Projects

The Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention, organised every three years, is a crucial milestone for the global water community and the Water Convention as it is the largest and only international event driving the transboundary water cooperation agenda at the global level. The tenth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention (MoP 10) was taking place in Ljubljana (Slovenia) from 23 to 25 October 2024.

On May 1, 2004, Slovenia, alongside nine other Central and Eastern European countries, became a full member of the European Union. This marked the fifth and largest, as well as the most well prepared, expansion of the European Union.

In frame of EU4Health, a call for proposals to submit projects to strengthen One Health concept was published. Slovenia has submitted the project Influenza A Viruses Surveillance in Birds, Mammals, and Environment (IAVSur – BME).

Today we hear the phrases "green transition" and "sustainable development" at every step, but at the same time we see that the understanding of "green", "greening" and "sustainable" can be very different. In Slovenia, the basic starting point for understanding the "green transition" and "sustainable development" are undoubtedly the fundamental international acts in this area, which are also binding for Slovenia: the European Green Deal and the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, which are interconnected, but each has its own goals.

Slovenia reintroduced temporary control on the internal Schengen border with Croatia and Hungary on 21 October 2023 as a temporary measure.

The floods of early August 2023 caused catastrophic devastation across much of Slovenia. The Government reacted quickly and adopted measures to deal with the consequences. Comprehensive reconstruction will take time and will include measures to rehabilitate and upgrade infrastructure, as well as further assistance to those affected.

Important Projects of Common European Interest, IPCEI) "Microelectronics-2" strengthens the EU Member States' capacity to build and enhance EU autonomy and resilience in semiconductor value chains, in which Slovenia intends to participate, as part of the national Recovery and Resilience Plan – Digital Transformation of the Economy.

Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities provides non-financial assistance to the most deprived people in the form of food packages and co-financing various accompanying measures that promote their social inclusion.

The Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport intends to implement the European Common Data Infrastructure and Services (IPCEI-CIS) project as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, more specifically under the Digital Economy Transformation component.

With the European Infrastructure for Blockchain Services (EABS) hub, an appropriate test infrastructure for blockchains will be put in place, contributing to more reliable cross-border, national and local services.

Digitally connceting spaces, environment, water and nature for a green location
2021–2026

The Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief is participating as a project partner in the European Commission Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid’s project Safe and Equal in EMErgencies – “SEE ME”, on the basis of a grant agreement between the European Commission and the lead partner’s Ministry of the Interior, Civil Protection of Croatia, and the project partner’s Ministry of the Interior, Directorate for Emergency Situations, Montenegro.

To mark the 150th anniversary of birth of architect Jože Plečnik, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia declared 2022 the Year of Jože Plečnik. The recent inscription of selected works by Plečnik in Ljubljana on the UNESCO World Heritage List represents a valuable international recognition for the protection and appreciation of architectural heritage important for humanity as a whole and at the same time a commitment to protect it even more diligently and to integrate it into contemporary life.

The multilingual touring exhibition “Plečnik’s Ljubljana” was created in 2017 to mark the 145th anniversary of his birth. It was designed to promote the architect’s legacy internationally and to support the nomination of Plečnik’s works for inscription on the World Heritage List. The exhibition has so far been a great success in the places it has toured around the world, from Madrid to Moscow and from Toronto to Sao Paolo. Set up by the Museum of Architecture and Design and the Museums and Galleries of Ljubljana – Plečnik Collection – under the auspices of the Slovenian Ministry of Culture, the exhibition will be on display in an updated form in 2022, the Year of Jože Plečnik.

The Strategy of Digital Transformation of the Economy determines how Slovenia will guarantee the transition to a modern digital economy in the next decade. By 2030, Slovenia will become a leading hub for advanced digital technologies in Europe and will be among the top three European countries in the Advanced Digital Technology Adoption Index.

The project focuses on overcoming barriers to meeting EU recycling targets and achieving full implementation of the Waste Management and Waste Prevention Programme of the Republic of Slovenia.
The project introduces an integrated set of complementary technical, digital, environmental, social and circular solutions to unlock the full potential of the programme, maximise material self-sufficiency and achieve increased circular returns in the waste and resource sector.

