Living and working conditions: Slovenia

Vacancies are advertised publicly in Slovenia. Employers may publish vacancies with the Employment Service of Slovenia, in the media, on the internet or in publicly accessible business premises. It is compulsory to publish a vacancy notice with the Employment Service only for public sector employers, or a company in majority state ownership.

Large companies may search for new employees through special recruitment sections on their web pages or through social media. Various employment web portals also list published vacancies from employers. Specialised agencies usually offer more demanding employment positions. Student work is carried out by organisations that meet specific conditions, under the authority of the competent ministry.

A good way of finding work in Slovenia is to look on the hidden labour market. You can find out about unpublished vacancies by networking, through direct contacts with employers, at job fairs or in other proactive ways (in professional journals, through business directories or social media).

If you already live in Slovenia, you can register with the Employment Service of Slovenia (ESS). This gives you access to various types of assistance when looking for a job. Via the ‘poiščidelo.si’ portal, the ESS website will help you produce a CV in Slovenian, while the Europass portal enables you to produce a CV in all European languages and in a variety of formats. This type of web service is also available from some agencies and employers. Neither the ESS nor recruitment agencies may charge a jobseeker to use their placement services.

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Apply for a vacancy by sending a cover letter and your CV. Adapt the content of these documents to the employer’s expectations and the job requirements, and use facts and examples to outline what you can bring to the position. Point out what you do have, not what you lack, and never include false or misleading information about yourself. Each paragraph should include four to five sentences, which must not be too long.

Use the cover letter to explain why you are applying for the vacancy and point out why the employer should choose you over the other applicants (what you can bring to the business). Write your application in Slovenian. Employers may also accept applications in other languages, most often English.

Cover letters should be accompanied by a CV. The instructions and the web application for creating a CV are available on the Europass portal. You should not attach your original education certificates or employment references to your job application; instead, bring them to your job interview. You can also present yourself to employers in more innovative ways, such as through a card CV or a video presentation. It is also a good idea to include an appropriate photograph.

Jobs differ and require different knowledge, experience and skills. It is therefore very important to write a different application for every job.

Consider a job interview as a business meeting. The employer’s main purpose in a job interview is to determine whether you are the most suitable applicant for the job. Your aim is to present yourself in the best light. After the interview, analyse how it went and send the employer a thankyou note.

Some employers use personality questionnaires or psychological tests to help them select new employees. They might also view your social media profiles and your digital footprint.

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Definition

The legal framework for traineeships in Slovenia is provided by the Employment Act (Articles 120-124). In line with the Act, a trainee employment contract may be concluded with employees working for the first time in positions corresponding to the type and level of their professional qualifications, with the aim of training them to be able to carry out their work independently.

In Slovenia traineeships are specifically defined in sector-specific regulations or collective agreements for the line of work, with definitions of the form and duration of the traineeship, the content, remuneration, mentorship and other sector-specific requirements. Those areas with specific legislation regulating traineeship include education and training, law, state administration and local community administration, health, pharmacies and social care.

Slovenian employment law also provides for unpaid (voluntary) traineeships, if this is defined as such in special sectoral regulations or a collective agreement (e.g. in the legal sector) and with a written contract.

Overview

The traineeship programme is prepared by the employer so as to provide the trainee with experience, knowledge and the ability, under appropriate mentorship or guidance, to perform the work independently when the traineeship period is over. At the end of the traineeship, the trainee must take an examination, which is an integral and final part of the traineeship held before the end of the traineeship period.

The duration, content, programme, mentorship and method of monitoring and assessing the traineeship are set out in the sector-specific regulations or collective agreement for that line of work.

Eligibility

Traineeships are available to EEA citizens if they fulfil certain other criteria.

Implementation

All traineeships outside formal education programmes must fulfil the requirements of the Employment Act, which sets out the minimum standards for traineeship programmes. Moreover traineeship programmes are expressly defined through sector-specific regulations or collective agreements for the specific line of work, in order to ensure good learning and working conditions.

Living and working conditions

Traineeship programmes are usually conducted in the form of a traineeship fixed-term employment contract. In certain sectors of the economy (where defined by special regulations or a collective agreement), unpaid (voluntary) traineeships are possible. Volunteer trainees are not employed, but they must conclude a written traineeship contract with the business providing the traineeship, and must fulfil other basic criteria for traineeship, as defined in the Employment Act.

Trainee employees in paid traineeship programmes are entitled to a basic wage amounting to at least 70 % of the basic wage for the position for which the trainee is being trained. Trainee pay may not be lower than the legally set minimum wage (Employment Act, Article 141).

The Employment Act provides that trainees have the same rights as other employees/workers.

Where to find opportunities

For example, candidates can find more information about traineeship opportunities on the following websites:

• Employment Service of Slovenia: https://www.ess.gov.si/iskalci-zaposlitve/#/
• University of Ljubljana Career Centres: http://kc.uni-lj.si
• University of Maribor Career Centre: http://kc.um.si
• University of Primorska Career Centre: https://www.kariernicenter.upr.si
• University of Nova Gorica Career Centre: http://www.ung.si/sl/karierni-center

Funding and support

Candidates can look for funding opportunities nationally on the Employment Service of Slovenia website, and internationally on the EURES Targeted Mobility Scheme.

Where to advertise opportunities

Employers seeking traineeship candidates can, for example, advertise available trainee positions on the following websites:

• Employment Service of Slovenia: https://www.ess.gov.si/delodajalci
• University of Ljubljana Career Centres: http://kc.uni-lj.si
• University of Maribor Career Centre: http://kc.um.si
• University of Primorska Career Centre: http://www.kariernicenter.upr.si
• University of Nova Gorica Career Centre: http://www.ung.si/sl/karierni-center

Funding and support

Employers can look for funding opportunities nationally at https://www.ess.gov.si/delodajalci/financne-spodbude, and internationally at https://eures.europa.eu/eures-services/eures-targeted-mobility-scheme-tms_sl

Legal framework

In Slovenia, apprenticeships are included in the system of secondary vocational education and programmes of additional vocational and technical education and training, where at least 50 % of the education programme is provided in the form of on-the-job training with an employer.

The Apprenticeship Act provides that an apprentice may begin practical training by working with an employer when they reach the age of 15. Employed workers or unemployed persons may also participate in apprenticeship schemes, if appropriate and with the consent of the employer or the Employment Service of Slovenia.

Description of schemes

In the apprenticeship system in Slovenia, apprentices are educated with a combination of learning at school and in the working environment. At least 50 % of the education programme (in total at least 56 weeks in three years) is conducted as practical on-the-job training with an employer, and at least 40 % of the programme is conducted at school, covering also all the general education subjects.

While training at work with an employer, apprentices are placed under a mentor and thereby gain practical information on the vocation and professional knowledge, skills and experience. Mentoring can only be provided by a person with the appropriate education and teacher qualifications or with a master craftsman title.

