Today the Government adopted a draft amendment to the Industrial Property Act and will send it to the National Assembly for consideration under the ordinary procedure. The amendment aims to simplify and cheapen some existing procedures and further align Slovenian regulation with European and international rules.

With 332 million, the United States of America presents an important market with many opportunities for the Slovenian economy and tourism. It can take several years for companies to successfully penetrate the US market, and Slovenia as a country can open doors through increased promotion.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed for an investment in a high-tech centre for the production of biosimilars.

A ceremony was held today at the Intellectual Property Office to name a large meeting room after the outstanding Slovenian inventor and cosmopolitan Peter Florjančič. The event was attended by his daughter and grandson, and addressed by State Secretary Dejan Židan and the Director of the Office Karin Žvokelj.

This year, the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, together with the implementing organisations and SID Bank, will offer over EUR 634.4 million in new financial incentives to the economy, tourism and sport, of which EUR 304.9 million will come from its own resources. With the planned investment of development funds, the Ministry continues to strengthen the competitiveness and added value of the Slovenian economy.

An informal meeting of the EU Competitiveness Council was held today in Stockholm. At the opening session, ministers discussed the measures needed to improve the competitiveness of the European economy for an effective green transition. They endorsed the European Commission’s communication on the Green Deal Industrial Plan, which aims to provide targeted support to accelerate the decarbonisation of European industry, and thus European economic leadership in the new technologies and industries of the future.

Today, on the basis of correspondence on the Green Deal Industrial Plan, Matjaž Han, Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, and Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition and Executive Vice President of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, met by video call. The topic of discussion were the specific issues Slovenia is facing first due to the healthcare crisis and then the energy crisis.

When sports came under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, the basis was created to seek increased synergies between these three fields. The newly appointed Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sports, Matjaž Han, and his partners presented plans in the field of tourism and sports for the current year and highlighted the key measures.

With the confirmation of the reorganisation of the Government, the name of the ministry of the economy is changing today, and this ministry will also be responsible for sport. The new Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport will continue to be led by Minister Matjaž Han.

The second Business Forum was held today in Ljubljana, bringing Slovenian and Italian companies together to explore opportunities for cooperation in the space sector. It was preceded by a bilateral meeting between Minister Matjaž Han and the President of the Italian Space Agency, Giorgio Saccoccia.

At today’s session, the Government became acquainted with the initialled agreement on resolving the strike demands of FIDES and authorised the Minister of Health to sign the agreement. It also adopted the proposed amendments to the Act determining aid to the economy to mitigate the consequences of the energy crisis and the proposed Act on the aid to provide greater air connectivity.

Bohinj was listed among the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO as part of the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) initiative. It was selected from among more than 130 applicants from 57 countries, which is a testament to the exceptional values of Bohinj and the work it carries out in rural tourism. The destination boasts unique natural and cultural resources and demonstrates a commitment to sustainable development throughout all three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic.

A Slovenian company Sinergise, together with partners that form the T-Systems International consortium, signed an agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC) on setting up a system for storing, processing and distributing data from the Copernicus system (Copernicus Space Component Data Access ‒ CDAS), worth EUR 150 million in total.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon and Minister of Economic Development and Technology Matjaž Han discussed with key internationalisation players the support for the Slovenian economy abroad at the Economic Internationalisation Council.

The Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Matjaž Han, accompanied by Slovenian business representatives, is on a working visit to North Macedonia today and tomorrow. The minister, who met the Macedonian Minister of Economy, Kreshnik Bekteshi, called for the further strengthening of economic cooperation between the two countries.

The Minister of Economic Development Matjaž Han and the Minister for Slovenians Abroad Matej Arčon signed an agreement with representatives of Slovenian organisations in neighbouring countries concerning the foundation of an Economic Coordinating Body of Slovenians in neighbouring countries.

Slovenia ranked ninth out of 180 countries on the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index, which is compiled by the Swiss-Korean think-tank Solability. It ranked first amongst all countries studied in terms of economic sustainability.

At today’s second meeting of the Strategic Economic Council, which was held in Lipica, members exchanged views for the first time regarding opportunities for the so-called ‘scale-up’ of innovative development companies, incentives for development jobs, the retention of highly-skilled domestic workers and the faster employment of such talent from abroad, and employee participation in profits.

In Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, where the 17th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is taking place, the multinational nomination of Lipizzan horse breeding traditions has been listed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

How will the unitary patent system simplify and improve the European patent system for the benefit of its users? This was the focus of today's event organised by the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office, the European Patent Office and the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for companies and interested professionals. The system is due to enter into force in April next year.