Slovenia successfully eliminated three violations relating to the environment

25. 7. 2022

Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning

The European Commission declared three violations to have been successfully resolved by Slovenia – the failure to fulfil obligations from the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) in connection with the Rules on the Protection of Buildings Against Lightning, the non-notification of regulations in connection with the establishment of assessment methods for harmful effects of environmental noise, and the non-notification of regulations concerning common noise assessment methods for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress.

Rules on the Protection of Buildings Against Lightning

In July 2018, the Commission issued Slovenia with a formal notice for failure to fulfil obligations from the TFEU connected with the Rules on the Protection of Buildings Against Lightning and the accompanying technical guidelines, which forbid the use of ESE lightning protection or any other system that does not strictly apply standards SIST EN 62305 and SIST EN 62561, but offers at least an equivalent level of protection. According to the Commission, this violated the principle of the free movement of goods. In September 2021, the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning informed the Commission that a new regulation had been adopted governing lightning conductor protection of buildings and the accompanying technical guidelines, thereby eliminating the violation.

Establishing assessment methods for the harmful effects of environmental noise

In January this year, the Commission issued Slovenia with a formal notice for the non-notification of regulations for the transposition of Commission Directive (EU) 2020/367 amending Annex III to Directive 2002/49/EC regarding the establishment of assessment methods for harmful effects of environmental noise into Slovenian law.

Slovenia has transposed the directive in its entirety into national law by adopting the Decree amending the Decree on the assessment and management of environmental noise. The procedure to notify the regulation was carried out in May 2022, and Slovenia thereby fulfilled all of its obligations.

Common noise assessment methods for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress

In January this year, the Commission issued Slovenia with a formal notice for the non-notification of regulations for the transposition of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2021/1226 amending Annex II to Directive 2002/49/EC regarding common noise assessment methods for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress into Slovenian law.

Slovenia has transposed the directive in its entirety into national law by adopting the Decree amending the Decree on the assessment and management of environmental noise.

The procedure to notify the regulation was carried out in May 2022, and Slovenia thereby fulfilled all of its obligations.