Slovenia

1) REFERENCES

Commission Opinion [COM(97) 2010 final - Not published in the Official Journal]

Commission Report [COM(98) 709 final - Not published in the Official Journal]

Commission Report [COM(1999) 512 final - Not published in the Official Journal]

Commission Report [COM(2000) 712 final - Not published in the Official Journal]

Commission Report [COM(2001) 700 final - SEC(2001) 1755 - Not published in the Official Journal]

Commission Report [COM(2002) 700 final - SEC(2001) 1411 - Not published in the Official Journal]

Commission Report [COM(2003) 675 final - SEC(2003) 1208 - Not published in the Official Journal]

Treaty of Accession to the European Union [Official Journal L 236 of 23.09.2003]

2) SUMMARY

In its Opinion of July 1997, the European Commission considered that Slovenia should not have major problems in the area of education, training and youth with a view to its accession.

The November 1998 Report confirmed this initial assessment and indicated that Slovenia was following the recommendations set out in the first Opinion on this area.

The October 1999 Report highlighted Slovenia's active participation in programmes in this sector.

The November 2000 Report noted that, overall, Slovenia had made considerable progress and that the areas of education, training and youth fully met the requirements of the acquis.

The November 2001 Report noted that Slovenia had come into line with the acquis in the areas of education, training and youth by adopting a law granting special rights for Italian and Hungarian minorities.

The October 2002 Report concluded that Slovenia as continuing to make progress, but additional efforts were still needed in terms of active implementation of a vocational education and training system within the policy of lifelong learning.

The November 2003 Report notes that Slovenia is essentially meeting the commitments and requirements arising from the accession negotiations in the area of education and training. However, further efforts are necessary in order to implement the acquis as regards the education of children of migrant workers.

The Treaty of Accession was signed on 16 April 2003 and accession took place on 1 May 2004.

COMMUNITY ACQUIS

The EC Treaty provides that the Community shall:

• contribute to the development of quality education which shall include a European dimension and shall support and supplement the action of the Member States while respecting their cultural and linguistic diversity (Article 149, ex-Article 126) with regard to the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems;
• implement a vocational training policy which shall support and supplement the action of the Member States (Article 150, ex-Article 127) and shall aim to facilitate adaptation to industrial changes and increase employability.

These provisions are being implemented mainly through three major action programmes (Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth for Europe) recently updated by a new generation of programmes (Socrates, Leonardo and Youth).

EVALUATION

Slovenia is generally aligned with the Community acquis. In December 1999 a law was adopted to ensure equal treatment for European Union (EU) citizens, and in 2000 Slovenia made further progress by introducing several new laws, especially on the non-discrimination of EU citizens, professional qualifications, training and youth, and the education of children with special needs.

In 2001 Slovenia adopted a new economic development strategy, a key element of which is the designation of the right policies for the transition to a knowledge-based society. A law granting special rights to Italian and Hungarian minorities was also adopted, bringing Slovenia fully into line with the acquis.

In 2002 a national higher education programme was adopted, which lays down the targets to be achieved in higher education over the next five years. According to the 2003 Report, the only area in which action needs to be stepped up is the effective implementation of the acquis as regards the education of children of migrant workers.

Since 1999 Slovenia has participated in the Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth programmes.

Since the Commission's 1997 Opinion, Slovenia has made regular progress. Negotiations on this chapter have been provisionally closed (see 2002 Report). Slovenia has not requested any transitional arrangements in this field.

Last updated: 03.03.2004