An individual who wishes to enrol in an apprenticeship scheme can select a business for practical training from the confirmed list of available positions at businesses (more information below). The apprenticeship candidate then contacts the selected business and submits an application with a short CV and cover letter. This is followed by an interview, which the candidate’s parents may attend. If both parties are in agreement, they sign an apprenticeship contract, which must be concluded before enrolment in the school. If the number of places at the selected school is limited, apprentices are given priority.

Coordination between companies and schools is essential for a successful apprenticeship scheme, so flexibility and an understanding of the needs of the apprentice in relation to training are expected (for instance employers must enable apprentices to do school work, and the school programme must adjust to apprentices’ individual needs). The selected business, the school and the competent professional chamber draw up an apprenticeship plan for each apprentice, thereby ensuring the best possible cooperation.

Once apprentices complete their education programme, they have the same level of educational qualification as students who have not taken part in an apprenticeship scheme (EQF level 4), but they have more work experience. Apprentices can continue their schooling at the next level of education.

Further information on the apprenticeship system is available at:

• Ministry of Education: https://www.gov.si/teme/vpis-v-srednjo-solo
• Moja izbira (‘My choice’) portal: https://www.mojaizbira.si
• Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training (CPI): https://cpi.si/poklicno-izobrazevanje/vajenistvo Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS): https://www.gzs.si/vajenistvo/vsebina/Prva-Podstran
• Slovenian Chamber of Crafts and Small Businesses (OZS): https://www.ozs.si/javna-pooblastila/izobrazevanja/vajenistvo

Eligibility

Nationals of EEA Member States and Switzerland can participate in the Slovenian apprenticeship system.

Living and working conditions

Some specific conditions regarding on-the-job training with an employer as part of an apprenticeship in Slovenia:

• during the apprenticeship the apprentice has the status of a student, not of an employee;
• in the second year the apprentice must pass an interim test. The apprenticeship scheme ends with a final exam;
• on-the-job training with an employer and the education of the apprentice at school may last a total maximum of 8 hours per day and 36 hours a week. If the school lessons take up 5 or more hours a day, the apprentice may not attend training with the employer on the same day;
• during school holidays, apprentices may do on-the-job training, but every school year the employer must enable them to take at least 6 weeks of unbroken summer holidays and also at least 8 days off work, as set by the school calendar;
• training at work may not be conducted on Sundays and public holidays, but may take place on Saturdays, although at most one Saturday per month and not more than six Saturdays in a school year;
• for on-the-job training lasting at least 4 and a half hours per day, the apprentice has the right to a 30-minute break;
• when doing on-the-job training, apprentices may not work overtime and may not work at nights (between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. of the following day).

Where to find opportunities

Individuals seeking to participate in an apprenticeship scheme can select a business for practical training from the list of businesses issued and confirmed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS) or the Chamber of Crafts and Small Business of Slovenia (OZS), or can find a business themselves and submit a proposal to the relevant chamber for approval. All confirmed practical training positions are published in the register of training positions.

Funding and support

The employer at which the apprentice is doing the practical training pays the apprentice the following remuneration in monetary form, in accordance with the Apprenticeship Act and Act Regulating Adjustments of Transfers to Individuals and Households in the Republic of Slovenia (minimum monthly amount):

• EUR 309.49 in the first year,
• EUR 371.39 in the second year,
• EUR 495.19 in the third year.

Moreover, the employer is obliged to cover the costs of meals and transport under the same terms as apply to their normal employees.

Apprentices may also receive a bursary payment from the business, if so agreed with the employer (the two forms of financial support are not mutually exclusive).

Where to advertise opportunities

Each academic year, Slovenian employers can advertise available apprenticeship positions in the central register of the Ministry of Education. Before an employer advertises an available apprenticeship position, the competent chamber (e.g. the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia) carries out a verification of the training position.

Funding and support

Employers are funded part of the costs associated with apprenticeship by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport.

There is no special financing or support for international apprentices.

The free movement of goods is one of the cornerstones of the European Single Market.

The removal of national barriers to the free movement of goods within the EU is one of the principles enshrined in the EU Treaties. From a traditionally protectionist starting point, the countries of the EU have continuously been lifting restrictions to form a ‘common’ or single market. This commitment to create a European trading area without frontiers has led to the creation of more wealth and new jobs, and has globally established the EU as a world trading player alongside the United States and Japan.

Despite Europe’s commitment to breaking down all internal trade barriers, not all sectors of the economy have been harmonised. The European Union decided to regulate at a European level sectors which might impose a higher risk for Europe’s citizens – such as pharmaceuticals or construction products. The majority of products (considered a ‘lower risk’) are subject to the application of the so-called principle of mutual recognition, which means that essentially every product legally manufactured or marketed in one of the Member States can be freely moved and traded within the EU internal market.

Limits to the free movement of goods

The EU Treaty gives Member States the right to set limits to the free movement of goods when there is a specific common interest such as protection of the environment, citizens’ health, or public policy, to name a few. This means for example that if the import of a product is seen by a Member State’s national authorities as a potential threat to public health, public morality or public policy, it can deny or restrict access to its market. Examples of such products are genetically modified food or certain energy drinks.

Even though there are generally no limitations for the purchase of goods in another Member State, as long as they are for personal use, there is a series of European restrictions for specific categories of products, such as alcohol and tobacco.

Free movement of capital

Another essential condition for the functioning of the internal market is the free movement of capital. It is one of the four basic freedoms guaranteed by EU legislation and represents the basis of the integration of European financial markets. Europeans can now manage and invest their money in any EU Member State.

The liberalisation of capital markets has marked a crucial point in the process of economic and monetary integration in the EU. It was the first step towards the establishment of our European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the common currency, the Euro.

Advantage

The principle of the free movement of capital not only increases the efficiency of financial markets within the Union, it also brings a series of advantages to EU citizens. Individuals can carry out a broad number of financial operations within the EU without major restrictions. For instance, individuals with few restrictions can

1. easily open a bank account,
2. buy shares
3. invest, or
4. purchase real estate

in another Member State. EU Companies can invest in, own and manage other European enterprises.

Exceptions

Certain exceptions to this principle apply both within the Member States and with third countries. They are mainly related to taxation, prudential supervision, public policy considerations, money laundering and financial sanctions agreed under the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The European Commission is continuing to work on the completion of the free market for financial services, by implementing new strategies for financial integration in order to make it even easier for citizens and companies to manage their money within the EU.

In Slovenia, advertisements for the purchase, sale and renting of property are published on estate agents’ websites, usually in Slovenian.

No restrictions or special conditions apply to the purchase and renting of property by citizens of the EU and the EEA. You need a valid identity document in order to rent a property and sign a rental agreement. Rents usually cover only the rental of the property (in most cases furnished) and exclude bills. Rent does not usually include running costs (electricity, gas, water, heating, telephone), which are paid by the tenant in addition to the rent. The landlord arranges the registration of the tenancy agreement and pays the associated tax liabilities.