The Programme promoting Investment and the Internationalisation of the Slovenian Economy sets ambitious objectives and clear strategic and efficient measures for a 5-year period, from December 2021 to November 2026 that are designed to ensure the long-term competitiveness and resilience of the Slovenian export economy and attract sustainability-oriented investment.

Slovenia is actively involved in addressing challenges to international peace and security within the UN, and is running for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2024–2025 period.

The Recovery and Resilience Plan (the RRP) is a national programme of reforms and investments to mitigate the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia and to contribute to the goals of the REPowerEU Plan to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels and fast forward the green transition. The planned measures will support long-term sustainable growth and address the challenges of the green and digital transition by 2026.

As part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), the Ministry of Infrastructure will participate in investments in rail and road transport. The planned measures will support long-term sustainable growth and address the challenges of the green and digital transition.

Between 17 and 22 July 2021, Ljubljana hosted the international choir festival Europa Cantat 2021, which took take place in a hybrid form due to the COVID-19 pandemic – with online and live events. The educational core of the festival took place entirely on the Europa Cantat online feed, on top of that, we were be able to listen to live concerts by international stars and top domestic choirs at Kongresni trg, Novi trg, the Slovenian Philharmonic and Cankarjev dom.

On the occasion of its second Presidency of the Council of the European Union, works by its most renowned artists will represent Slovenia. Slovenia hosts a retrospective exhibition of the internationally recognised costume designer Alan Hranitelj in cooperation with the renowned set designer Marko Japelj, who arranged an installation offering a glimpse into the artist’s wardrobe at the premises of the Council of the EU. The creations, which cross over from costume design to different worlds of art and combine seemingly incompatible motives, reflect the imaginary world of an artist committed to eternal beauty.

The curator of the exhibition, the Slovenian Marko Košan, has prepared a selection of works by thirteen Slovenian artists who, in the midst of the present-day flood of visual images from mass media, are looking for new forms of painterly, sculptural and photographic expression, aimed at exploring new utopias of an (uncertain) future. The exhibition was opened by the Slovenian Minister of Culture, Vasko Simoniti, and the Chair of the European Parliament's Artistic Committee, Karol Karski. The exhibition, which was created in cooperation with the The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Koroška as part of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will be on display in the European Parliamet and also on the website of the Ministry of Culture until the end of this year.

The premiere of the Waterman ballet on 1 July 2021 marked the start of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The ballet staged on Bled Island by Slovenian National Theatre Maribor, choreographed by internationally renowned choreographer Edward Clug and with original music by slovenian composer Milko Lazar was attended by representatives of the Slovenian Government and members of the College of Commissioners.

The virtual exhibition "Pioneers of Slovenian Modern Architecture – Fabiani, Plečnik and Vurnik – Forms for a New Democracy" is on display on social channels and on the website of the Ministry of Culture. The exhibition is complemented daily by one of the works from the rich architectural heritage of the great three Slovenian architects. It was prepared in cooperation with photographer Stane Jeršič and art historian Bojana Čampa. The exhibition is organised under the Slovenian EU Council Presidency.

The general objective of this action is to empower the National Access Points (NAPs) as the backbone for ITS digital infrastructure. Also, it will facilitate national & EU-wide operational coordination for the harmonization and implementation of the European specifications.

The pilot project for the implementation of spatial planning and construction legislation (the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning – MESP Pilot) tests the feasibility, integration and interoperability of tasks prescribed by the spatial planning and construction legislation, and represents the basis for the preparation of projects in the coming 2021–2027 financial perspective.

The project "Preparation of documentation for the 2nd section of the 3rd development axis south, on the section from the Maline connection to the international border crossing Metlika and to the Črnomelj south connection" includes the preparation of documentation for the entire second section of the third development axis south, which is divided into three subsections:
A - 8 kilometers from the Maline junction to the Metlika - north junction,
B - 2.5 km from the Metlika - north connection to the Metlika border crossing and
C - 20 kilometers from the Gradnik fork to Črnomelj - south.
The total cost of the project is EUR 8 million of which EUR 2.15 million was co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund.

1. Overview
2. Call for Alternative fuels infrastructure Facilitiy - transport (AFIF II) for the period 2024-2025
3. Call for proposal under Connecting Europe Facility – Transport 2024


The objective of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is to accelerate investments in trans-European networks in the transport, energy, and telecommunications sectors, facilitating cross-border connections, enhancing economic, social, and territorial cohesion, and contributing to a more competitive and sustainable social market economy, as well as to the fight against climate change.

