Background information

On 27 December 2022, the National Assembly adopted a long-awaited aid package for the economy: Act on Aid to the Economy to Mitigate the Effects of the Energy Crisis (ZPGOPEK). Following the partial subventions for rising energy costs in March 2022 and August 2022 , the law provides the basis for comprehensive aid to the economy in 2023. It consists of three support measures:

1. Partial reimbursements of the costs of price increases for electricity, natural gas and steam .
2. Wage compensations for temporary layoff and short-time work .
3. Liquidity loans.

The whole aid package (subsidies for energy price increases, wage compensations and liquidity loans) is worth €1.2 billion.

Content of measure

Two funds (the Slovenian Enterprise Fund and the Slovenian Regional Development Fund) and SID bank are responsible for the distribution of liquidity loans.

The law Act on Aid to the Economy to Mitigate the Effects of the Energy Crisis (ZPGOPEK) provides €250 million of soft loans to improve companies' liquidity. The Slovenian Enterprise Fund (Slovenski podjetniški sklad) and the Slovenian Regional Development Fund (Slovenski regionalni razvojni sklad) make €30 million available in 2023 and €20 million in 2024.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport, SID bank offers €150 million in loans to companies affected by the energy crisis or the Ukraine war. A large share is for investments in technological development projects, the rest is for other investments and working capital.

Together with the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy, SID bank has a loan fund for road hauliers during the energy crisis.

Use of measure

No information available.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	European Funds National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

The Economic and Social Council (ESS), the tripartite social dialogue body, discussed and negotiated the law draft.

Views and reactions

On 10 February 2023, five employer organisations sent a public letter to the government. They stressed the problem of large and energy-intensive companies to which the regulation of energy prices does not apply. Moreover, they pointed out the ineffectiveness of subsidies for large companies due to the many restrictions imposed by the ZPGOPEK and the liquidity issues, as the first subsidies will be paid at the end of March 2023, while the payment deadlines for electricity suppliers are 15 days.

Sources

• 27 December 2022: Act on Aid to the Economy to Mitigate the Effects of the Energy Crisis ( Zakon o pomoči gospodarstvu za omilitev posledic energetske kriz (www.uradni-list.si)
• 14 February 2023: Government of the Republic of Slovenia, Measures to mitigate energy price rises (Ukrepi za omilitev draginje na področju energetike (www.gov.si)