In 2024 the average price of housing in Slovenia reached EUR 3 414 per square metre. The highest average price of EUR 4 370 per square metre (in Ljubljana) is followed by EUR 4 260 per square metre on the coast and EUR 3 930 per square metre in the Alpine tourism area. Housing prices were also above the Slovenian average in Kranj and in the areas to the north and south of Ljubljana. The cheapest housing in 2023 could be found in Bela Krajina (EUR 1 430 per square metre) and in Prekmurje (EUR 1 260 per square metre).

In 2024 the average price of a house in Slovenia, together with the land on which it stands, was EUR 160 000 (in Ljubljana it was more than EUR 416 000).

Property prices and rents depend on the size, location and fixtures of the property and the age of the housing unit.

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A list of educational institutions in Slovenia is available on the website of the Ministry of Education. The language of instruction is Slovenian, although in mixed national-minority areas, the Italian and Hungarian national communities are entitled to be educated in their own languages.

Children of immigrants are entitled to compulsory primary school education from the age of six, under the same conditions as nationals of Slovenia.

Six private primary schools in Slovenia provide publicly recognised education programmes (Waldorf School Ljubljana, Alojzij Šuštar Primary School Ljubljana, Montessori Institute, Waldorf School Maribor, Montessori School at the Anton Martin Slomšek Institute, Maribor and Inštitut za celostno vzgojo in izobraževanje otrok LILA).

For children and adolescents with special needs, the organisation and forms of educational work are adapted as needed, and additional support is provided individually for each child or adolescent based on a placement decision.

A general-level international baccalaureate programme in English is offered under the aegis of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) by Gimnazija Bežigrad Ljubljana, Gimnazija Kranj, II Gimnazija Maribor and Gimnazija Novo Mesto. Slovenia has a few private secondary schools, such as Erudio Ljubljana, Škofijske gimnazije (diocesan classical high schools) in Ljubljana, Maribor and Vipava, Gimnazija Želimlje and the Waldorf secondary school.

The Ljubljana School Centre is home to the European School Ljubljana, the only school in Slovenia that follows the European Schools international programme (pre-primary, primary and secondary).Students complete their education by passing the European baccalaureate.

Information on secondary education programmes is available on the ‘Moja izbira’ portal. Information on short-cycle higher vocational programmes can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education and the website of the Association of Slovenian Higher Vocational Colleges, while information on higher education programmes can be found on the eVŠ portal. You may enrol at your chosen educational institution if you meet the admission criteria and apply during the application window (as published each year by the relevant ministry) for the following academic year.

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The implementation of the principle of free movement of people, is one of the cornerstones of our European construction, has meant the introduction a series of practical rules to ensure that citizens can travel freely and easily to any Member State of the European Union. Travelling across the EU with one’s car has become a lot less problematic. The European Commission has set a series of common regulations governing the mutual recognition of driving licences, the validity of car insurance, and the possibility of registering your car in a host country.

Your driving licence in the EU

The EU has introduced a harmonised licence model and further minimum requirements for obtaining a licence. This should help to keep unsafe drivers off Europe's roads - wherever they take their driving test.

Since 19 January 2013, all driving licences issued by EU countries have the same look and feel. The licences are printed on a piece of plastic that has the size and shape of a credit card.

Harmonised administrative validity periods for the driving licence document have been introduced which are between 10 and 15 years for motorcycles and passenger cars. This enables the authorities to regularly update the driving licence document with new security features that will make it harder to forge or tamper ­- so unqualified or banned drivers will find it harder to fool the authorities, in their own country or elsewhere in the EU.

The new European driving licence is also protecting vulnerable road users by introducing progressive access for motorbikes and other powered two-wheelers. The "progressive access" system means that riders will need experience with a less powerful bike before they go on to bigger machines. Mopeds will also constitute a separate category called AM.

You must apply for a licence in the country where you usually or regularly live. As a general rule, it is the country where you live for at least 185 days each calendar year because of personal or work-related ties.

If you have personal/work-related ties in 2 or more EU countries, your place of usual residence is the place where you have personal ties, as long as you go back regularly. You don't need to meet this last condition if you are living in an EU country to carry out a task for a fixed period of time.

If you move to another EU country to go to college or university, your place of usual residence doesn't change. However, you can apply for a driving licence in your host country if you can prove you have been studying there for at least 6 months.

Registering your car in the host country

If you move permanently to another EU country and take your car with you, you should register your car and pay car-related taxes in your new country.

There are no common EU rules on vehicle registration and related taxes. Some countries have tax-exemption rules for vehicle registration when moving with the car from one country to another permanently.

To benefit from a tax exemption, you must check the applicable deadlines and conditions in the country you wish to move to.

Check the exact rules and deadlines with the national authorities: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/registration/registration-abroad/index_en.htm 

Car Insurance

EU citizens can insure their car in any EU country, as long as the chosen insurance company is licensed by the host national authority to issue the relevant insurance policies. A company based in another Member State is entitled sell a policy for compulsory civil liability only if certain conditions are met. Insurance will be valid throughout the Union, no matter where the accident takes place.

Taxation

Value Added Tax or VAT on motor vehicles is ordinarily paid in the country where the car is purchased, although under certain conditions, VAT is paid in the country of destination.
More information on the rules which apply when a vehicle is acquired in one EU Member State and is intended to be registered in another EU Member State is available on this link https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/registration/taxes-abroad/index_en.htm.

To reside in Slovenia for a period exceeding 3 months, you will need a residence registration certificate. You can obtain it at the administrative unit for your area. It will be granted on the basis of a valid identity card or passport. If you have employment lined up already, you should submit proof of that employment in the form of an employment contract. If you are studying, undertaking self-employment or retiring, you should provide evidence of that. You must also provide proof that you have a secure means of subsistence and appropriate health insurance.

Registration of residence is not the same as registration of place of residence. After delivery of your residence registration certificate, you must also register your place of residence with the administrative unit within 8 days from the day the document is filed or delivered or from the date of temporary settlement. Proof of ownership, a rental contract or the consent of the owner are accepted as proof. Until they receive their residence registration certificate, citizens of EU Member States must register at the relevant police station, and must do so within 3 days of arriving in the country.

However, as a national of a Member State of the European Union, you may only be refused residence in Slovenia if you do not meet the conditions for being granted a certificate or if you constitute a threat to public order or national security.
After receiving a permanent residence permit, you have 8 days from delivery of the permit in which to arrange registration of your place of permanent residence at the administrative unit. You may acquire a permanent residence permit if you are an EU citizen and have been residing in Slovenia for 5 years (as demonstrated by a residence registration certificate). Until your permanent residence in Slovenia is registered, you will continue to have a registered permanent residence in your own country.

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As a citizen of the European Union, you may enter Slovenia using a valid identity card or passport.

You are required to register the address where you are staying, through the owner or co-owner of the property, at the relevant police station within three days of entering the country. If you register in person at a police station, you need the consent of the owner or co-owner of the property where you are accommodated, and their contact details. You also need to de-register before departing.

