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EU-negotiations and Industrial Policy (Chapter 15) - Slovenia

Project title: “Training for civil servants on negotiations, with emphasis on Business and Industry Policy”

Country: Slovenia

Recipient authority: Government Office for European Affairs in Ljubljana

Project description:

The overall goal was to support the Slovenian preparation for EU membership. The immediate objective was to give civil servants from line ministries a better understanding of the nature of EU-negotiations – with emphasis on Business and Industry.

The project was implemented in Ljubljana and Kranj from July to September 1999 with the following major points:

·        Practical guidelines were presented concerning the EU-negotiation, mainly in the regime of the Council among Member States and the use of informal consultation. Motives and interests of the 15 Member States, the roles of the Presidency, the Commission, the Council Secretariat and the national delegations. In addition, a suggested negotiation method was presented, highlighting 7 important points to be used in the EU.

·        Simulation of an EU negotiation. The participants formed national delegations from Finland, Portugal, France and Sweden and also from Hungary, Poland and Slovenia. The staff from the Institute took the roles of the Council Secretariat and the Commission. The participants negotiated a proposal from the European Commission for a Council Directive establishing transitional arrangements within the areas of Business and Industry policy for Hungary, Poland and Slovenia. The simulation included 6 sessions and also an informal co-ordination meeting between the “old” and the “new” Member States. During the breaks the participants performed a simulated interview with the international press which was recorded on video. After the simulation, the participants received an intense feed back on their performance.

·        The philosophy of the Internal Market and the impact of WTO. The market integration from the perspectives of Brussels, the state and the enterprise. The sensitive issue of state aid for industry and national preferences. Also, details such as the CE mark with practical cases and public procurement were presented.

Health and safety at the work place and the related framework directive and specific directives as a part of the Social Dimension. The RTD-programmes and the fifth framework programme as an element of the industrial policy were discussed. Finally the picture of the industrial policy as the initial “grand design” of the Commission vis-à-vis the traditions in the Member States, in particular, the Treaty characterizing the industrial policy of the EU as an “umbrella” concept, setting the goal, thus leaving the specific initiatives to other policy articles in the Treaty.

For an overview of EU-negotiation seminars implemented by the European Institute, please click here