On 29 March 2004, Slovenia became a member of NATO after having deposited, in Washington, the Instrument of Accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the depositary, the US.

1993 – The National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopts the Resolution on the Starting-Points for a National Security Plan.
    
1994 – The democratically-expressed political will for Slovenia to join NATO is first clearly expressed in the supplements to the Resolution on the Starting-Points for a National Security Plan, adopted in Slovenia's National Assembly in January. On the basis of the decision expressed by Slovenia's parliament, on 30 March Slovenia becomes one of the first countries to be included in the Partnership for Peace (PfP) and the same year becomes an associate partner in the North Atlantic Assembly (NAA).  

1995 – Slovenia begins to carry out the first cycle of the Planning and Review Process (PARP). In this process, which takes place every year, Slovenia outlines its national defence policy and planning, defines its participation in peace-keeping and humanitarian operations and chooses to pursue the policy of restraining the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. In this year, Slovenia submits its first Individual Partnership Programme. In August, members of the Slovenian Armed Forces take part for the first time in a PfP exercise in the US (Cooperative Nugget). The Status of Forces and Transit Agreement for IFOR/SFOR is signed.

1996 – At the end of January, Slovenia becomes full member of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC). Slovenia's political decision for NATO membership is clearly expressed in the 11 April 1996 decision adopted by the National Assembly, stating that "the Republic of Slovenia wishes to guarantee its basic security interest within the framework of a system of collective defence, made possible by NATO membership." Slovenia is among the first partner countries to respond to NATO's proposal for individual dialogue, which begins on 17 April 1996. Slovenia presents its political, economic and defence arrangements in three rounds of individual dialogue.

1997 – In April the National Assembly adopts the Declaration on NATO Membership. In August President Milan Kučan signs the order on establishing the Mission of the Republic of Slovenia to NATO. In October Slovenia dispatches members of the Slovenian Armed Forces to SFOR.

1998 – In February the government presents the National Strategy for the Integration of the Republic of Slovenia into NATO. In October, Slovenia opens its airspace for overflights of NATO aircraft. In autumn, the largest NATO/PfP exercise outside NATO territory takes place in Slovenia - "Cooperative Adventure Exchange '98" (more than 6,000 troops from NATO and PfP countries take part).

1999 – At the Washington Summit in April, NATO member states adopt the Membership Action Plan (MAP). With the adoption of the Annual National Programme of the RS for the implementation of NATO Membership Action Plan (ANP MAP 1999–2000) in October, Slovenia is included in the Membership Action Plan process.

2000 – A NATO research workshop is held in April. The first cycle of the ANP 1999 2000 is concluded in May with a meeting between the North Atlantic Council and Slovenia. In the ANP 2000-2001 Slovenia presents for the second time its activities and goals that it has decided to achieve, as well as the methods and deadlines for reaching them.

2001 – Slovenia draws up its third ANP for the period 2001–2002, which is adopted by the Government in September 2001 and submitted to NATO's International Secretariat in October 2001.  

2002 – In September, Slovenia delivers its fourth ANP 2002–2003. At the NATO Summit Meeting in Prague on 21 and 22 November, Slovenia is invited to begin accession talks for NATO membership along with Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia. On 26 November the Government of the Republic of Slovenia receives a formal written invitation from NATO's Secretary General to begin accession talks. On 24 December the government adopts the starting points for accession talks with NATO.

2003 – Accession talks with NATO take place in two rounds (21 and 31 January). On 23 January the government of Slovenia adopts the Initiative for Accession to the North Atlantic Treaty. In the 23 March referendum on Slovenia’s accession to NATO, 66.08% of voters support Slovenia's NATO membership. On 26 March the Permanent Representatives of the nineteen NATO member states sign in Brussels a protocol on Slovenia's accession to NATO. On 15 October, Slovenia submits to NATO its fifth Annual National Programme for the Implementation of the Membership Action Plan (MAP) covering the period 2003-2004.

2004 – The Slovenian National Assembly adopts the Act ratifying the North Atlantic Treaty on 24 February and Slovenia deposits its instrument of accession with the depositary (the US) on 29 March, thus becoming a NATO member. Slovenian troops join the ISAF mission in Afghanistan in March.

More information is available at: http://nato.gov.si/en/