Registration of residence

If you intend to stay in Slovenia for more than three months, you must apply for a residence registration certificate no later than before the end of the three-month period. You must request a residence registration certificate from an administrative unit, which is where you also have to register your residence and any change of address. The administrative unit can issue a residence registration certificate for reasons including, among other things, employment or work, self-employment, the provision of services, study or other forms of education, and family reunification. The registration certificate issued by an administrative unit is valid for 5 years or, if the person concerned intends to stay for less than 5 years, for the duration of their intended stay. The residence registration certificate is issued in the form of an identity card. Administrative units usually have office hours every working day. You need to de-register your place of residence when moving from Slovenia.

EMŠO (personal identification number)

When you register in Slovenia, you will also receive a personal identity number (EMŠO) from the Central Population Register, which serves as the basis for tax, bank and other business within Slovenia. The first administrative authority you contact will be the one to issue your EMŠO.

Tax number and bank account

You can obtain a tax number from the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia and open a bank account at any bank. To open an account, you will normally require a valid identity document and a Slovenian tax number.

Registration of employment

You do not require a work permit to take up work in Slovenia if you are a national of an EU Member State. The employer registers employment by registering the employee for social security insurance at the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia.

Provision of services

If you work in Slovenia as a posted worker for a legal entity established in the EU, the EEA or the Swiss Confederation, your employer has to submit the e-form entitled ‘Prijava storitve delodajalca s sedežem v drugi državi članici Evropske unije, Evropskega gospodarskega prostora ali Švicarski konfederaciji’ (Registration of the service of an employer established in another Member State of the European Union, the EEA or the Swiss Confederation) via the Employment Service website before you start work.

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Quality of work and employment - a vital issue, with a strong economic and humanitarian impact

Good working conditions are important for the well-being of European workers. They

• contribute to the physical and psychological welfare of Europeans, and
• contribute to the economic performance of the EU.

From a humanitarian point of view, the quality of working environment has a strong influence on the overall work and life satisfaction of European workers.

From an economic point of view, high-quality job conditions are a driving force of economic growth and a foundation for the competitive position of the European Union. A high level of work satisfaction is an important factor for achieving high productivity of the EU economy.

It is therefore a core issue for the European Union to promote the creation and maintenance of a sustainable and pleasant working environment – one that promotes health and well-being of European employees and creates a good balance between work and non-work time.

Improving working conditions in Europe: an important objective for the European Union.

Ensuring favourable working conditions for European citizens is a priority for the EU. The European Union is therefore working together with national governments to ensure a pleasant and secure workplace environment. Support to Member States is provided through:

• the exchange of experience between different countries and common actions
• the establishment of the minimum requirements on working conditions and health and safety at work, to be applied all over the European Union

Criteria for quality of work and employment

In order to achieve sustainable working conditions, it is important to determine the main characteristics of a favourable working environment and thus the criteria for the quality of working conditions.

The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) in Dublin, is an EU agency that provides information, advice and expertise on, as the name implies, living and working conditions. This agency has established several criteria for job and employment quality, which include:

• health and well-being at the workplace – this is a vital criteria, since good working conditions suppose the prevention of health problems at the work place, decreasing the exposure to risk and improving work organisation
• reconciliation of working and non-working life – citizens should be given the chance to find a balance between the time spent at work and at leisure
• skills development – a quality job is one that gives possibilities for training, improvement and career opportunities

The work of Eurofound contributes to the planning and design of better living and working conditions in Europe.

Health and safety at work

The European Commission has undertaken a wide scope of activities to promote a healthy working environment in the EU Member States. Amongst others, it developed a Community Strategy for Health and Safety at Work for the period 2021-2027. This strategy was set up with the help of national authorities, social partners and NGOs. It addresses the changing needs in worker’s protection brought by the digital and green transitions, new forms of work and the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the framework will continue to address traditional occupational safety and health risks, such as risks of accidents at work or exposure to hazardous chemicals.

The Community policy on health and safety at work aims at a long-lasting improvement of well-being of EU workers. It takes into account the physical, moral and social dimensions of working conditions, as well as the new challenges brought up by the enlargement of the European Union towards countries from Central and Eastern Europe. The introduction of EU standards for health and safety at the workplace, has contributed a lot to the improvement of the situation of workers in these countries.

Improving working conditions by setting minimum requirements common to all EU countries

Improving living and working conditions in the EU Member States depends largely on the establishment of common labour standards. EU labour laws and regulations have set the minimum requirements for a sustainable working environment and are now applied in all Member States. The improvement of these standards has strengthened workers’ rights and is one of the main achievements of the EU’s social policy.

The importance of transparency and mutual recognition of diplomas as a crucial complement to the free movement of workers

The possibility of obtaining recognition of one’s qualifications and competences can play a vital role in the decision to take up work in another EU country. It is therefore necessary to develop a European system that will guarantee the mutual acceptance of professional competences in different Member States. Only such a system will ensure that a lack of recognition of professional qualifications will not become an obstacle to workers’ mobility within the EU.

Main principles for the recognition of professional qualifications in the EU

As a basic principle, any EU citizen should be able to freely practice their profession in any Member State. Unfortunately the practical implementation of this principle is often hindered by national requirements for access to certain professions in the host country.

For the purpose of overcoming these differences, the EU has set up a system for the recognition of professional qualifications. Within the terms of this system, a distinction is made between regulated professions (professions for which certain qualifications are legally required) and professions that are not legally regulated in the host Member State.

Steps towards a transparency of qualifications in Europe

The European Union has taken important steps towards the objective of achieving transparency of qualifications in Europe:

• An increased co-operation in vocational education and training, with the intention to combine all instruments for transparency of certificates and diplomas, in one single, user-friendly tool. This includes, for example, the European CV or Europass Trainings.
• The development of concrete actions in the field of recognition and quality in vocational education and training.

Going beyond the differences in education and training systems throughout the EU

Education and training systems in the EU Member States still show substantial differences. The last enlargements of the EU, with different educational traditions, have further increased this diversity. This calls for a need to set up common rules to guarantee recognition of competences.

In order to overcome this diversity of national qualification standards, educational methods and training structures, the European Commission has put forward a series of instruments, aimed at ensuring better transparency and recognition of qualifications both for academic and professional purposes.

1. The European Qualifications Framework

The European Qualifications Framework is a key priority for the European Commission in the process of recognition of professional competences. The main objective of the framework is to create links between the different national qualification systems and guarantee a smooth transfer and recognition of diplomas.

2. The National Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARICs)

A network of National Academic Recognition Information Centres was established in 1984 at the initiative of the European Commission. The NARICs provide advice on the academic recognition of periods of study abroad. Located in all EU Member States as well as in the countries of the European Economic Area, NARICs play a vital role the process of recognition of qualifications in the EU.