The Action aims to establish a suitable technical framework based on EU and national legislations, and to lead all the necessary preparatory studies for effective implementation of Onshore Power Supply infrastructure in at least 16 EU maritime ports including the port of Koper.

The Action includes elaboration of design documentation for the part of the Ljubljana Hub between the Ljubljana Šiška station, the main Ljubljana Railway Station, the Ljubljana Moste and Ljubljana Zalog station; including tracks between them. A serious bottleneck has been identified in this area, which needs to be eliminated.

With regard to public transport, particularly information on multimodality and the issuing of smart cards, significant harmonisation will be required for the wide range of standards and technical specifications. Deploying a set of harmonised European public data standards (Transmodel, NeTEx and SIRI), will enable union-wide multimodal travel information services.

The Ministry of Infrastructure has received a decision from the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy on support for the construction of the connection road Ljubečna-Celje east motorway junction, an investment worth EUR 4.35 million, of which EUR 2.8 million will be co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund.

The reconstruction of the Cerknica-Bloška Polica road, is a part of the Operational Programme for the Implementation of European Cohesion Policy 2014–2020. The total cost of the project is EUR 3.6 million of which EUR 2.6 million was co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund.

On 16 November 2020, the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy approved EU funding for the project of safety and technical upgrade of the Karavanke railway tunnel. This project is encompassing the upgrade of a about 6.1 km railway tunnel and line with a total value of 79.3 million. EU’s Cohesion Fund is contributing EUR 49.2 million. through the “Operational Programme for the Implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy” for the 2014-2020 programming period.

On 25 November 2019, the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy issued a decision on support for the construction of the Kidričevo bypass, an investment worth EUR 14.7 million, of which EUR 6.67 million will be co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund.

Under the umbrella of the E-ARK3 Project 20 partners are supporting the development of the CEF eArchiving Building Block as a solution for long-term information assurance. It provides the specifications, reference software, training and service desk support for digital archiving.

The purpose of the project is to improve rail interoperability with technical specifications pertaining to passenger and cargo services in accordance with EU regulations. This will ensure the fulfilment or implementation of TSI standards in the Slovenian railway network.

The establishment of the Slovenian Centre for Traffic Control and Management in Critical Situations at Sea, valued at EUR 2.32 million, is a part of the Operational Programme for the Implementation of European Cohesion Policy 2014–2020 and has received EUR 1.56 million in funds from the European Cohesion Fund.

On 8 September 2020, the European Commission approved co-funding for the project of construction of the Second track Divača-Koper, namely for the construction of the tunnel T8 and viaducts V1 and V2. The project is a encompassing the construction of 4.9 km of newly built viaducts and tunnels without equipment. EU’s Cohesion Fund is contributing EUR 80 000 000 through the “Operational Programme for the Implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy” for the 2014-2020 programming period.

The Ministry of Infrastructure has received a decision from the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy on support for the project document elaboration for the connection road of the 3rd development axis – Slovenj Gradec southern bypass, an investment worth EUR 0.83 million, of which EUR 0.59 million will be co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund.

The purpose of the project is the development of devices for older models of cars and other vehicle categories to promote the use of the e-Call service – a European-wide emergency call (112) made by passengers or automatically via the activation of car sensors after a collision.

Slovenia held the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2021, assuming this role for the second time in 13 years. The Slovenian Presidency was based on four priorities under the slogan "Together. Resilient. Europe." Working with the European institutions and the Member States, it has strengthened the EU’s resilience to various crises and helped countries with the post-pandemic recovery and digital transformation. It has also made important progress in improving working conditions, the security of European citizens and the process of enlargement to the Western Balkans.

Construction of seven tunnels (from T1 to T7), of which 16.671 km of main tubes and 12.712 km of service tubes. The project also encompasses project management that, in addition to internal special-purpose-vehicle costs and engineering, includes the supervision of building works and environmental legislation monitoring.

The purpose of the support measure is to increase institutional capacities and the efficiency of public administrations and services as regards the development and implementation of TEN-T core network projects. This ensures support for Member States eligible for Cohesion Fund funding that may experience problems in planning projects that are sufficiently developed and/or of good enough quality and have enough EU added value.

