AGP Executive Report

EU Birds Directive Push: The European Commission has decided to refer Slovenia to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to properly designate Special Protection Areas in its marine waters under the Birds Directive, including key areas such as Osrednji Tržaški zaliv for the Mediterranean Shag. Aviation Cleaner Fuels: Cyprus and 12 other EU countries, including Slovenia, face legal action after not adopting or reporting penalty rules required under the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, aimed at cutting aviation emissions by boosting sustainable fuel use. EV Charging Support: The European Investment Bank is backing Ireland’s nationwide EV charging rollout with advisory tools for faster, fairer build-out—an EU-wide signal for charging infrastructure momentum. Circular Industry Finance: Slovenia’s Resand expanded its Norion Bank loan facility from €14.5m to €25m to scale foundry sand reclamation and recycling, citing growing sustainability pressure from foundries. Healthier Vending in Slovenia: A Slovenian hospital study found healthier vending options can shift purchases toward better choices, even if total sales drop. Wildlife at Sea: New research links increased shipping traffic around South Africa with higher whale strike risk, urging urgent action to reduce collisions.

Birds Protection Push: The European Commission has referred Slovenia to the Court of Justice for failing to designate enough marine Special Protection Areas under the Birds Directive, including key habitat in Osrednji Tržaški zaliv for the Mediterranean shag. Clean Transition Funding: Lithuania’s Social Climate Plan got EU approval, mobilising €884m to cut energy bills via home renovations, expand social housing, and support cleaner transport with EVs, bike lanes and charging. EV Charging Rollout: The EIB is teaming up with Ireland to speed a nationwide public EV charging network, aiming for access in every community. Recycling & Circular Industry: Finland’s Resand expanded its loan facility with Norion Bank to €25m to scale foundry sand regeneration and recycling, citing growing sustainability pressure from foundries. Healthier Vending in Slovenia: A Slovenian hospital study found that healthier vending options can shift purchases toward healthier items (even if total sales drop). Tourism Pressure & Rules: Several European hotspots are tightening caps and booking limits as travel rebounds, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Santorini.

Slovenia Birds Directive Case: The European Commission has referred Slovenia to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to properly designate marine Special Protection Areas under the Birds Directive, focusing on the Mediterranean Shag and areas including Osrednji Tržaški zaliv. EV Charging Push: The EIB is teaming up with Ireland to speed up a nationwide public EV charging rollout, aiming for charging access in every community and using advisory tools to build infrastructure faster and more fairly. Circular Materials Finance: Finland’s Resand expanded its loan facility with Norion Bank from €14.5m to €25m to scale foundry sand reclamation and recycling, driven by sustainability targets from foundries. Healthier Vending in Slovenia: A Slovenian university clinical study found that healthier vending options can shift hospital purchases toward better choices, even if total sales drop at first. Robotic Delivery Trial (Ljubljana): Pošta Slovenije and the City of Ljubljana launched Slovenia’s first assisted robotic delivery trial in the old town to cut congestion and emissions while easing delivery pressures.

EU Court Action on Nature: The European Commission has referred Slovenia to the Court of Justice over non-compliance with the Birds Directive, saying key marine areas in Slovenia’s jurisdiction—especially Osrednji Tržaški zaliv for the Mediterranean Shag—still aren’t properly designated. Local Environment Policy: New environment minister Polona Rifelj says she wants faster siting and building-permit decisions, with nature conservation, water management and housing now under her ministry. Energy Governance Watchdog: Slovenia’s Human Rights Ombudsman says the government and the Environment and Energy Ministry interfered with the Energy Agency during reforms to electricity network charges, breaching separation of powers and fairness. Sustainable Transport Trial in Ljubljana: Pošta Slovenije and the City of Ljubljana launched Slovenia’s first assisted robotic delivery trial in the pedestrian old town, aiming to cut congestion and emissions while easing delivery pressure. Healthier Food Access: A Slovenian hospital study found that healthier vending options can shift purchases toward water, juice, fruit and healthier snacks—even if total sales drop. Rail Freight Push: Rail Cargo Group highlights cross-border planning and reliability improvements, pointing to construction challenges around Slovenia’s Port of Koper.