3. The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)

The European Credit Transfer System aims at facilitating the recognition of periods of study abroad. Introduced in 1989, it functions by describing an education programme and attaching credits to its components. It is a key complement to the highly acclaimed student mobility programme Erasmus.

4. Europass

Europass is an instrument for ensuring the transparency of professional skills. It is composed of five standardised documents

• a CV (Curriculum Vitae),
• a cover letter editor,
• certificate supplements,
• diploma supplements, and
• a Europass-Mobility document.

The Europass system makes skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood in the different parts of Europe. In every country of the European Union and the European Economic Area, national Europass centres have been established as the primary contact points for people seeking for information about the Europass system.

This area is regulated by collective agreements and general acts of the employer, as well as by the Employment Act (ZDR).

Any employer wishing to recruit new employees must publish a vacancy. Vacancies may be published with the Employment Service of Slovenia, in the media, on websites or in publicly accessible business premises. Published vacancies must include details of the employer, details of the job and the job requirements, and must also indicate how to apply and the application deadline, which must not be less than 3 days.

Before work commences, you must enter into a written employment contract with the employer. The minimum age for employment is 15. An employment relationship is either fixed-term or permanent, full-time or part-time. In an employment contract, employers may also specify a probationary period of up to six months.

After the employment contract is signed, within 15 days after you start work the employer is required to register you for compulsory social insurance (pension and disability insurance, health insurance, parental care insurance and unemployment insurance) from the day you start working under the employment contract, and to provide you with a photocopy of the registration (form M-1).

Apprenticeships and traineeships are carried out only at employers for which a special law or collective agreement provides for this for a specific sector, such as state institutions, healthcare, education system, etc.

Slovenian legislation recognises several special forms of employment for one-off, occasional or short-term work, for example work on the basis of contracts governed by civil law, such as work contract or copyright contracts, and work on the basis of a referral from the student employment service. It also recognises occasional or temporary work by retired persons, personal supplementary work or short-term work. You can also obtain a special status that allows you to pursue certain activities on an independent basis (e.g. as a farmer, independent cultural worker, journalist) without having to set up a company or enter a relationship of employment.

Slovenian farmers need seasonal workers, especially for picking strawberries, working in hop gardens and thinning and pruning fruit trees in the spring; in the summer they are needed for gathering and processing vegetables, and in the autumn for fruit picking (e.g. apples and grapes). The majority of available jobs are in north-eastern and eastern Slovenia. Seasonal farm work is regulated by civil law (Agriculture Act). Workers receive special contracts for temporary and seasonal agricultural work. Account is also taken of elements of the Employment Act (e.g. prohibition on discrimination, equal treatment, prohibition of child labour, working hours, breaks and rest) and elements of the regulations concerning health and safety at work. Workers are registered for health, pension and disability insurance.

Seasonal workers are also needed in tourism. In the summer there is a need particularly for waiters, cooks, chefs, housekeepers, etc., and in winter also for waiters, cooks, housekeepers, ski instructors and so forth. This work is usually performed by workers under a fixed contract pursuant to the Employment Act, and also by students (student work).

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Employment contract

The Employment Act (ZDR-1) stipulates the elements/information that an employment contract must contain: the contracting parties, the job title, the place of work, the period for which the contract is concluded, whether it is for full-time or part-time work, the daily or weekly working time and the distribution of working time, the amount of basic pay and any other remuneration, the payment period, the day of payment and the method of payment of wages, annual leave, the period of notice, and information on the relevant collective agreement or employer’s articles of association. An employment contract must be drawn up in written form.

After you sign the employment contract, the employer is required to register you for health insurance, pension/disability insurance and unemployment insurance from the day you start working under the employment contract.

Any provisions in an employment contract that violate the regulations, an existing collective agreement or the employer’s articles of association are invalid.

If there is a change to the job title or details of the type of work, the place of work, the duration of the employment contract or the weekly/monthly working time (full or part-time employment), the employer must terminate the employment contract and offer you a new employment contract to sign.

Fixed-term employment is concluded through a fixed-term employment contract.

You may also conclude a special employment contract with an employer that provides labour to another employer in accordance with the rules governing the labour market.

If you sign a part-time employment contract, you enjoy the rights and obligations deriving from employment on a pro rata basis, except those rights and obligations for which the law determines otherwise.

If you are employed as a manager or authorised person with power of procuration, you may agree different rights, obligations and responsibilities deriving from the employment in your employment contract as regards the conditions and restrictions of fixed-term employment, working time, the provision of breaks and rest periods, remuneration, disciplinary liability and termination of the employment contract.

Work contracts or copyright contracts

Work based on a work contract or copyright contract is governed by civil law and generally involves a written agreement on the work performed, deadlines and payment. Under a work contract, the provider undertakes to perform a particular task, such as the manufacture or repair of an item or the provision of physical or intellectual work, etc., while the contracting entity undertakes to pay the provider for such work. A work contract is an appropriate form of contract for one-off work or craft work. Providers of work and material working under such contracts pay their pension and disability insurance contributions, while the contracting entity pays health insurance contributions. Non-resident foreigners may conclude a work contract, receive payments to a bank account at a Slovenian bank and pay their taxes using an allocated tax number, which they obtain from a tax office.

Under a copyright contract, the author undertakes to produce a certain work and deliver it to the contracting entity, while the contracting entity undertakes to pay the author a fee for such work. A copyright contract covers copyrighted work relating to literature, science and the arts, and is subject to the payment of social security, pension and disability insurance contributions. The paying entity insures the individual against accidents at work and occupational diseases. If you perform work under a work contract or a copyright contract, the contracting entity is not obliged to insure you against unemployment or to provide you with parental protection insurance.

Student work

Work based on a referral from the student employment service can be performed by pupils and students enrolled at a Slovenian educational establishment, or by students and pupils from European Economic Area countries who acquire such status on the basis of international student exchange projects. For work based on a referral from the student employment service, the minimum gross hourly rate for temporary and occasional work by secondary school and university students is EUR 7.34. Students and pupils also have social insurance (pension/disability insurance and special contributions for health insurance, whereas the contribution for insurance against injury at work and occupational diseases is calculated in a different way).

Personal supplementary work

Personal supplementary work is when individuals personally perform work in a household or similar work, or other small-scale work that can only be carried out for another person, when they produce art and craft articles or other items that are made manually at home or by predominantly traditional methods and sell them, or when they pick and sell wild fruit and herbs. If you wish to perform personal supplementary work, you must notify the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records (AJPES) via the web portal using a qualified digital certificate, or notify the administrative unit of your registered place of residence in person. You may perform supplementary work only on the basis of a voucher bearing your name. The value of each voucher is set at a flat rate of EUR 13.73: EUR 10.68 for pension and disability insurance and EUR 3.05 for health insurance and insurance for injury at work and occupational diseases. Aggregate income from personal supplementary work in a given half of a calendar year may not exceed three times the average monthly net salary in Slovenia in the previous calendar year.