The E-ARK4ALL Project is a consortium of five partners working with the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The Archive of the Republic of Slovenia participates in the projectas a partner in the DLM Forum.

As part of the Geothermica programme, the Geothermal Energy for Circular Food Production (GEOFOOD) project is run as food production in Europe requires further steps to reduce the carbon footprint.

As part of the project, the beneficiaries will provide several solutions for clean transport based on alternative fuels and a number of sustainable transport services. It will involve the establishment of a network of compressed natural gas filling stations, a network of EV high-power chargers and city and regional bus connections.

To prepare the economic and technical documentation for the deep energy renovation of buildings in the core and wider public sector, the Ministry of Infrastructure obtained grants from the ELENA Fund of the European Investment Bank (EIB) to carry out the GOVernment Deep Energy Renovation (GovDER) project, namely for technical assistance ELENA (TP ELENA).

The purpose of establishing the NTMC is ensuring sustainable comprehensive traffic management by providing real-time traffic information. The project will encompass second-stage NTMC integration activities.

This is a continuation of previous EU-funded projects, CROCODILE and CROCODILE 2, a collaboration between Member States to improve cross-border road transport through the implementation of ITS (intelligent transport system) applications.

The project envisages the extension of the Karavanke motorway tunnel connecting the A2 Karavanke-Obrežje motorway in Slovenia and the A11 Villach-Karavanke in Austria. The project was a joint application by Austria and Slovenia. The Republic of Austria is the project coordinator.

The purpose of the project is to exchange spatial data that is of fundamental importance to ITS (intelligent transport system) applications. The project is carried out by a group of experts from 15 EU Member States working alongside electronic mapmakers. The Slovenian project partner is the Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Traffic Safety.

The aim is to provide comprehensive information in Slovenia and the wider EU area on the range of travel services provided by public and private operators, thereby enabling smooth, multimodal and cross-border door-to-door travel for passengers. EU grants are earmarked for carrying out ITS tasks to ensure the implementation of multimodal travel information services on the TEN-T network by bringing together public bodies, public transport service providers and providers of trans-European multimodal travel information.

The main purpose of the project is to speed up the introduction of multi-purpose charging infrastructure for electric vehicles with a focus on long-distance travel. The project will encompass the development of a pilot network of 222 multi-standard fast and 30 ultra-fast chargers on four corridors of the TEN-T core network. The project will contribute to the development of the electric vehicle market in Cohesion Member States.

In response to the call of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, 12 development regions submitted key regional and inter-regional projects and sector project proposals. The ADR encompasses 57 sustainable mobility project proposals with an estimated value of EUR 297.9 million, of which EUR 109.6 million will be co-financed with EU funds (EUR 23 million allocated and EUR 86.6 million in commitment appropriations).

On 8 November 2017, the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy issued a decision on financial support for the project of soft sustainable mobility measures. The purpose of the project that is a part of the Operational Programme for the Implementation of European Cohesion Policy 2014–2020 is the general promotion of sustainable forms of mobility encompassing incentive and educational activities at the national level and the drafting of professional guidelines for enterprises, institutions and local communities. The total amount of funds intended for the implementation of the project is EUR 3.4 million, of which EUR 2.9 million will be co-financed from the European Cohesion Fund.

Preparatory works for the construction of a new track on the Divača-Koper railway line.

The project encompasses the deployment of the Electronic General Aviation Forecast (eGAFOR), as low-level flights (LLF) are the most critical part of aviation in terms of safety, and meteorological support (MET) is fragmented and inconsistent.

The purpose of the project CA-EED II Concerted Action on the Energy Efficiency Directive is improved cooperation and the transfer of good practice between Member States in the implementation of national energy efficiency action plans, the transposition of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency into national legislation and the adoption of the proposal for a new energy efficiency directive presented by the European Commission at the end of 2016.

Slovenia proposed that the United Nations (UN) proclaim 20 May as World Bee Day. On 20 December 2017, following three years of international efforts, the UN Member States unanimously approved Slovenia’s proposal and 20 May was proclaimed World Bee Day.

On 29 March 2017, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) began the process of leaving the European Union (EU). The UK and the EU negotiated the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union in October 2019. On 17 October 2019, the European Council endorsed the revised agreement. Following the general election in the UK in December 2019, the UK Parliament endorsed the agreement in January 2020. The European Parliament endorsed it on 29 January 2020.

