25 June 2021,

The EU’s Slovenian Presidency will start on the 1st of July 2021 and will continue until the end of 2021. Slovenia is taking over the Council of the EU after Portugal, which took over from Germany. The three countries’ programmes have been focused on addressing the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, restoring the normal functioning of the European Union, and strengthening the resilience of the EU in the face of future crises.

The six-month priorities of Slovenia will focus on:

  • European Health union: autonomy in medical products, devices, and research;
  • European resilience to cyber attacks;
  • Economic recovery with an effective implementation of the EU Recovery funds, in the frame of the green and digital transitions;
  • Organisation of the Conference on the Future of Europe: Plenary meetings, citizens’ forums and the Conference’s digital platform;
  • Strengthen the European way of life and rule of law: “At the same time, we would like to show how the rule of law can be further strengthened in full respect of national constitutional systems and traditions”;
  • Address the demographic challenges: “Slovenia will also draw attention to the need to counter negative demographic trends in the EU“
  • EU external action: invest in transatlantic relations, focus on relations with the Western Balkans and manage migration.

FAFCE welcomes the inclusion of demographic challenges in Slovenia’s priorities, and encourages the Slovenian Presidency to work in favour of a resilient and sustainable Europe with a special investment in the family as the key to the future of Europe. In practical terms, demographic and family policies must urgently be included in national recovery plans, and the’s EU Recovery funds must be spent in part on assuring their effectiveness.

Slowenien wird in der Zeit seiner EU-Ratspräsidentschaft den europaweiten demographischen Wandel zur Sprache bringen (DE)

La Présidence slovène de l’UE abordera les évolutions démographiques négatives au sein de l’UE (FR)