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In Slovenia, special protection is provided for some categories of worker. This includes protection for worker representatives, protection for women, protection for workers during pregnancy and parenthood, protection for workers under the age of 18, and protection for disabled persons and older workers.

Protection for workers under the age of 18 relates in particular to the prohibition on performing certain kinds of heavy work and work detrimental to health, a prohibition on performing overtime and night work, and an obligation to increase the worker’s annual leave by 7 working days.

The law requires employers to afford special protection both to occupationally disabled persons and other disabled persons in employment or training. A quota system, set according to activity, applies to the employment of persons with a disability. An employer who employs more persons with a disability than outlined in the quota applying to their sector is entitled to special benefits and incentives. An employer must provide an employee who is found to still have some capacity for work with work that corresponds to their ability to work, work involving shorter working hours, occupational rehabilitation and an allowance in lieu of pay. Under employment regulations, an employer may terminate a permanent employment contract without offering a new employment contract only if, by reason of Category II or III disability or on business grounds, the employer is justifiably unable to guarantee the employee’s right, under the legislation, to be reassigned to another post without or after the completion of vocational rehabilitation or the right to work shorter hours. A commission charged with establishing the basis for terminating a disabled person’s employment contract establishes the grounds for termination at any employer with five or more employees.

Workers over the age of 55 also enjoy special protection. Older workers have the right to start working shorter hours if they enter partial retirement. An employer may not order older workers to perform overtime or night work without their written consent.

If any of your employment-related rights are infringed, you may notify the Labour Inspectorate; at the same time, you can also use legal proceedings to enforce fulfilment of the obligations due and the correction of infringements by the employer.

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Economic activity may be carried out in Slovenia by natural persons or by legal persons taking one of a number of legal organisational forms. Natural persons most commonly perform business operations as sole traders (s.p.). Companies can be established as different legal entities: limited-liability companies (d.o.o.), public limited companies (d.d.), European companies (SE), unlimited companies (d.n.o.) and limited partnerships (k.d.). The most common forms are the sole trader (entrepreneur) and the limited-liability company (d.o.o.).

As an entrepreneur, you may start to operate your business once you are registered as an economic operator and fulfil any special conditions, which differ depending on your main business activity. This means that you may start up a craft establishment upon obtaining a craft licence, open a legal practice after you have been entered in the relevant register at the Ministry of Justice, or start providing independent health care services after obtaining a concession and being entered in the register at the Ministry of Health, and so on.

As a (future) sole trader, you are provided with IT support by the state portal SPOT, (‘Slovenska poslovna točka’ – Slovenian Business Point). If you are a foreign national, you must also obtain an EMŠO (personal identity) number and a tax number before you start to pursue the activity. You need both in order to open a bank account and obtain a qualified digital signature (a requirement for doing business via the SPOT portal).

It is quick and easy to become established as a sole trader or to set up a simple limited-liability company since you do not need the assistance of a notary or a lawyer. The whole process can be completed in less than 3 days from submission of an application. A digital certificate is required to carry out the procedure; you can also ask for advice free of charge from an expert at one of the SPOT contact points.

In order to set up a more complex company with more shareholders and more complex relationships between them, you will need the help of a notary.

The Companies Act (ZGD-1) also defines instances in which a person cannot become a founder, a shareholder or a sole trader.

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The minimum gross wage for full-time work is EUR 1 277.72. Employers have to comply with the minimum wage laid down by law or a collective agreement specific to the activity, under which they must pay at least the minimum wage. The minimum wage does not include: all years-of-service bonuses, work and business performance bonuses, bonuses for difficult working conditions, or bonuses for night work, Sunday work or work on national holidays and other non-working days as defined by law.

Payment for work under an employment contract comprises a salary, which is always in monetary form, and any other types of remuneration if provided for by a collective agreement. The salary consists of basic pay, performance-related pay and supplements (for night work, overtime, Sunday work, work on holidays and years of service). Basic pay is the fixed part and is determined according to the difficulty of the work for which the employee has concluded an employment contract. Performance-related pay is also a constituent part of remuneration if agreed in a collective agreement or an employment contract.

Employers must reimburse employees for the costs of subsistence during work, for travel to and from work, and for any costs which they incur in performing specific work and tasks while travelling for work purposes. Employees who are entitled to annual leave must receive annual holiday pay from their employer which is at least equivalent to the minimum wage.

An employee whose employment is terminated in ordinary procedure by their employer for business reasons or incompetence is entitled to a severance payment. The employee is also entitled to a severance payment upon the expiry of a fixed-term employment contract, upon retirement and upon extraordinary termination by the employee for a breach committed by the employer (non-payment of salary or contributions, etc.).

An employee and an employer may agree that the employee shall have the right to a share of the profits in a given financial year.

The salary is paid for periods that may not be longer than one month, on a previously agreed day in the month and no later than by the 18th day after the end of the payment period.

The employer is obliged to issue a written payslip to the worker upon each salary payment. The employer must also issue a breakdown of pay, taxes and contributions for the previous calendar year by 31 January of the new calendar year. The payslip must include the following in particular: the worker’s basic pay, supplements, any performance-related pay, salary compensation by type, gross and net pay, social security contributions and personal income tax.

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Working time is the actual working time plus the 30-minute break and the time taken up by legitimate absences from work.

Full working time is fixed on a weekly basis and usually amounts to 40 hours a week. It can be shorter, but not less than 36 hours a week. Where there is an increased risk of injury or harm to health, full working time may be less 36 hours a week. Full working hours may not be spread over less than 4 days a week.

The employer must give employees prior written notice if they have to perform overtime, and must pay them accordingly. However, overtime is limited to a maximum of 8 hours a week, 20 hours a month or 170 hours a year. Exceptionally, and with the worker's approval, overtime of up to 230 hours a year is allowed in certain sectors, e.g. healthcare, but this has to be stipulated in the collective agreement for a particular sector or a particular profession. You are entitled to a rest period of at least 12 uninterrupted hours every 24 hours. The weekly rest period must last at least 24 uninterrupted hours.

You are entitled to a special supplement for overtime work and for working at less convenient times (night work, work on public holidays and other non-working days).

Employers are not allowed to require certain protected categories of employees (pregnant women, older workers, workers in especially hazardous jobs, etc.) to do overtime.

Where full working time is organised in an irregular manner or temporarily re-organised, working time may not exceed 56 hours a week. This type of arrangement may not continue for more than 6 months. Night work is work performed between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Where the organisation of working time leads to the introduction of a night shift, night work comprises 8 continuous hours between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The working time of a night worker may not last over 8 hours a day on average (average calculated over a 4-month period). Night work is prohibited for workers aged under 18, pregnant women and nursing mothers. There are restrictions on overtime and night work for older workers.

With an amendment to the Employment Relationship Act in 2024 (Article 142.a of ZDR-1), the right to disconnect was introduced. Employers were required to adopt measures that ensure employees’ right to disconnect during rest periods or justified absences from work. These measures are determined by a collective agreement, and the employer must inform employees in writing about the adopted measures.

