Slovenia - internal market

Short-term priorities:

• alignment in the areas of indirect taxation and intellectual and industrial property;
• adoption of VAT law;
• standardisation and certification (conformity assessment);
• standardisation of technical regulations and company law;
• preparations for liberalisation of capital movements (in particular currency legislation);
• establishment of a State aid monitoring authority;
• a first inventory of State aid and creation of a legal framework for monitoring such aid;
• progress towards adoption of an anti-trust law.

Assessment (October 1999)

These priorities have been realised only in part.

The laws on excise duty and VAT were adopted by Parliament and entered into force in July 1999.

In the field of intellectual property, the Law on the Protection of New Varieties of Plants was adopted in December 1998 and the UPOV Convention was ratified.

The Law on Technical Requirements for Products and Conformity Assessment, the Law on Standardisation and the Law on Accreditation were adopted in July 1999. Amendments to Company law were adopted in January 1999.

As regards the liberalisation of capital movements, the Foreign Exchange Law and the Banking Law were adopted and the restrictive measures imposed by the Bank of Slovenia were lifted or reduced.

The State Aid Control Commission, established in October 1998, has been operational since March 1999. The first survey on State aid was produced at the end of June 1999. The new State Aid Law has not yet been adopted. The number of staff in the Competition Protection Office has increased. A new anti-trust law was adopted in June 1999.

Assessment (November 2000)

New laws have been adopted on the review of public procurement procedures and on public procurement. The law on industrial property and the supplementary protection certificate have not been adopted. An act on border enforcement, which covers the fight against piracy and against counterfeiting still remains to be adopted and border control in general should be strengthened.

The priority relating to company law has not been met.

An independent supervisory authority for data protection still has to be established.

Foreign investment is still severely restricted in the field of telecommunications, transport and the media. Progress is better in the financial sector.

A framework Act on State Aid Control has been adopted. Annual State aid reports have been submitted, but the inventory is not yet exhaustive.

Assessment (November 2001)

Alignment has progressed well in the areas of public procurement and company law. Progress has been made on border control and State aid. An independent supervisory body for data protection has been set up. Considerable progress has been made on the implementation of the framework provisions on the free movement of goods. A broadcasting and telecommunications agency has been set up. The law on the media will complete alignment in the audiovisual sector. Slovenia complies with the code of conduct for business taxation.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Medium-term priorities:

• alignment of legislation on public procurement, financial services and State aid (in particular alignment of monitoring rules and exclusive or special rights);
• upgrading of standardisation and conformity assessment structures;
• establishment of a market surveillance system and introduction of horizontal technical legislation on industrial products;
• increased efforts to liberalise the capital market and to facilitate foreign investments;
• further alignment of consumer protection;
• reinforcement of the Competition Office and the State aid monitoring authority;
• efficient enforcement of competition law;
• promotion of the development of businesses, including SMEs;
• alignment on the Community rules governing telecommunications, consumer protection and the internal energy market.

Assessment (October 1999)

Horizontal legislation regulating the free movement of goods has been adopted. It creates a framework for reinforced standardisation and conformity assessment structures. The Law on Energy establishes the framework for acceding to the internal energy market.

Assessment (November 2000)

The preference given to domestic bidders in public procurement has been eliminated. Competition procedures have been improved. Alignment has continued in the area of consumer protection.

Assessment (November 2001)

The advantages granted to Slovenians with regard to public procurement have been abolished. Alignment of legislation on intellectual and industrial property rights is being completed. Further efforts are required with regard to the recognition of diplomas, VAT, excise duties and free zones. There are still certain restrictions on the free movement of capital. The supervision of financial services has improved. With regard to competition, the capacities have been stepped up and the procedures improved. Alignment is progressing well in the field of consumer protection.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Following the signing of the Accession Treaty on 16 April 2003, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004.

REFERENCES

Council Decision 98/268/EC, 30.03.1998Official Journal L 121, 23.04.1998

Council Decision 1999/859/EC, 06.12.1999Official Journal L 335, 28.12.1999

Commission Opinion COM(97) 2010 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(98) 709 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(1999) 512 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2000) 712 finalNot published in the Official Journal

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

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

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

Last updated: 19.11.2004