| Type of parliamentary body |
Multifunctional |
| Nature |
Temporary |
| Related to chambers |
Drzavni Zbor
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| Date of creation |
17 November 2004 |
| Last renewal date |
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| Mandate |
Pursuant to the Ordinance on the Establishment and Tasks of National Assembly Working Bodies (adopted by the National Assembly at its session of 17 November 2004), the Committee on the Economy discusses draft laws and acts, and other issues related to international economic relations.
The Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia provides that the National Assembly is the legislative and the Government the executive body of Slovenia. Thus, the National Assembly is responsible for adopting legislation, while the Government directs and coordinates the conduct of national policies. The Government submits to the National Assembly laws, the State budget, national programmes, and other general acts defining the fundamental and long-term policies on matters within the State's jurisdiction.
On acceding to the European Union (EU), the Slovenian market became part of the EU internal market, and Slovenia agreed to abide by the EU common commercial policy, one of the areas where the authority of individual Member States is transposed to the supranational level. EU regulations concerning the common commercial policy are binding on and directly applicable in the Member States. The legal basis for the common commercial policy (which is one of the most important EU policies) is article 133 of the Treaty on European Union, which provides that the policy must be based on uniform principles, particularly in regard to tariff rates, measures of liberalization and measures to protect trade. The Member States actively participate in the formulation of commercial policy and the relevant measures, and represent the interests of their economies. Given the Slovenian constitutional system, it is the Government - i.e. the Ministry of the Economy - that takes part in such processes, as it represents the Republic of Slovenia and advocates its positions in EU institutions. In accordance with the Act on Cooperation between the National Assembly and the Government in EU Affairs, the National Assembly participates in the formulation of Slovenia's positions. The National Assembly also has competence to ratify treaties, which it does by adopting the relevant acts.
The Committee on the Economy is the working body that has competence to discuss issues relating to international economic relations within the scope of its or the National Assembly's powers. It also discusses the relevant draft laws and positions of the Republic of Slovenia presented by the Government, in accordance with the Act on Cooperation between the National Assembly and the Government in EU Affairs.
In its supervisory function, the Committee monitors the state of international economic relations and, by adopting positions on individual issues, participates in the formulation of government policies. Thus, in June 2003 the Committee discussed the documents provided by the Ministry of the Economy on the guidelines for the institutional regulation of international trade and cross-border investment; in 2004, it discussed the draft Act on the Promotion of Foreign Direct Investment and on the Internationalization of Enterprises, drawn up by the Government after giving due consideration to the Committee's positions of June 2003.
The Committee further monitors the conformity of national policy with international obligations, and examines the Government's positions on multilateral and other negotiations, including World Trade Organization (WTO) -related negotiations. The Committee examines the Government's positions and may take a stand thereon, but is not competent to adopt them. The Government, i.e. the Ministry of the Economy, regularly informs the Committee about the course and results of negotiations.
In connection with its remit, the Committee on the Economy may discuss draft laws on the ratification of treaties, such as multilateral, regional and bilateral agreements on economic cooperation, particularly as regards their content and implications, although the lead committee in this regard is the Committee on Foreign Policy.
Also in connection with its remit, every year the Committee on the Economy discusses the draft State budgets for the two following years, which the Government sends to the National Assembly for discussion and adoption. The Committee only discusses those parts of the draft budgets that fall within the scope of its work, namely those relating to international economic relations. The Committee may adopt amendments to such headings, which are discussed by the National Assembly at plenary sessions.
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| Membership |
The Committee on the Economy has 16 members, including a Chairman and two Deputy Chairmen.
In accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, working bodies are established in each parliamentary term to monitor affairs in specific areas, to prepare policy decisions in such areas, to formulate positions on particular issues, and to discuss draft laws and other National Assembly acts. The National Assembly establishes working bodies and determines their tasks on the proposal of the Council of the President.
The Council of the President is the consultative body of the President of the National Assembly. In certain cases provided for in the Rules of Procedure, the Council is also competent to make decisions. The Council consists of the President and Vice-Presidents of the National Assembly, group leaders, and the deputies of the national communities. The Council decides, inter alia, on the number of seats allocated to each group on a working body, and which group is entitled to name the working body's chairman or deputy chairman. In determining the number of members each group has, the Council takes into account the group's size (number of members); in allocating the seats on individual working bodies, it takes into account the ratio between governing coalition deputies and opposition deputies. As a rule, each group is guaranteed at least one seat on every working body. In attributing leading positions on working bodies, account is taken of the group's size and of the other positions it has been allocated in the National Assembly and in delegations to international parliamentary institutions, international organizations and international bodies.