The SLOWAM project encompasses the acquisition and implementation of the Wide Area Multilateration System for air traffic management and control. As part of the project, the technology used in aircraft positioning was set up.

The aim of the project is to facilitate e-mobility, intermodal transport and green transport services in city centres and to ensure network connectivity and standardisation, thereby achieving the aim of reducing CO2 emissions. The pilot deployment study is implemented in the Core Urban Nodes of Bratislava, Zagreb and Ljubljana.

C-Roads Slovenia is the follow-up to C-Roads Slovenia, a pilot project involving the deployment of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) for the real-time transfer of information.

The project encompassing a feasibility study and project documentation for the construction of the new tunnel tube was a joint application by Austria and Slovenia. The Republic of Slovenia is the project coordinator. The results of the project will be used in the next phase of the modernisation of the Karavanke railway tunnel.

Eligible purposes under the call for proposals are investments in pedestrian infrastructure, cycling infrastructure and bus stations. The call with a total value of EUR 17 million co-financed from the EU Cohesion Fund under the Operational Programme for the Implementation of the European Cohesion Policy in the period 2014–2020 was approved by the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Development and European Cohesion Policy on 27 September 2017.

P+R (park and ride) systems are parking facilities where drivers and their passengers can leave the car and transfer to a more sustainable means of transport (public transport, bicycle, etc.). The call for proposals to co-finance investments in P+R systems valued at EUR 4.2 million co-financed from the EU Cohesion Fund was approved by the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Development and European Cohesion Policy on 20 December 2017.

ETCS – European Train Control System

On 24 October 2017, the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy issued a decision on support for the construction of the Krško bypass at the old Krško bridge section (Krški most-Vrbina local road) up to the roundabout at TC Krško, G1-5/0336 at km 2.600. The project, valued at EUR 14.3 million, is a part of the Operational Programme for the Implementation of European Cohesion Policy 2014–2020, and will receive EUR 8.7 million in funds from the European Regional Development Fund.

The purpose of the project CA-RES III Concerted Action on the Renewable Energy Sources Directive is the exchange of good practice between Member States in the implementation of renewable energy source action plans and the transposition of measures from Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources into the national legislation.

The project introduces new technologies and innovations in modes of transportation with a focus on decarbonisation and safety. For this purpose, two model liquefied natural gas (LNG) filling stations will be built in Slovenia.

The construction of the first part of the Murska Sobota eastern bypass, is a part of the Operational Programme for the Implementation of European Cohesion Policy 2014–2020. The total cost of the project was EUR 9.86 million of which EUR 5.12 million was co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund.

e-ARH.si is a complex environment intended for e-archiving. It includes procedures for submitting digitized and born digital records into the public Archives as well as their processing, long-term preservation (in accordance with valid legislation), and further use.

On 22 August 2019, the European Commission approved EU funding for the project of upgrading the existing railway line Maribor-Šentilj-state border. This is a major project encompassing the upgrade of an 18 km-long railway track with a total value of a little over EUR 253 million. EU’s Cohesion Fund is contributing EUR 101 000 000 through the “Operational Programme for the Implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy” for the 2014-2020 programming period.

As part of the Motorways of the Sea initiative, the project assessed the possibility of introducing electric power supply on land and electric power for ships in Eastern Mediterranean, namely the Port of Koper and the twinned Port of Limassol (Cyprus) and the Greek ports of Kyllini and Piraeus.

The project relates to the Ljubljana Airport that is part of the core TEN-T network. The project involved the implementation of the Initial Airport Operation Plan that improved the efficiency of airport operations through real-time data sharing.

The vision of the project for the overhaul and optimisation of the state administration authorities websites is to have a uniformly organised and seamlessly functioning state administration web service to provide users with easy and fast access to comprehensive, up-to-date and credible presentational information about the state and state-related procedures, together with easy-to-use state administration e-services via a single point.

The purpose of the project is to upgrade the railway line in the Zidani Most-Celje section in the length of 26.2 km.

Among other things, the project will help gain a deeper insight into the needs regarding the distribution of electric and hybrid cars so that Mediterranean ports, in particular, can follow trends in the auto industry and prepare to receive such cargo.

