Počivalšek discusses implementation of industrial strategy with peers

Ljubljana – Attending a virtual informal session of EU ministers in charge of the internal market and industry on Thursday, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek discussed with his colleagues the role of national recovery and resilience plans as instruments of implementing the industrial strategy. Corporate tax transparency was also on the agenda.

The morning segment of the session focused on discussing the EU semester in light of the bloc’s recovery or national strategies that strive for recovery and resilience as instruments for industrial strategy implementation, strengthening of the internal market, dual transition and strategic autonomy.

When it comes to the EU Commission’s efforts to meet joint challenges of member states in the wake of the pandemic, Slovenia is in favour of the aim of the national strategies, key frameworks for drawing EU recovery funds, the ministry said in a press release.

Slovenia is expected to submit its national plan in late April.

Počivalšek said today that investments in research, development and innovation as well as in the development of technological capacities and skills were very important for stimulating the economy and strengthening the EU’s status. The same goes for efforts to facilitate the green and digital transitions, he added.

The ministers talked about the new consumer agenda as well. Slovenia supports an ambitious approach to the EU’s consumer policy and an upgrade of efforts to protect the rights of consumers to maintain their trust in the internal market and digital technology and to facilitate the circular economy transition, Počivalšek said.

“Consumers should be up to date in every respect and capable of exercising their rights and meeting their duties. Whereas companies should be aware that they will recover only if consumer rights are safeguarded and consumers trust the internal market. We can only overcome this crisis together,” the minister was quoted as saying in the press release.

In the afternoon segment of the meeting, the ministers discussed a draft directive on disclosure of certain tax details of companies.

Slovenia supports the Commission’s efforts to set up a fair, effective and growth-friendly system to ensure an appropriate business environment in the single market.

“Slovenia assesses that the European Commission’s approach in the form of a proposal for a directive on disclosing certain corporate tax information is an appropriate method to boost transparency regarding operations of major groups,” the ministry said.

The proposal is key as it would improve profit tax transparency in regard to some of the biggest multinational groups as well as step up efforts to monitor whether taxes are being paid in areas where the profit is generated, the minister said.

The post Počivalšek discusses implementation of industrial strategy with peers appeared first on Slovenia Times.