The Government of the Republic of Slovenia today adopted the initiative to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), as the commitments it entails are outdated. This means Slovenia is joining other EU countries that have withdrawn from the treaty, such as Italy, or have said they will withdraw (Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and France). After three decades in existence, this charter is one of the key obstacles to an effective and responsible policy on the environment, climate and energy, so the Slovenian Government today decided to submit the initiative to withdraw from the ECT to the National Assembly for approval. The ECT has become gradually less relevant over time. EU expansion and further European integration have enabled new, in-depth possibilities for investment cooperation in the field of energy, and new ways of ensuring the legal certainty of players in the energy sector. The EU has also developed rules for state aid, environmental standards, financial mechanisms, investment law, as well as legislation in the field of competition protection. One of the most significant aspects that reflects the obsolescence of the current treaty is the institute for settling investment disputes. Article 26 of the ECT allows an investor to choose international arbitration over regular courts in the event of a dispute with the contracting party.

To improve access to products and services for disabled people, the Government has set out the text of the draft Accessibility of products and services to disabled persons Act. The main aim of the draft act is to improve the operation of the internal market regarding accessibility to products and services, and to regulate the situation of disabled persons so they have an equal perception, use and comprehension of products and services as other people. The aim of the act is to harmonise conditions concerning the accessibility of products and services for disabled persons, by removing and preventing obstacles in the way of the free flow of products and services both on the Slovenian and European markets.

In today’s session, the Government began a discussion concerning the Draft Act amending the Trade Act, which would determine the exceptions for the operation of shops in international airports, tourist information centres and museums on Sundays and public holidays. Discussion on this subject was interrupted, and the Government will now send the draft text to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting of the Economic-Social Council, and only after that will the matter be listed for discussion in one of the future sessions.