Slovenia in the EU

For Slovenia, the European Union constitutes an essential economic, developmental, political and legal environment, as well as a fundamental source of values. While the EU, Euro and Schengen area memberships represent more than only increased security, stability, growth and prosperity, Slovenia’s expectations are not only limited to greater competitiveness, economic growth and sustainable development, but also include aspirations to improve the quality of life of its citizens based on the vision of a “family of nations”.

The values we uphold in the EU – human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law, as well as the rights of minorities, maintaining cultural diversity and linguistic equality – are shared by all Member States and their citizens. Through its active involvement in the Union, Slovenia strives to remain among its most integrated members, actively co-shaping its present and future.

Close cooperation with EU Member States

Slovenia has established close ties and regular cooperation with EU Member States, particularly Germany, France and Benelux. Centuries-old historical, political, and cultural ties connect it to other Central European countries. It is firmly established in the region through economic ties and transport connections. It also strives to maintain and enhance political partnerships with all Central European countries, particularly Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland.

The EU as a single voice

Aware of the importance of establishing a strong EU Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy, Slovenia is actively co-shaping them, devoting particular attention to horizontal and regional issues that are in its strategic interest. Taking account of the Union's needs and its own interests and capacities, Slovenia participates in civilian missions and military operations in crisis areas, focusing on the Western Balkans, the situation there, and on cooperation with the countries in the region.

Advocate of EU enlargement

Slovenia will continue to promote EU enlargement as the European Union's strongest geopolitical mechanism and as one of the most effective means of enhancing political and economic stability and security, particularly the enlargement to include the Western Balkan countries, which Slovenia also supports within the Brdo-Brijuni Process.

Transatlantic cooperation

Slovenia is a trustworthy ally and a reliable member of the North Atlantic Alliance. Despite the rapidly changing security environment and limited national resources, NATO remains the most effective and efficient system of ensuring Slovenia's national security.

Relations with the United States of America and Canada are a key aspect of the alliance. Equally, the further development of a single transatlantic economic area carries high strategic importance in relation to the world's other growing powers, as well as in terms of maintaining the standing of the Euro-Atlantic region in a multipolar world.

Europe, including Slovenia, and the United States are joined together by common core values, roots of civilisation, as well as by security and economic interests. In the light of this, relations with the United States are of crucial strategic importance to Slovenia. The two countries enjoy close relations established through NATO and Slovenian emigrants and through successful cooperation on defence and nuclear energy. Combined with the United States’ global role, these ties require constant constructive and intensive political dialogue, as well as the use of economic capacities.

Eastern Partnership

Slovenia regards the maintaining of security, stability and democracy in its wider neighbourhood as a priority. As a result, it strives to nurture good relations with Eastern Partnership countries, encouraging them to undertake reforms and strengthen democracy, the rule of law and the respect for human rights. Opportunities for cooperation with these countries also lie in the economy and energy.

Relations with the Russian Federation are important for the Slovenian economy, which seeks to establish further cooperation in tourism, agriculture, culture and education. In addition, Slovenia supports any form of cooperation that fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region.