In the event of a violation of labour law, contact the relevant trade union or the Labour Inspectorate.

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Leave

You acquire the right to annual leave when you sign an employment contract. The Employment Relationship Act (ZDR-1) stipulates that you are entitled to annual leave of at least 4 weeks in every calendar year, regardless of whether you work full-time or part-time. If you enter into an employment contract or your employment contract is terminated during a calendar year and your period of employment in that calendar year is less than 1 year, you are entitled to the corresponding amount of annual leave.

Different circumstances (such as age, disability, children, physical disability and care for a child who requires special care) are the basis for acquiring additional days of annual leave. Employees are also entitled to additional days of annual leave on the basis of criteria established in collective agreements or the employer’s articles of association, and such additional days are set out in the employment contract.

An employee who signs a part-time employment contract can claim leave rights in proportion to the working time laid down in the contract.

Every employee entitled to annual leave also has the right to holiday pay, which must be at least equivalent to the minimum wage and should be paid, in principle, by no later than 1 July of the year in question, except where a collective agreement stipulates otherwise. If you are entitled to only a proportionate part of annual leave, you are also entitled to the corresponding amount of holiday pay (one twelfth thereof for every month of work).

Your employer must allow you to take annual leave before the end of the current year. You must take at least 2 weeks of annual leave by the end of the calendar year and, by agreement with the employer, the remainder by 30 June of the following year.

In 2025, national holidays and non-working days in Slovenia are as follows:

• 1 and 2 January:  New Year
• 8 February:           Prešeren Day, Slovenian Cultural Holiday
• 20 April:                Easter Sunday
• 21 April:                Easter Monday
• 27 April:                Day of Uprising Against Occupation
• 1 and 2 May:        Labour Day
• 25 June:               Statehood Day
• 15 August:            Feast of the Assumption
• 31 October:          Reformation Day
• 1 November:        Day of Remembrance of the Dead
• 25 December:      Christmas
• 26 December:      Independence and Unity Day

Absence from work

You are entitled to up to 7 working days of paid leave per calendar year for personal reasons (own wedding, death of spouse, child or parent, serious accident, accompanying child to school on their first day of school).

You are entitled to be absent from work in the event of temporary incapacity to work due to illness or injury or in order to donate blood or to fulfil other obligations such as military exercises, jury service, etc.

An employee enrolled in education or training is entitled to a period of leave in order to prepare for or sit examinations. Unless stipulated otherwise by a collective agreement, an employment contract or a special education contract, you are entitled to paid leave on the days you sit an examination for the first time.

Maternity leave

Maternity leave, which lasts 105 days, is intended for pregnant women so that they can prepare for childbirth and then care for their child in the period immediately after birth. During maternity leave, maternity benefit is paid in the amount of 100 % of the basis, and has no ceiling. In order to be entitled to maternity leave, you must have parental protection insurance. Mothers start their maternity leave 28 days before the expected date of delivery.

Paternity leave is intended for fathers, allowing them to care for their child in its infancy together with the mother. Fathers are entitled to 15 days of paternity leave. Fathers must use paternity leave no later than 3 months after the birth of the child. During the period of taking paternity leave, paternity benefit is paid in the amount of 100 % of the basis, and has a ceiling of 2.5 times the average monthly wage.

Each parent is entitled to 160 days of parental leave. Of this, 60 days are not transferable, while 100 days may be transferred from one parent to the other. The non-transferable part of parental leave may be taken no later than by the child’s eighth birthday. During the period of taking leave, parental benefit is paid in the amount of 100 % of the basis, and has a ceiling of 2.5 times the average monthly wage.

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The methods of terminating an employment contract vary depending on whether the worker has a fixed-term or open-ended contract, whether the contract is annulled by agreement or if notice of termination is given by one party.

A fixed-term employment contract expires without a period of notice at the end of the period for which it was concluded.

The contracting parties may annul a contract at any time by written agreement or if one of the contracting parties gives notice of termination. The termination of an employment contract may take place under an ‘ordinary’ or ‘extraordinary’ procedure. An employment contract is terminated by a written agreement between the parties. When the employment relationship is terminated, your employer must inform you in writing of your rights under unemployment insurance. Failure to provide such information does not affect the validity of the termination agreement.

Ordinary termination

The contracting parties (employee and employer) terminate an employment contract by providing the statutory period of notice (between 15 and 80 days). An employer may terminate an employment contract for business reasons (for economic, organisational, technological, structural or similar reasons, there is no longer any need to perform the specific work under the terms and conditions set out in the employment contract), on grounds of employee incompetence (failure to achieve the expected performance at work) and for a breach of contract (violation of contractual obligations or other obligations arising from the employment relationship).

If your employer gives you ordinary notice of termination of your contract for business reasons or reasons of incompetence, they may offer you a new employment contract.

Extraordinary termination

An employer may terminate your employment contract using an extraordinary procedure for various reasons, e.g. if you fail to meet your contractual obligations and such failure is a prima facie criminal offence, if you fail deliberately or through serious negligence to meet contractual or other liabilities arising from your employment relationship, if you fail to come to work on 5 successive days without justifying your absence, or if you fail to follow the instructions of the competent doctor while on leave on grounds of illness or injury.

You may terminate your employment contract in extraordinary procedure for various reasons, e.g. if your employer has failed to provide you with work for over 2 months and has also failed to pay you for work, if you have been unable to work on account of a prohibition imposed by an inspectorate on carrying out a procedure, or if your employer has failed to safeguard your health and safety at work or has failed to guarantee equal treatment for both sexes.

The minimum notice period is 15 days and the maximum is 80 days.

Depending on the reasons for the termination of your employment contract (termination by the employer or the expiry of a fixed-term contract), you are entitled to the rights under the unemployment insurance, which you can claim at the relevant labour office.

During the employment termination procedure, you can contact a relevant trade union or labour inspectorate to find out about and discuss your rights. You may also notify the inspectorate of any infringement you believe may have occurred. A labour and social court has the jurisdiction to solve any labour-related disputes.

Retirement

The right to an old-age pension depends on a person’s age and the length of their pensionable service. In 2025 the right to an old-age pension is acquired by any person, regardless of sex, who reaches the age of 65 and has completed a period of insurance of at least 15 years, or by any person who reaches the age of 60 and has completed a period of insurance of 40 years without buy-back. The age limits for acquiring the right to an old-age pension may be reduced to take account of the following: child care, the serving of a compulsory period of military service, or the commencement of compulsory pension and disability insurance prior to reaching the age of 18.

