European Union Division

phone: +386 1 478 2120

fax: +386 1 478 2119

This department is the operational unit involved in representing and protecting Slovenia's interest within the EU; it monitors the functioning of European institutions and coordinates and prepares positions for Slovenia's representatives within the EU.

The department is one of the Government and Ministry's major operational units for the preparation of Slovenia's positions on the Common foreign and security policy.

Its legal competencies include cooperation with other ministries and offices, especially the Government Office for European Affairs and Ministry of Defence.

The division is divided into three sections:

• Institutional Affairs Section,
• CFSP and PSC Section,
• Horizontal Affairs Section.

Institutional Affairs Section

This section:

• is responsible for preparing material and coordinating the defence of Slovenia's general political interests with regard to the EU;

• is responsible for preparing the expert background work for decisions on Slovenia's basic national positions to defend its interest within the EU, especially in discussions on the reform of EU institutions, the deepening of relations between members and the development of the EU's global role;

• monitors EU enlargement, preparations for the Slovenian presidency to the Council of EU, the employment policy within EU institutions and the functioning of EU agencies in relation to Slovenian interests.

CFSP and PSC Section

• The section is responsible for coordinating the EU's Common foreign and security policy (CFSP) within the Ministry.

• It takes care of technical and content coordination for CFSP affairs, coordinates bilateral, subject-based and EU affairs, prepares reviews and positions for sessions of the European Council, the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), political directors, the committee of permanent representatives (COREPER II), the Political and Security Committee (PSC), and working groups within the Ministry's areas of responsibility.

• The section also monitors the CFSP and the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and the work of 37 EU working bodies.

Horizontal Affairs Section

This section is responsible for monitoring horizontal issues within the EU, which cover the internal market, ministerial configurations of the European Council (justice and home affairs; employment and social policy; competitiveness; transport, telecommunications and energy; agriculture and fisheries; environment), horizontal issues relating to enlargement, and the Lisbon Strategy.