The European Affairs Service performs technical and coordinating tasks in the field of European affairs to appropriately promote within the European Union those interests of Slovenia that fall within the competence of the ministry and are of strategic importance. The European Affairs Service participates in the development and formulation of positions in the procedure of adopting legislative proposals and other acts of the European Union falling within the competence of the ministry, and is responsible for their inter-ministerial coordination. In accordance with the policies of the Republic of Slovenia and the requirements of the ministry, the service provides for coordinated action of the ministry in the field of European affairs in relation to individual Member States of the European Union and in the wider international community. For this purpose it provides insight into European affairs falling under the competence of the ministry, and proposes, prepares and conducts certain activities. Civil servants from the European Affairs Service have gained employment at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia in Brussels. 

The European Affairs Service performs the following tasks:

• Cooperation with institutions and bodies of the European Union (European Commission, Council of the European Union, European Parliament);
• Cooperation with the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia in Brussels, the Government Office for European Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries in the field of European affairs;
• Development, formulation and confirmation of views/positions on the EU Portal to provide appropriate promotion of interests within the area of work of the EU Council (working groups, Permanent Representatives Committee and meetings of the Council of Ministers);
• Inter-ministerial coordination and harmonisation of positions on the EU Portal, preparation of materials related to European affairs for the government of the Republic of Slovenia and the National Assembly;
• Cooperation with EU Member States in the field of European affairs and representation of positions at the level of EU coordinators;
• Preparation and coordination of positions on the accession of candidate countries to the European Union;
• Advising on European affairs (knowledge of European law, key documents and procedures in the framework of the functioning of the European Union, and also at the national level);
• Coordination of and advising on commitology procedures, pre-trial procedures and infringement procedures;
• Monitoring the work of courts and provision of legal advice in case law;
• Preparation of official and other answers (reporting on individual directives, submission of operational programmes) and appointments to the European Commission (commitology committees and others);
• Analysis of European affairs and provision of up-to-date information to experts and sectoral policy makers on news related to drawing up new legislative proposals and/or programme documents and current affairs and policies within the European Union;
• Coordination, review and participation in single Community programmes;
• Management of administrative and technical assistance programmes (TAIEX, twinning, transitional arrangements and others);
• Record keeping in the field of work related to European affairs and provision of reviews of activities related to European affairs;
• Management of the European affairs documentation centre (Official Journal, publications and brochures related to EU affairs);
• Key role in preparing and implementing the presidency project in the ministry’s field of work during Slovenia’s presidency of the EU Council;
• Planning and monitoring the disbursement of funds under budget items earmarked for operational activities within the EU.

Head:

Darka Tea Glažar, MSc

Tel.: +386 1 478 7333

Fax: +386 1 478 7419

e-mail: tea.glazar(at)gov.si