Slovenia’s Birds Directive Case: The European Commission has referred Slovenia to the EU Court of Justice over non-compliance with the Birds Directive, saying key marine areas for the Mediterranean shag—especially Osrednji Tržaški zaliv—haven’t been designated or properly classified as Special Protection Areas. Energy Governance Clash: Slovenia’s Human Rights Ombudsman says the government and the Environment and Energy Ministry interfered with the Energy Agency during reforms to electricity network charges, breaching separation of powers and the right to a healthy living environment. EV Delivery in the Capital: Pošta Slovenije and Ljubljana launched Slovenia’s first assisted robotic delivery trial in the pedestrian old town, aiming to cut congestion and emissions while tackling delivery demand and labour shortages. Minister Rifelj on Permits: Environment minister Polona Rifelj says she wants faster siting procedures and building permits, as her ministry now also covers nature conservation and water management. Whale Strike Risk: A study links higher shipping traffic around South Africa to more whale-ship collisions, urging urgent action to reduce whale strikes where possible. Green Finance for Transition: EBRD backs a large battery storage project in Romania (127 MW / 254 MWh), supporting renewable integration and balancing services, with optimisation involving Slovenian trader GEN-I.

EU Birds Directive: The European Commission has referred Slovenia to the Court of Justice over non-compliance with the Birds Directive, saying key marine areas in Slovenia—especially Osrednji Tržaški zaliv for the Mediterranean Shag—haven’t been properly designated as Special Protection Areas. Energy & Governance: Slovenia’s Human Rights Ombudsman says the government and the Environment and Energy Ministry interfered with the Energy Agency during reforms to electricity network charges, breaching separation of powers and the right to a healthy living environment. Transport & Clean Tech: Pošta Slovenije and Ljubljana launched Slovenia’s first trial of assisted robotic deliveries in the pedestrian old town, aiming to cut congestion and emissions while handling rising parcel volumes. Permits & Siting: Environment minister nominee Polona Rifelj says she wants faster siting procedures and building permits, and supports co-incineration while announcing an external review of Ljubljana’s CO project. Wildfire Readiness: The EU is ramping up wildfire preparedness for summer, deploying firefighters, aircraft and teams and using satellite mapping and risk forecasts. EV Charging Push (EU context): The EIB is partnering with Ireland to speed up nationwide EV charging rollout—an example of how EU climate funding is being used to scale infrastructure.

Tourism Pressure & Crowding Controls: Major European holiday hotspots are adding caps, booking systems and cruise limits as travel rebounds toward record levels, with Amsterdam capping overnight stays and sea-cruise calls and charging day-trippers a tourist tax. Sustainable Logistics in Ljubljana: Pošta Slovenije and the City of Ljubljana launched Slovenia’s first assisted robotic delivery trial in the pedestrian old town, using a slow electric autonomous vehicle to cut congestion and emissions while testing practical cargo options. Energy Governance Clash: Slovenia’s Ombudsman says the government and the Environment and Energy Ministry interfered with the Energy Agency over electricity network charges, raising concerns about independence and the right to a healthy living environment. EU Wildfire Readiness: The EU is ramping up summer wildfire response with firefighters, aircraft, helicopters and 24/7 coordination, plus satellite mapping and a new regional firefighting station in Cyprus. Climate-Linked Transport Policy: New analysis warns many EU countries fail to give companies clear tax incentives to switch company cars to EVs, risking long-term oil dependence. Local Environment Planning: Environment minister nominee Polona Rifelj says she would speed up siting and building permits and commission an external review of Ljubljana’s controversial CO project. Biodiversity & Roads: Research highlights wildlife-vehicle collisions peaking in spring and during rush hours, pointing to traffic volume and speed as key drivers.

Energy Governance: Slovenia’s Human Rights Ombudsman says the government and the Environment and Energy Ministry interfered with the Energy Agency during reforms to electricity network charges, breaching separation of powers and the right to a healthy living environment. Wildfire Preparedness (EU): The EU is ramping up summer wildfire response with hundreds of firefighters, aircraft and certified teams, plus 24/7 risk tracking and satellite mapping support. Climate & Transport Policy (EU): A new analysis warns that weak company car tax incentives leave many EU countries without clear signals to switch to EVs, risking long-term oil dependence. Renewables & Prices (Germany): Despite strong wind and solar growth, German households still pay among the highest electricity prices in the EU, highlighting the need for further clean generation. Green Claims Enforcement (EU): The European Commission has launched infringement procedures against 20 Member States, including Slovenia, for not fully transposing EU rules on green claims and sustainability labels. Biodiversity & Roads: Research highlights that wildlife-vehicle collisions rise with traffic volume and peak in spring, underlining the need for better road safety for animals. Local Nature Protest (Serbia): Protesters in Belgrade pushed for removal of a banner linked to the ruling party after claims it blocked protected bird nests. Urban Nature (Slovenia): Ljubljana’s environment minister nominee says she will speed up siting and building permits and commission an external review of the city’s controversial CO project. Zoo Update (Ljubljana): Ljubljana Zoo welcomed a female Nubian giraffe, the first in two decades.

