thank you. Presidency. I would like specially to thank the Spanish presidency, the commission and of course, the Belgians, the upcoming presidency for bringing this topic up. My firm conviction is that the time is ripe for such a debate. Namely, as all of you colleagues know, the Ecofin is talking about three [00:41:00] enacting of fiscal rules in the EU. And I believe that we're looking at the landscape that we know. But before re-enacting the fiscal rules, we have to look at it with a new eyes, with experience, with experiences, learning from experiences from the previous decade. I would call the previous decade a lost decade for Europe, not only in political and social [00:41:30] sense, but also in the sense of GDP. If you look at the European economy in 2008, the EU and the US were on par in GDP terms. Today, the EU produces 18 trillions of dollars per year, while the US produces $26 trillion per year. And one of the main reasons for that is that the US, with its macroeconomic policy, rebounded from the economic [00:42:00] crisis already in 2010 and 11, while we, the Europeans, self-inflicted the eurozone crisis that lasted a decade. It was an economic crisis. It was a political turmoil.
[00:42:12] It was a social crisis. It was a crisis in which our fellow Europeans were starting to lose hope in the European project. And I believe that is something that we must learn from. And we must be very prudent about the old convictions, such as the one that [00:42:30] the real sector is producing, while the state, namely the welfare state, is spending. I wouldn't say that investment in public education is just spending. Public education is a productive factor. I wouldn't say that investing in health is just spending. Public health is a precondition for people to be productive. And I would like to underline that one generation in our time, we live through so much social [00:43:00] and economic changes as four generations did 300 years ago, and that means that we will have to invest in our people from their birth to their to their old years. And for that, we need a firm welfare state, a welfare state that is at the core of the European project. And that is why I am very much pleased today to endorse the social investment. And. I [00:43:30] put my hopes that the following decade will be very much different than the previous one for us Europeans. Thank you.”
EU fiscal rules and oversight of national budgets
- “Thank you. The new regulation regime for the new solutions must support a transition to sustainable food production systems. Now, these are solutions that would help with the challenges faced by the AgriFood sector recently in relation, in particular with climate change. However, these solutions need to be implemented carefully and by taking into account the precautionary principle. What we want is to have a safe and efficient use of such technologies in the AgriFood sector and to maintain a healthy environment, healthy animals, and healthy consumers. We have to take into account the rules already existing in the EU that allow the competent authorities to manage risks in line with existing guidelines. The legislative framework must regulate innovation in this respect because this is something that has not yet been dealt with and must allow for freedom of choice. In addition to that, we have to make sure that member states, based on their own specificities, decide whether they will take over these technologies or not. Thank you.”
New Genomic Techniques
- “Thank you. We have always been in favor of those parts of the regulations that focus on risk reduction measures and on service providers, and on the role of the EU centre to Prevent and Combat Child sexual abuse. These chapters have our full support, even in this last compromise proposal on the detection order. I believe that the current solution still constitutes a form of surveillance, of interpersonal communications of all users of a certain service, solely on the likelihood that a certain service can be can be used or misused to share material that constitutes sexual abuse of children, which is a disproportionate interference into the right of privacy to communications. That this solution is problematic. Was pointed out by the CLS as well throughout the negotiations. So we believe we have to find solutions that will withstand the scrutiny of the court of Justice. That is why Slovenia will abstain. We have also prepared a declaration in writing in which we explain our reservations.”
Privacy & detection of online child abuse
- “Thank you. Christina. Uh, Slovenia welcomes the Danish presidency's transparent approach to Horizon Europe negotiations and congratulates it for the progress made. I will highlight the key outstanding issues. First, we need a comprehensive yet efficient process for setting priorities. This is not relevant only for European partnerships, but for the Framework Programme as a whole and its complementarity with the Competitiveness Fund. Member States must be centrally involved from start to finish to ensure that buying during implementation, which will require pooling all available resources also at national levels. At the same time, we must act more efficiently. The Covid crisis showed that fast, partnership based decision making between the Commission and Member states is possible. These experiences, not bureaucracy, should guide us in this context. The interface between Horizon Europe and the Competitiveness Fund should be improved to avoid complexity and efficiency losses at the level of their governance structures. We suggest that both programs independently design and implement activities within their own frameworks. Of course, while jointly addressing shared priorities, their responsibilities along the innovation journey must also be clearer. For us, technology, infrastructures and EU missions are essential for deploying research results and should be supported under the Competitiveness Fund. We also regret that no progress was made on widening despite several member states, including Slovenia, clearly expressing their views. We reiterate that all current widening countries must retain access to capacity building instruments. Finally, Slovenia remains convinced that the two state submission procedure and lump sum approach are the key simplifications that we have to follow. They allow our participants and evaluators to focus on the originality of ideas and reduce unnecessary effort. The two stage process should therefore become the default, although we acknowledge that expectations are necessary. Once again, we congratulate the Danish presidency and stand ready to work with Cypriot presidency to resolve the remaining issues that, uh, make FP ten the best EU R&D programme yet. Thank you.”
