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European Union–Slovenia relations

Slovenia	European Union

Slovenia has been a member of theEuropean Union since 2004.

Slovenia joined the European Union during theGreat Enlargement of 2004, together withCyprus, theCzech Republic,Estonia,Hungary,Latvia,Lithuania,Malta,Poland, andSlovakia.

Slovenia filed its request to join EU in 1996, just four years after becoming an independent state. On June 10, 1996, Slovenia signed the Accession Agreement with the EU. On March 31, 1998, Slovenia formally began its membership negotiations, adjusting its laws toacquis, and reforming its political system to fulfill theCopenhagen criteria. On February 1, 1999, Slovenia officially becomes an EU associate member, and ends its accession negotiations in 2002.^[1]

Prior to joining the EU areferendum was held in Slovenia in which almost 90 % of voters voted in favor of EU membership.^[1]

Slovenia held its first election to the European Parliament on June 13, 2003. First elected MEPs wereLjudmila Novak,Lojze Peterle,Jelko Kacin,Mojca Drčar Murko,Miha Brejc,Romana Jordan Cizelj andBorut Pahor.^[1]

On January 1, 2007, Slovenia becomes the first members state of the 2004 enlargement to adoptEuro as its official currency. On December 27, 2007, Slovenia also joins theSchengen Area.^[1]

From January 1, 2008, until June 30, 2008, Slovenia held its first presidency of the Council of the European Union, as the first new member after 2004 enlargement.^[1]

Slovenia is represented in theCouncil of the European Union by theGovernment. Usually ministers represent the state, but also state secretaries, permanent representative or deputy permanent representative can represent Slovenia in the meetings.

Slovenia held the presidency of the Council twice since 2004, in the first half of 2008 and thesecond half of 2021. Next Slovenian presidency is not yet scheduled. The first presidency was led by thefirst Janša government and held prior to the entry into force of theLisbon Treaty and therefore SlovenianPrime MinisterJanez Janša also presided over then informal meetings of theEuropean Council. The second presidency was also led byJanša's government.

Slovenia is a member of the first presidency trio together withGermany andPortugal.

Slovenia is represented in theEuropean Council by theprime minister, because of its parliamentary system of government.

Current representative of Slovenia in the European Council isPrime MinisterRobert Golob, member of the liberal bloc (Renew).

Slovenia currently has 9 members of theEuropean Parliament (change after 2024 election), representing Slovenian and all other European citizens. Slovenian MEPs never held any position in the leadership of the Parliament.

In2014-2019 termTanja Fajon (S&D), then a second term MEP, was elected vice-president of theProgressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group, the first ever Slovenian MEP to hold group leadership position. In2024-2029 term Romana Tomc was elected vice-president of theEuropean People's Party Group, and Irena Joveva was elected vice-president of theRenew Europe.

Since becoming a member of the EU Slovenia has been entitled to a one member of theEuropean Commission. Slovenia has never held a presidency or vice-presidency of the commission.

Additionally in 2014, incumbentPrimer MinisterAlenka Bratušek was a candidate for a vice-president for the Energy Union in the Juncker Commission, but did not pass the hearing in the European Parliament. She was later replaced by Deputy Prime Minister and Cohesion Minister in theCerar GovernmentVioleta Bulc. President Juncker switched portfolios of the Slovenian commissioner for a Transport portfolio and offered the Vice-Presidency of the Energy Union portfolio to a SlovakMaroš Šefčovič.^[2]

Several Slovenian diplomats served in theEuropean External Action Service (EEAS) as heads of missions of the European Union around the world. The first diplomat to serve in the EU diplomatic service was former foreign ministerSamuel Žbogar, serving inKosovo (2011-2016).

EU Ambassador	Country	Term
Samuel Žbogar	Kosovo (Pristina) alsoEU Special Representative to Kosovo	2011–2016
	North Macedonia (Skopje)	2016–2020
Mitja Drobnič	Montenegro (Podgorica)	2012–2016
Jernej Videtič	Guyana (Georgetown)	2015–2019
	Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby)	2019–2022
Melita Gabrič	Canada (Ottawa)	2021–Incumbent
Veronika Bošković-Pohar	Afghanistan (Kabul)	TBD
Aleška Simkić	Kazakhstan (Astana)	TBD

Marko Ilešič was the first and for now the only judge to serve on theCourt of Justice in the name of Slovenia, serving from 2004 until 2024. He was a president of a chamber for two terms (2012–2018).

Additionally to Judge Ilešič,Verica Trstenjak served asAdvocate General at the Court of Justice (7 October 2006–28 November 2012).

Slovenia is entitled to two judges at theGeneral Court.

Two candidates,Marko Pavliha andKlemen Podobnik, did not pass the hearings before the committee, established according to Article 255 of TFEU.^[4][5]

Slovenia is a participating state in theEuropean Public Prosecutor's Office since 2019.

During the Slovenia's second Council presidency in 2021 Slovenian government, then led byJanez Janša, prevented the selection of two Slovenian delegated prosecutors, because of which then justice ministerLilijana Kozlovič resigned. ORF and other media reported that Janša might have opposed the nomination of the two prosecutors because they had also been involved in investigations against him in the past.^[6]EU justice commissionerDidier Reynders proposed a compromise to appoint just one delegated prosecutor, but this was rejected by economy ministerZdravko Počivalšek as overstepping governments' competence and criticising the EU for exerting pressure.^[6] Slovenia was also urged to appoint delegated prosecutor by theCommissionpresidentUrsula von der Leyen during European Commission's visit to Slovenia on 6 July 2021.^[7]

TheEuropean Committee of the Regions includes seven Slovenian members and their deputies who act in the name of two representative organisations of Slovenian local communities: the Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia and the Association of Municipalities of Slovenia.^[8]

TheEuropean Economic and Social Committee has seven Slovenian members that represent the interests of employers, trade unions and other interest groups.^[8]

The Governor of theBank of Slovenia sits in the Governing Council of theEuropean Central Bank while other experts from the Bank of Slovenia operate in its working bodies.^[8]

Permanent Representative of Slovenia in the EU is a diplomat in the rank of ambassador who represents Slovenia inCOREPER II, all configuration that fall within the scope of COREPER II (judiciary and internal affairs, trade policy, EU enlargement, finance and regional policy, EU foreign and security policy), and all other official relations between Slovenia and EU and relations with other member states.^[9]

Current Permanent Representative is AmbassadorIztok Jarc, former Minister of Agriculture.^[9]

Permanent Representative of Slovenia in the EU is a diplomat in the rank of ambassador who represents Slovenia inCOREPER I, all configuration that fall within the scope of COREPER I (economy, single market and industry, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, veterinary medicine, environment, health, infrastructure, telecommunication, energy, education, science, youth policies, sport, employment, social affairs and culture).^[9]

Current Deputy Permanent Representative is AmbassadorDavid Brozina.^[9]

• Yugoslavia–European Communities relations

• Slovenia and the European Union
• Foreign relations of Slovenia

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