Working bodies are composed of a chairman, in general one deputy chairman, and the members. The offices of chairman and deputy chairman of a given working body are usually held by deputies from different groups. If the chairman of a working body belongs to one of the groups in the governing coalition, the office of deputy chairman will, as a rule, be held by a member from an opposition group, and vice versa.
Working body chairmen and deputy chairmen are appointed by the National Assembly on the proposal of the groups entitled - on the basis of a Council decision - to hold such positions.
Each group appoints as many working body members as it is entitled to have, and informs the President of the National Assembly accordingly.
Once the working body's chairman, deputy chairmen and members have been appointed as outlined above, the composition of the body concerned is published in the National Assembly's gazette. Changes are published in the same manner.
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| Working methods |
The agenda for Committee meetings - including for those at which international economic relations are discussed - is determined by the Committee Chairman. The Committee members, parliamentary groups, the Government, the competent ministries and the public may all propose items.
Committee meetings are normally open to the public, and may be attended by all interested persons. Only meetings at which confidential matters or Slovenia's tentative position on an EU matter are discussed are closed to the public. Representatives of the Government and of institutions whose work is directly related to the matter being discussed, experts and representatives of any other public institution concerned (e.g. representatives of the chambers of commerce or trade organizations) may be invited to attend.
The Committee may ask the Government and other State authorities, public institutes, public enterprises and public funds founded by the State to provide any explanations and information it needs to perform its tasks. They must forward the requested information and documents to the Committee immediately. This means that a working body may at any time ask the representatives of the Government and other civil servants to report on the implementation of the policy on international economic relations (e.g. on the course and results of negotiations).
In order to gather information from or provide information to the broader public, the Committee may convene public hearings. Such hearings, together with issues on which information needs to be collected, are announced in the media.
The Committee decides by a majority vote of the deputies present, unless the Constitution, the law or the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly provide otherwise. For issues concerning international economic relations, a simple majority is required. The Committee draws up a report on the issues discussed. Such reports are normally made available to the public, unless they cover confidential matters.
Most information concerning international economic relations and WTO is provided by the Government, i.e. the Ministry of the Economy. The Committee also cooperates with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia.
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| Relations with other parliamentary bodies |
The Committee cooperates with other National Assembly working bodies in different manners and at different levels - such as cooperation between chairmen or between services - so that information is properly disseminated among them. The Chairmen of two or more working bodies may also agree to hold a joint meeting.
When the Committee on the Economy discusses a particular issue in connection with its remit (e.g. the proposal to ratify a treaty), it forwards its opinion to the lead working body, in this case the Committee on Foreign Policy. All working bodies concerned by a matter are invited to send a representative to the meeting of the lead working body and to present their opinions in greater detail.
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| Relations with external bodies |
The Committee on the Economy cooperates with the representatives of the Government, particularly of the Ministry of the Economy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It also cooperates with representatives of institutions whose work is directly related to the matter under discussion, and with experts and representatives of any public institutions concerned (e.g. representatives of the chambers of commerce or trade organizations). The Committee frequently invites or asks for the opinion of distinguished experts, such as university professors.
A delegation of the National Assembly, including the Chairman of the Committee on the Economy, attended the 5th WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun in September 2003, and will probably also attend the conference in Hong Kong.
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| Subjects dealt with |
In June 2005, representatives of the Ministry of the Economy, i.e. experts involved in the negotiations, informed the Committee on the Economy about the revised conditional offer made by the European Commission on behalf of the 25 EU Member States during the negotiations for the liberalization of trade in services within the WTO, and presented Slovenia's position on that offer. A decision was adopted whereby the Ministry of the Economy is to keep the Committee regularly informed about the course and results of the negotiations. |
| CONTACT INFORMATION |
| Main address |
Subiceva 4, 1000 Ljubljana |
| Phone |
+386 1 478 9511 |
| Fax |
+386 1 478 9888 |
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PRESIDING OFFICER(S)
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| Name |
Mr. Feri Horvat |
| Notes |
Chairman of the Committee on the Economy |
| Address (if different from above) |
Subiceva 4, 1000 Ljubljana |
| Phone |
+386 1 478 9412 |
| Fax |
+386 1 478 9888 |
| E-mail |
franc.horvat@dz-rs.si |
| Website |
http://www.dz-rs.si
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SECRETARY
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| Name |
Ms. Jerneja Bergoc |
| Notes |
Secretary of the Committee on the Economy |
| Address (if different from above) |
Subiceva 4, 1000 Ljubljana |
| Phone |
+386 1 478 9511 |
| Fax |
+386 1 478 9888 |
| E-mail |
jerneja.bergoc@dz-rs.si |
| web site: |
http://www.dz-rs.si
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| Notes |
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