EU wildfire readiness: The EU is ramping up summer fire response with 777 firefighters, 22 aircraft and 5 helicopters, plus 24/7 risk tracking and Copernicus mapping as 2025 burned a record 1 million hectares. EV incentives gap: A new Transport & Environment analysis says only 9 of 27 EU states give companies clear tax incentives to switch from fossil cars to EVs, risking longer oil dependence. Green claims enforcement: The European Commission has opened infringement procedures against 20 Member States, including Slovenia, for not fully transposing EU rules on green claims and sustainability labels ahead of a September 2026 start. Local environment policy (Slovenia): Environment and spatial planning nominee Polona Rifelj says she would speed up siting and building permits and supports co-incineration, while announcing an external review of Ljubljana’s controversial CO project. Coastal habitat change: Portorož’s main beach will be upgraded with white pebbles from the Soča River, with marine-life conditions considered, but critics warn it shouldn’t become a trend along the Slovenian coast. Biodiversity & roads: Research highlights wildlife-vehicle collisions peaking in spring and links collision risk to traffic volume and speed—relevant for safer driving and habitat protection.

EU Wildfire Response: With climate change driving bigger, more frequent fires, the EU is deploying a record summer force—777 firefighters, 22 aircraft and 5 helicopters—plus 24/7 coordination, satellite mapping and a new regional firefighting station in Cyprus. Transport & Pollution: A new T&E analysis warns that weak company-car tax incentives leave most EU countries unable to steer fleets away from fossil fuels, risking long-term oil dependence. Green Claims Enforcement: The European Commission has opened infringement procedures against 20 Member States, including Slovenia, for not fully transposing rules to curb misleading green claims and sustainability labels. Local Environment Policy: Slovenia’s environment and spatial planning minister nominee Polona Rifelj says she would speed up siting and building permits and commission an external review of Ljubljana’s controversial CO project. Coastal Nature & Tourism: Portorož’s main beach is set to be upgraded with white pebbles from the Soča River, with measures aimed at meeting environmental requirements and supporting marine life. Biodiversity Under Pressure: Research highlights how wildlife-vehicle collisions spike in spring and rush hours, underscoring the need for better road safety for animals. Climate Risk Data for Insurers: Generali expands use of Intermap’s Aquarius platform to improve assessment of natural hazard and climate-related exposures across Poland, Hungary and Slovenia.

Green Claims Crackdown: The European Commission has launched infringement procedures against 20 EU member states, including Slovenia, for not fully transposing the Green Claims and sustainability label rules—meant to curb greenwashing and clarify durability, repairability and consumer rights. Climate Risk Insurance Boost: Generali is expanding the use of Intermap’s AI-enabled Aquarius risk platform to Poland, Hungary and Slovenia, aiming to better quantify natural hazard and climate-related risks across the insurance lifecycle. Wildlife on the Move, Cars Too: Research highlights that wildlife-vehicle collisions rise with traffic volume and peak in spring (notably May/early June), with drivers facing higher risk during rush hours and seasonal migrations. EV Incentives Lag: Analysis by Transport & Environment finds only 9 of 27 EU countries clearly incentivise companies to switch fleets to EVs via taxation—despite corporate vehicles driving a large share of road emissions. Severe Weather Watch: Serbia and the region face unstable conditions with frequent showers and thunderstorms; Slovenia also saw storm activity and new alerts are expected as a cold front moves through. Coastal Nature Change: Portorož’s main beach is set to be upgraded with white pebbles from the Soča River, with marine habitat considerations—while experts warn such coastal alterations shouldn’t become a trend.

Wildlife & Roads: A new study links wildlife-vehicle collisions to traffic volume and speed, with spring and autumn rush hours the riskiest periods—plus a key issue in reporting when no one is held responsible. EV Policy Gap: Transport & Environment says Europe is moving too slowly on corporate EV uptake: only 9 of 27 EU states clearly incentivise company fleets via taxes, despite EVs’ higher upfront costs. Climate Risk Insurance: Generali is expanding use of Intermap’s Aquarius risk analytics in Poland, Hungary and Slovenia to better quantify natural hazard and climate-related risks across the insurance cycle. Green Claims Enforcement: The EU Commission has launched infringement steps against 20 Member States, including Slovenia, for not fully transposing rules to curb greenwashing in product labels and claims. Severe Weather Alerts: Serbia and parts of the region face unstable conditions with heavy downpours, thunderstorms and orange warnings, with Slovenia also seeing storm risk. Coastal Nature Change: Portorož’s main beach will be upgraded with white Soča River pebbles to support marine life—while experts warn it shouldn’t become a repeat pattern along the coast. Ljubljana Zoo: The zoo welcomed a female Nubian giraffe, Pietruška, the first in 23 years.

