Press Release

Government approves draft amendment to Excise Duty Act and discusses a prospective minimum wage act

At today’s session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia approved a draft Act amending the Excise Duty Act. The proposed act does not interfere with the principles of the current Excise Duty Act, but rather amplifies existing solutions. By introducing a computerised system for monitoring the movement of excisable products in the internal market, the act is intended to align national laws with the acquis, as well as provide for stable budget revenues in the face of current slow growth.

At today’s session, the Government discussed the drafting of a minimum wage act and negotiations to sign a social agreement for 2010. Workers unions’ representatives participating in the social dialogue support a separate minimum wage rise and, for the time being, refuse to discuss other changes in the labour market as part of the social agreement. Employers’ representatives, on the other hand, maintain that entering into dialogue about other changes in the labour market is a prerequisite for the minimum wage rise.

It is in the Government’s interest that the social partners achieve consensus regarding changes in the labour market; however, should time show that there is a lack of willingness for dialogue among the social partners, the Government will take on the responsibility of putting forward the changes it deems vital to ending the crisis and ensuring long-term development.

On 31 January 2010 the Government will finalise the texts of the Minimum Wage Act and the Personal Income Tax Act, and adopt positions on a proposal by the Association of Employers regarding a provisional package of simultaneous amendments to the Minimum Wage Act and the labour market, and a proposal by the ZSSS trade union confederation regarding the Eight Pillars of the Development Vision for the Labour Market. The Government’s positions on these two proposals will constitute guidelines and a basis for the work of all the social partners negotiating the social agreement, as well as a basis for future statutory changes pertaining to areas covered by the agreement. Should a social agreement on the essential measures in the labour market not be reached by 31 March 2010, the Government plans to put forward emergency amendments to the current legislation regulating the labour market.

The Government allocated €50,000 as earthquake relief funds to Haiti through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Slovenia opted for financial aid, as material assistance would take too long to reach the destination. Slovenia will ensure that the funds are spent efficiently by supporting one of the organisations currently operating in the country which can best identify the needs of the local population.

The Government endorsed the founding of a Hydrogen Technologies Development Centre by the National Institute of Chemistry and the Jožef Stefan Institute. The Centre will operate as a research, development, application, consulting, educational and publishing facility for hydrogen and fuel cells. At the same time, it will link prominent Slovenian companies with educational and research organisations whose work relates to hydrogen technologies. The main goal is to make the Centre into an internationally recognised hydrogen development centre that will foster the development of hi-tech hydrogen technology products through coordination and by providing impetus for R&D.

The Government endorsed the co-founding of the Institute Centre of Excellence – Polymer Materials and Technologies with the Slovenian Tool and Die Development Centre. Centres of Excellence, which are part of government science and research policies, are intended to concentrate know-how in priority technological areas and provide horizontal connections within the entire chain of knowledge. Their implementation rests on a strategic partnership between the economy and academia.