Slovenia

Stimulating job creation at the local level requires integrated action across the employment, training, and economic development portfolios. Co-ordinated place-based policies can help workers find suitable jobs, while also contributing to demand by stimulating productivity. This requires flexible policy management frameworks, information, and integrated partnerships which leverage the efforts of local stakeholders. This chapter outlines the key recommendations that have emerged from the OECD Review of Local Job Creation in Slovenia.

As a small nation at the crossroads between Central Europe, the Mediterranean and the Western Balkans, Slovenia places high importance on the multilateral system and uses it to promote development-relevant global public policies. Slovenia engages constructively at the global level and is willing to play an active role in advancing global development. Within the European Union it is advocating in particular for sustainable development in the Western Balkan region and for sharing transition experience with European Union accession countries. In finalising its national development strategy, the government has an opportunity to model an approach to sustainable development which integrates domestic and international dimensions.

Slovenia experienced rapid economic growth throughout most of the 2000s, with GDP per capita converging with the OECD average. Relatively favourable business- and export-oriented macroeconomic policies, combined with structural reforms stimulated by EU accession, were key factors driving growth. Even though environmental pressures were reduced towards the end of the 2000s due to the impact of the global economic and financial crisis, Slovenia will face a number of pressing environmental challenges as economic growth resumes. This chapter examines Slovenia’s framework for sustainable development and green growth. It analyses how the country has used investment, both public and private, supported by EU funds, to pursue environmental objectives. It also examines the use of economic instruments (i.e. energy and vehicle taxation), the removal of fiscal benefits, environmental fees and charges, and subsidies that encourage environmentally friendly activities or reduce environmentally harmful impacts. Included is an assessment of eco-innovation performance, as measured by environment-related R&D and patenting activity. This chapter also examines policies to encourage green corporate responsibility and investment, as well as green public procurement.