4. European Parliament of Enterprises: 700+ entrepreneurs support a strong Europe

Over 700 entrepreneurs have gathered on 13 October in the European Parliament in Brussels at the fourth European Parliament of Enterprises (EPP) organized by Eurochambres together with the network of European chambers including the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS) and in cooperation with the European Parliament. More information.

63rd Hospitality and Tourism Assembly in the Radenci Health Resort

The hospitality and tourism assembly, a guild event with the longest tradition here, attracts around 500 visitors each year. There was a display of 30 professional competitions where hospitality and tourism workers, students and pupils competed in knowledge and professional skills. Along the competitions, there were displays of hospitality products and equipment.

The digitization of the Slovenian economy is supported by the providers of accounting services

In the future, over 90% of commercial entities will be able to improve their efficiency with the use of digital services by providers of accounting services. New services, innovative business models and new ways of cooperation that will be based on digitization, will, in the coming years, substantially change the performance and the offer by providers of accounting services. In this context, the focus will be on strengthening of connections, increase of trust and data security management. These were the stressed issues of the round table on 6 October titled "Prepare yourself for the big bang: Digital transformation of accounting services" in the scope of the 18th Congress of Providers of Accounting Services.

A visit by honorary consuls of the Republic of Slovenia at CCIS

In the scope of the two-day event organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, the honorary consuls of the Republic of Slovenia also visited the CCIS on 6 October.

Visegrad is an important market for Slovenian enterprises

The last but one this year, the Wednesday CCIS Networking on 5 October, was dedicated to the Visegrad group countries. Almost 40 participants attended more than 70 meetings where they had the opportunity to exchange useful information.

Innovation Day 2016: The best innovations in Slovenia awarded

In the scope of the Innovation Day on 21 September, the CCIS has awarded the 14th round of certificates of recognition to the most innovative enterprises and innovators in enterprises and public research institutes. The result of the national finale in which 182 innovations and 768 innovators participated on the regional level is 14 gold, 21 silver and 5 bronze certificates of recognition. More information.

HORIZON 2020 – OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION

The Slovenian Business and Research Association (SBRA) from Brussels has, in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, organized a conference on 26 September that was titled "Horizon 2020 - opportunities for cooperation". Despite successful cooperation of Slovenian organizations in Horizon 2020, there is still enough room for improvement, especially in terms of researcher mobility, economy cooperation and a currently very significant topic – the program promoting excellence and increasing attendance in the Horizon 2020. At the conference, local and foreign experts presented current topics in the field of researcher mobility, three successful Slovenian companies presented their experience in the Horizon 2020, and acknowledged international experts and experts from the European Commission presented various opportunities for the improvement of cooperation of the Slovenian researchers and other participants in the Horizon 2020.

27–28 October: Economic Conference Montenegro 2016 (Budva, Montenegro)

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Montenegro (PKCG) organizes a yearly "Conference on the Economy" in Budva. It is the most important Montenegrin business forum that also represents a meeting point for the fortification and connections of business partnerships both in Montenegro as well as in the wider region of the Western Balkans. This year's conference will be addressed by the President of Montenegro Filip Vujanović and the Prime Minister of the Government of Montenegro Milo Đukanović. The attendance of numerous ministers of economy, chairmen of economic chambers, economists and businessmen from the wider region and Germany has also been confirmed.

20–24 November: United Arab Emirates, Dubai

We are organizing a visit by Slovene companies at the largest construction fair in the Middle East, The Big 5, which will take place in Dubai between 21 and 24 November 2016. More than 3,100 exhibitors from 67 countries from around the world will be presented at the fair, which is visited by over 73,000 business visitors every year and represents an excellent platform for networking and a review of the latest products and innovative technologies in construction.

24 November: Slovenian Business Summit

At the Slovenian Business Summit, we will discuss the digital solutions for the Slovenian economy, including the measures for the improvement of the digital business environment. A discussion on the Recommendation to the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the digitization of Slovenia and the Slovenian economy will also take place at the Summit. The participants will also be addressed by the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Miro Cerar.

30 November –1 December: B2B meetings in Denmark

The event is organized by the Chamber of Commerce and industry of Slovenia in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia from Copenhagen in the Danish capital Copenhagen. The invitation to the B2B meetings is addressed to the Slovenian providers of products and services with a high value added in the following fields: Wood-processing industries, food-processing industries for the HORECA area (eco, healthy products from sustainable production, wine of superior quality), smart solutions for the industries and services in the B2B segment, tourism sector.

13 October: The CETA agreement is beneficial

The agreement brings less obstacles and new market opportunities for enterprises, both directly as well as through partners of Slovenian enterprises in the EU. At CCIS, we support the conclusion of interstate agreements that decrease obstacles for international trade and investments, naturally, upon the condition, the competition law is duly considered and that European health, environmental, security and other standards are not impaired.

12 October: Letter from the CCIS President

During the past months and weeks, CCIS in cooperation with other key representative and other representatives and allies of the economy has informed the public and the key decision-makers in the country with some of the arguments and information related to the so-called tax restructuring. There were many underlying reasons for it, however, let me name four.

1. Enterprises have already directly paid all costs based on the salary relief from steady employment relationships. And will continue to do so also in the future.

2. Enterprises are also additionally burdened with other charges.

3. The shortfall from the budget will be lower than the revenues thereto from the economy. Why?

4. The salary balloon in the public sector, for the employed in the economy only crumbs.

Due to all of the stated above, we believe that such tax changes are non-developmental and also unjust both to the economy as well as to the employees in enterprises that are granted substantially lesser relief when compared with salary increases in the public sector. The manoeuvring space for public financial consolidation is sufficient due to higher tax revenues even without placing an additional burden on enterprises.
Those who randomly claim that we are attacking the entire public sector, however, seem to be doing so with the purpose of blurring the facts and data. Such responses do not contribute to the elimination of anomalies that exist both in the public sector as well as in the economy.

After the successful first half-year in Slovenia, when we have recorded a 2.5-percent economic growth, the positive trend continues also in the third quarter. In August, the industrial enterprises have produced 6% more year-on-year. This also reflects on good foreign trades (year-on-year export is nominally greater by 9.4% mostly due to greater export to non-members of EU, and import by 5.1% that was strengthened by EU markets). However, export dynamics in services trade is slowing down (export greater by 0.8% and import by 1.5%). Good results are also seen in transport, especially in maritime and air traffic where the year-on-year growth in passengers in docks was 39%, and the growth in passengers of the largest Slovenian air carrier 11.4%. Tourism that is also one of the significant industries in August, records 7% more revenues and 6.7% tourist stays than in August the year before. In a year, more stays were generated by tourists from Netherlands (+ 25%), from Great Britain (+ 17%), from Austria (+ 13%), from Israel (+ 12%) and from Italy (+ 8%). The market service activities in July also record a rise in revenues – year-on-year in total by 2.3%. In terms of revenue growth, office and accompanying business services stand out, as well as catering, travel agencies and trip organizers services. Retail sales has recorded y year-on-year rise in revenues in August by 4.8%, mainly due to the rise of revenues in non-foods trade (+ 9.7%). Trade of motor vehicles sales records a rise in revenues by a whopping third. The only industry that recorded poorer results than last year is construction, however, the trend turned upwards in the summer months, so the buildings in July already show an 11-percent growth in performed works, while the civil engineering works still show a 14-percent drop in performed works. The mood indicators per key industries show the continuance of activity growth in the following months as well.

Below you will find some statistical data for Slovenia