C-Roads Slovenia is a pilot project involving the deployment of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) for the real-time transfer of information.

The international project DeCAS (Demonstration of coordinated ancillary services covering different voltage levels and the integration in future markets) encompasses an analysis of systemic services, such as active consumption, control of individual units in terms of voltage and reactive power. The Slovenian partner in the project is the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana.

An integrated transport strategy is a strategic document on transport planning focusing on measures to promote sustainable mobility. The call with a total value of EUR 2.6 million from the EU Cohesion Fund was approved on the basis of a support decision issued by the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Development and European Cohesion Policy on 8 October 2015. In 2016 and 2017, 62 integrated transport strategies in the total amount of EUR 1.8 million in EU funding were drafted at the municipal level.

The project encompasses works in the context of the Poljčane-Slovenska Bistrica section to increase the technical (bearing) capacities of the track and improve safety and interoperability.

The project encompassed a technical feasibility study to develop and confirm the centralised concept of processing aircraft information and data for operative use and distribution. The study included the concept development, the implementation of the demo version and a cost-benefit analysis.

The purpose of the project was to conduct geological and geo-mechanical surveys and prepare the basic design project documentation and detailed design to build the second tube of the Karavanke Tunnel that was the basis for obtaining the building permit and the construction of the second tunnel tube.

The purpose of the project is to repair and modernise the railway section between the Dekani station and the Bivje junction.

e-Call (based on the European emergency number 112) is an emergency call system for the automatic warning of rescue services in the event of a traffic collision.

GAINN4MOS is a joint project of numerous Member States helping to supply ports with liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

The pilot project focused on the development and establishment of an innovative logistic corridor for the transport of refrigerated fresh food products from Israel to Central Europe, the aim of which was to shift the cargo from road to rail to shorten the delivery time of refrigerated products and reduce land transportation costs.

On 24 March 2021, the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy approved EU funding for the project of rehabilitation and modernisation of the Pragersko hub. The project consists of the full modernisation of the Pragersko railway station, a major hub connecting three important railway corridors to Zidani Most (Ljubljana), Maribor (Austrian border) and Ormož (Hungarian border). Total value of the project is EUR 90.03 million from which EU’s European Regional and Development Fund is contributing EUR 40 million through the Operational Programme for the Implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy for the 2014-2020 programming period.

In the 2014–2020 period, the Connecting Europe Facility is a key EU financial instrument to promote growth, jobs and competitiveness through targeted investments in transport, energy and telecommunications infrastructures.

On 4 July 2016, the European Commission approved cohesion funding in the amount of EUR 63.5 million for the major project of construction of the motorway section Draženci-Gruškovje international border crossing that is a part of the Operational Programme for the Implementation of European Cohesion Policy 2014–2020. The total cost of the project was a little over EUR 176.7 million.

In the 2014–2020 programme period as part of the Investment for growth and jobs objective, the Ministry of Infrastructure is implementing measures related to the promotion of sustainable energy use and transport.

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU programme for research and innovation.

Baltic and Mediterranean corridors of the trans-European core network.

SESAR (Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research) projects encompass joint projects that will contribute to the successful implementation of the Air Traffic Management Master Plan and are aimed at upgrading the system, increasing security and connecting the SESAR project with its implementation. SESAR coordinates the dedicated SESAR Joint Undertaking.

The Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) mechanism is aimed at fulfilling the aims of sustainable urban strategies of urban municipalities with funding from the European Regional Development Fund and the EU Cohesion Fund. The Association of Urban Municipalities of Slovenia (ZMOS) acts as an intermediary in selecting ITI operations.

The MLA Initiative is an initiative led by Slovenia, Argentina, Belgium, Mongolia, the Netherlands and Senegal for the adoption of the Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and other International Crimes.

The Ljubljana-The Hague Convention was adopted at the MLA Diplomatic Conference in Ljubljana on 26 May 2023 and represents a landmark international treaty that will help to deliver justice to victims of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The adoption of the Convention seizes a historic opportunity to strengthen international legal cooperation. The Convention is expected to significantly reduce impunity for perpetrators of crimes. More than 30 States from all over the world signed the Convention at a Signing Conference in The Hague on 14 and 15 February 2024. The Ljubljana-The Hague Convention is open for signature by all States until 14 February 2025.