Severe Weather Watch: Serbia and the wider region face highly unstable weather from Monday, with frequent showers and thunderstorms and an orange warning for heavy downpours and storms; Slovenia is also bracing for possible severe storms, especially in the northeast, as a cold front moves toward Serbia. Coastal Nature Management: Portorož’s main beach is being upgraded with about 3,700 cubic metres of white pebbles from the Soča River, aiming to create marine habitat conditions while keeping the change within environmental requirements—though experts warn it shouldn’t become a trend along the whole Slovenian coast. Flood Preparedness: Slovenia’s hydrological forecasting service highlights how flash floods can develop in under an hour and stresses timely alerts and better coordination to protect people and property. Green Transition Rules: The European Commission has launched infringement steps against 20 EU states, including Slovenia, for not fully transposing the directive on empowering consumers for the green transition, targeting green claims and sustainability labels. Biodiversity in Ljubljana: Ljubljana Zoo welcomed a female Nubian giraffe, Pietruška, the first in 23 years, adding to local conservation and public nature education.

Coastal Nature Upgrade in Portorož: Slovenia’s main beach is getting a makeover: white pebbles from the Soča River will replace the old concrete-and-sand setup, with about 3,700 cubic metres spread and sandstone blocks added to keep them in place and support marine life. Works are due to finish by 15 June, but marine experts warn the approach shouldn’t become a blanket practice along the whole coast. Heat and Storm Watch: Weather updates point to a stormy Sunday with cloudy Monday conditions, scattered showers and possible afternoon storms, plus a broader note that Europe’s early-season heat has been extreme. Ljubljana Zoo Conservation: Ljubljana Zoo welcomed a female Nubian giraffe, Pietruška, the first female of this subspecies in 23 years, arriving from Warsaw and settling in alongside a male giraffe. Energy Transition Push: A European Commission move targets delayed national transposition of the “Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition” directive, aimed at cutting greenwashing and improving trust in sustainability labels. Flood Preparedness Spotlight: Slovenia’s hydrological service highlights how forecasting and fast alerts matter most during flash-flood conditions, referencing the severe August 2023 floods.

Heat & Climate Watch: A Europe-wide early-season heat dome shattered records, with whole-number temperature highs and a rapid shift from below-average May to mid-July-like extremes. EU Clean Transition: The European Commission opened infringement steps against 20 states, including Slovenia, for delayed transposition of the “Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition” rules on green claims and sustainability labels. Clean Heat Funding: The EU selected industrial heat projects for the Innovation Fund Heat Auction, with Slovenia’s Lek Pharmaceuticals among recipients aiming to cut fossil gas use. Protected Farming Tech: Terra Oracle AI says it helps protected cultivation growers turn scattered soil, satellite, weather and irrigation data into actionable decisions. Water Safety in Slovenia: Hydrology service veteran Polajnar highlighted how flash floods—driven by extreme rainfall—require fast warnings and strong cooperation. Local Nature: Ljubljana Zoo welcomed a female Nubian giraffe, Pietruška, the first in 23 years. Waste-to-Energy Debate: A public discussion on new incinerators in Slovenia exposed a sharp split between waste-management supporters and health/environment opponents.

Energy transition for companies: Experts in Belgrade urged firms to “fix” energy efficiency first, then move toward new energy sources, as Serbia plans major state investment in power and grid upgrades. EU consumer rules: The European Commission opened infringement steps against 20 EU states, including Slovenia, for not fully transposing the Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition, aimed at cutting greenwashing and improving green-claims rules. Heat and decarbonised industry: The EU’s Innovation Fund Heat Auction selected projects across 10 countries, with Slovenia’s Lek Pharmaceuticals among them, to replace gas-based heat with clean technologies. Flood readiness in Slovenia: A hydrology service veteran highlighted how better forecasting and fast alerts are key after the extreme August 2023 floods. Local biodiversity: Ljubljana Zoo welcomed a female Nubian giraffe, Pietruška, the first in 23 years. Waste-to-energy debate: A public discussion on new incinerators in Slovenia exposed a sharp split between supporters and health/environment concerns. Politics with climate stakes: Slovenia’s new Janša government lineup is taking shape, while an anti-graft watchdog halted proceedings against former Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak. Media ownership shift: Alpac Capital’s acquisition plans for Balkan outlets via Adria News Network raise fresh press-freedom concerns.