An insured person is entitled to a disability pension if they are disabled and if they meet certain other conditions, where the disability is confirmed by the Disability Committee of the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute of Slovenia. The Committee classifies the insured person into one of the three categories based on their remaining capacity for work. The right to a disability pension is granted to an insured person who:

• has a Category I disability,
• has a Category II disability, if they are not able to find other suitable work without occupational rehabilitation, which is not made available to the person concerned because they are over 55 years of age;
• has a Category II disability and is not capable of performing other work with shorter working hours (at least 4 hours a day) without occupational rehabilitation, which is not made available to the person concerned because they are over 50 years of age;
• has a Category II or Category III disability and is not provided with suitable employment or reassignment because they have reached the age of 65.

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A union acts as a social partner and negotiates to improve working conditions and pay, including wage supplements. Membership of a trade union is voluntary. To this end, unions enter into collective agreements with employers (at a corporate, institutional or sectoral level). Unions also provide representation of employees, collectively and individually, including judicial protection through the exercise of legal remedies. Representative trade unions are also represented in the Economic and Social Council, alongside representatives of employers’ organisations and the government.

Workers may represent their interests through representatives on the works council and the supervisory board, and through trade union representatives.

A works council is formed if the company employs more than 20 workers with an active voting right who have been working at the company for an uninterrupted period of more than 6 months; its role is to receive workers’ proposals and initiatives, which are taken into account in negotiations with the employer, and also helps to integrate disabled people, older people and other beneficiaries of special protection into the work process. If a worker has questions regarding their place of work or organisational unit, the employer must respond within 30 days. A worker must be informed of any changes at their place of work. An employer must inform the works council of the company’s economic situation, changes of activity, changes in technology, etc.

Members of the supervisory board who are workers’ representatives represent the interests of all workers within the limits of the powers conferred on the supervisory board. The number of workers’ representatives on the supervisory board is determined by the company’s articles of association.

Employers’ obligations towards trade unions

Employers must provide the necessary conditions for trade unions to carry out their activities swiftly and effectively in accordance with the rules safeguarding workers’ rights and interests, and give them access to the information they need to conduct trade union activities. Trade unions play a mainly advisory role in employee dismissals, bankruptcy or liquidation and in disciplinary proceedings against employees. Trade unions also give employers their opinion on general organisational and other acts.

A trade union whose members are employed by a particular employer may nominate or elect a trade union representative to represent it in its dealings with the employer. Where no representative is designated, the trade union is represented by its chairman.

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A strike is an organised suspension of work by employees for the purpose of asserting economic and social rights and interests arising from work. An employee is free to decide whether or not to take part in a strike. By striking, an employee exercises fundamental rights arising from their employment. A strike may be organised in an undertaking, in an organisation, at one employer, in a sector, in an industry, or as a general strike. Financial compensation during a strike may be claimed only where provided for in a collective agreement or articles of association.

A decision to commence a strike may be adopted by a majority of workers or by a trade union. A decision to commence a general strike is adopted by the supreme trade union body in Slovenia. A decision to commence a strike sets out the workers’ demands, the time of commencement and the location where the strike participants are to assemble. A strike committee is formed to represent the workers’ interests and direct the strike on their behalf. The strike committee must announce a strike at least 5 days before the date on which it is set to begin.

A strike must be organised and conducted in such a way that it does not endanger human safety or health and property, or jeopardise the resumption of work once the strike has ended. The strike committee and the workers on strike may not prevent non-striking workers from working. A strike ends by agreement between those who adopted the decision to strike and the bodies to whom the decision was sent, or by a decision of the trade union or workers that adopted the decision to start a strike.

The organisation of a strike and participation therein do not constitute a failure to fulfil work obligations, cannot be the basis for initiating proceedings to have an employee declared guilty of a breach of discipline and liable for damages, and cannot result in the termination of employment.

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The term Vocational Education and Training refers to practical activities and courses related to a specific occupation or vocation, aimed at preparing participants for their future careers. Vocational training is an essential means to achieve professional recognition and improve chances to get a job. It is therefore vital that vocational training systems in Europe respond to the needs of citizens and the labour market in order to facilitate access to employment.

Vocational education and training has been an essential part of EU policy since the very establishment of the European Community. It is also a crucial element of the so-called EU Lisbon Strategy, which aims at transforming Europe into the world’s most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based society. In 2002 the European Council reaffirmed this vital role, and established yet another ambitious goal – to make European education and training renowned globally by the year 2010 – by championing a number of world-class initiatives, and in particular by strengthening cooperation in the area of vocational training.

On 24 November 2020, the Council of the European Union adopted a Recommendation on vocational education and training for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience.

The Recommendation defines key principles for ensuring that vocational education and training is agile in that it adapts swiftly to labour market needs and provides quality learning opportunities for young people and adults alike.

It places a strong focus on the increased flexibility of vocational education and training, reinforced opportunities for work-based learning, apprenticeships and improved quality assurance.

The Recommendation also replaces the EQAVET – European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training – Recommendation and includes an updated EQAVET Framework with quality indicators and descriptors. It repeals the former ECVET Recommendation.

To promote these reforms, the Commission supports Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) which bring together local partners to develop ‘skills ecosystems'. Skills ecosystems will contribute to regional, economic and social development, innovation and smart specialisation strategies.

Erasmus+

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.

It has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion. This is nearly double the funding compared to its predecessor programme (2014-2020).

The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life.

It supports priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, Digital Education Action Plan and the European Skills Agenda. The programme also

• supports the European Pillar of Social Rights
• implements the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027
• develops the European dimension in sport

Who can take part? Find out here.

Adult Education and Lifelong Learning in Europe

Lifelong learning is a process that involves all forms of education – formal, informal and non-formal – and lasts from the pre-school period until after retirement. It is meant to enable people to develop and maintain key competencies throughout their life as well as to empower citizens to move freely between jobs, regions and countries. Lifelong learning is also a core element of the previously mentioned Lisbon Strategy, as it is crucial for self-development and the raising of competitiveness and employability. The EU has adopted several instruments for the promotion of adult education in Europe.

A European area of lifelong learning

In order to make lifelong learning a reality in Europe, the European Commission has set itself the objective of creating a European Area of Lifelong Learning. In this context, the Commission focuses on identifying the needs of both learners and the labour market in order to make education more accessible and subsequently create partnerships between public administrations, suppliers of educational services and civil society.

This EU initiative is based on the objective of providing basic skills – by strengthening counselling and information services at a European level, and by recognising all forms of learning, including formal education and informal and non-formal training.

EU organisations promoting vocational education in Europe

With the objective of facilitating cooperation and exchange in the field of vocational training, the EU has set up specialised bodies working in the field of VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

The European Centre for Vocational Training (CEDEFOP / Centre Européen pour le Développement de la Formation Professionnelle) was created in 1975 as a specialised EU agency for the promotion and development of vocational education and training in Europe. Based in Thessaloniki, Greece, it carries out research and analysis on vocational training and disseminates its expertise to various European partners, such as related research institutions, universities or training facilities.

The European Training Foundation was established in 1995 and works in close collaboration with CEDEFOP. Its mission is to support partner countries (from outside the EU) to modernise and develop their systems for vocational training.