- “Thank you for the floor. Slovenia would like to thank the Commission for devoting attention to small scale coastal fishing. Thank you also for the dialogue and information provided. We believe that attention should be also paid to small scale fishing in the light of the current situation. There are rising fuel prices and the situation in the Mediterranean is worse and worse. We must bear in mind that in some member states, such as Slovenia, small scale coastal fishing accounts for the majority of the fishing sector, which is more than 90% in Slovenia. This represents an important component of the coastal economy and the value chain, including, for example, tourism. So the latter means that solutions to support small scale coastal fishing should be taken into account. The vast majority in some countries or vessels are dedicated to small scale coastal fishing in particular. We should not impose additional administrative or financial burdens. We should not require to draw additional documents for member states that already now have 90% of small scale coastal fishing vessels. Thank you very much.”
Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
- “Thank you very much for giving me the floor. Slovenia would like to join in with the strong support to the conclusions on promoting and protecting the mental health of children and adolescents in the digital era. At the national level, we too have adopted many measures. Our pediatricians have proposed guidelines on the safe use of digital tools and on screen time of children and adolescents. We are also preparing a national act that will ban the use of mobile devices and digital tools in schools. That is, devices that are not used during the educational process. We believe that these conclusions are a are paving the right way forward to protect the mental health of children and adolescents. Thank you.”
EU policy on mental health
- “Thank you very much for giving me the floor. Slovenia. Cannot support this text of general approach. The text that speaks about the model of consent above the age of sexual consent is not ambitious enough. This does not provide for legal protection of this specially vulnerable category of children. During the negotiations, we were happy with the Commission's proposal. There were all elements necessary for an affirmative model of consent. We said that a key element of criminal offence is also the element of the so-called freezing. Now, we have not only a comprehensive you've approached, containing all necessary elements in the articles of the directive could adequately protect all children, including those above the age of sexual consent. Now, we regret that there is not sufficient support for this before us is a compromise. The Hungarian presidency has put a lot of effort in it. Thank you for that. However, this, uh, text is not sufficient. And that that is why we cannot support it. We abstain. Thank you.”
- “Thank you. [00:08:30] First of all, good morning to one and all. Dear David, dear Commissioner and dear colleagues, the file on our tables today is a very important one. It is essential for our economy and for SMEs. Probably we all agree in this room that we need to fight late payments. We need to [00:09:00] ensure payment discipline, but in a different manner. It is therefore controversial for us or problematic for us to opt for a regulation. We need to choose a directive because this will help each member state implement the directive in its own legal order in a more, um, simple manner. In light of our specificities, at the same [00:09:30] time, the directive will help us provide more predictability for the SMEs. If we speak to SMEs in our own member states, uh, they they will. Their responses will differ, uh, differ as regards the payment deadlines and the approaches to opt for. What is clear is that we need to act, and we need to provide, uh, rules that will, [00:10:00] um, help the economy rather than restrict it. As I have said already, Lavinia is more inclined to opt for a directive. Then second of all, the 30 day maximum payment deadline is too restrictive in my opinion, and it will not work in practice. I have spoken to many colleagues in the economy and they agree. [00:10:30] And then I would also like to stress something else. We are not in favor of the idea of enforcement authorities in each member state. Civil courts are respected in all member states. The civil courts are competent in this area and we we would like to avoid duplication. That would be it from my side. So on the payment deadline, on [00:11:00] the specificities on the enforcement authorities and the directive, uh, or the regulation, uh, all of these raise misgivings in our opinion. Thank you.”
EU rules on late commercial payments
- “Thank you very much, chairman. As you've already mentioned, Slovenia on June 1st and second chaired the meeting of Environment and Energy ministers, which was held together for the first time. We wanted to highlight the ever greater links between energy, environmental and climate issues in the region. The director general of the international renewable energy agency, Arena and attended the meeting, as well as the deputy secretary general of the Union for the Mediterranean. As concerns the climate part of the meeting, it was dedicated to the debate on strengthening climate resilience of the region, which is considered as one of the most climate vulnerable in Europe. In a joint statement, environment ministers stressed the importance of coordinated action and the importance of mainstreaming climate change adaptation. They also called for better coordination of national adaptation, plans for the development of joint early warning capacities, and for strengthened cooperation with regional platforms. They emphasized that regional specificities need to be taken into account during the preparation of the next European Action Plan for climate Change adaptation. During a joint working lunch of energy and environment ministers, there was a discussion on the challenges and opportunities of decarbonisation to maintain the region's competitiveness. We hope that the Commission will take account of our ideas in the future. Pact for the Mediterranean. Thank you for your attention.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Chair. Thank you for giving me the floor. Animal welfare is a fundamental part of European agricultural and food policy. Its consistent implementation surpasses normal Capacities it impacts directly animal health, food safety, and consumer trust. And it also contributes to the continuity and sustainability of the European agriculture in this context. We would like to stress that the animal welfare needs to remain very recognisable. It needs to remain a priority of the European Commission's programme in 2026 and beyond. Only with ensuring continuity can we implement this policy consistently. We would like to welcome the extensive preparatory work carried out by the Commission, including Efsa scientific opinions, external studies and public consultations. We need a wholesome approach which will be a stable pillar for further legislative and political decisions. We also need to be aware of the fact that consumer awareness is very important. Slovenia would like to say that animal welfare needs to become a key pillar among best practices and priorities of the future European Commission's programme. Member states stand ready to cooperate constructively with the Commission so we can ensure continuity, consistency and balanced development of the animal welfare political measures in the future. Thank you.”
EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers