The official signing ceremony took place in the Governmental Palace in Ljubljana on 20 April. Deputy Secretary General of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Per Ludvig Magnus, represented Norway, and State Secretary for European Affairs, Mr. Marcel Koprol, represented Slovenia. The signing opens up for project cooperation between Norway and Slovenia for a total amount of €18 million.
Following the signing of the MoU, the Norwegian embassy in Ljubljana hosted a roundtable entitled Sustainability and Development in the Energy Sector, in Hotel Kokra in Brdo pri Kranju. The Norwegian-Slovenian roundtable attracted some 40 participants from the public and private energy sector in both countries. Environment and promotion of renewable energy sources are among the priority areas in the MoU, and the roundtable was the first concrete outcome of the new agreement.
Among the participants were representatives of Statkraft (NOR), Istrabenz Energetic Systems, Geoplin, Elektro Primorska, ELES, Holding Slovenske Elektrarne, Petrol, Institut Jozef Stefan, Statnett (NOR), ENOVA (NOR), NEPAS (NOR), ENSI/NEEG (NOR), Energetika CE, Slovenian Small Hydro Association, ApE, Energetika Ljubljana and Statoil (NOR).
The roundtable was prepared by the embassy in close cooperation with the Slovenian Ministry of the Economy, Energy Directorate, The Government Office for European Affairs, as well as the Norwegian Ministry for Petroleum and Energy.
Under the EEA Enlargement Agreement, Norway will contribute EUR 1.134 billion to 13 EU member states through two new financial mechanisms. The purpose is to contribute to the reduction of social and economic disparities in Europe, and to support the new EU member states in their efforts to participate fully in the enlarged internal market. A wide range of public authorities and institutions, organisations and businesses in the beneficiary states are eligible for funds for development.
For information on the Norwegian support through the EEA Financial mechanisms, please click here.