Diplomacy key to Slovene EU presidency’s digital & green recovery ambitions

A successful presidency is a common goal for every country, regardless of their national political problems. Slovenia’s reputation as a trustworthy and hard-working nation will have the opportunity to shine in a successful presidency. 

The Health Union is very important for the European Union, particularly as we continue to manage COVID-19. We know there is no single silver bullet to beat this virus; it continues to mutate and we must learn how to live with it. We can do this through proactive emergency planning and investment in innovative technologies. 

The European Union must be more prepared in terms of having crisis plans, protocols, measures and solutions for pandemics and other public health emergencies that may arise. The Health Emergency Response Authority, the so-called HERA project, will be one of the most important agenda items during the Slovene presidency. The health union and projects such as HERA will be key in Europe’s post-Covid economic recovery. 

In terms of innovative technologies, we began the pandemic with a focus on early detection, using PCR and antigen tests to detect the virus as quickly as possible and put health restrictions in place to limit transmission. That was stage one.  

Then with scientists collaborating together around the world, we were able to develop a solution – vaccines – and got as many people vaccinated as possible. This was stage 2. Now we are at the third stage, where we have the scientific knowledge and ability to verify that the vaccines worked and confirm immunity. In order to confirm immunity, we must test for antibodies. 

Confirming immunity is essential to infection prevention. Some people who have compromised immune systems will not build enough antibodies to have immunity after full vaccination.  Our immune systems are all unique, and we don’t know how long immunity will last before we need a booster shot to keep us safe from COVID-19.  

As more time passes since the first round of vaccinations, we need to focus on booster shots to keep the virus at bay. The safest and most efficient way to manage a booster shot program is by carefully monitoring our antibody status. 

This issue is well-known in the scientific community. I personally know Dr. Glenn Weagle in Canada has perfected the Viral Sentinel Rapid Antibody Test that is specifically designed to detect antibodies produced by all COVID-19 variants and all COVID-19 vaccines. This is the only rapid test, to my knowledge, that can do this.  

We are fortunate to have a solution in place, and as a next step, governments must lead its implementation through policy and careful global logistics planning. Immunity testing will be a natural compliment to vaccination and Digital Green Certificate programs. 

On the topic of vaccines, we have to talk about the disparity between modern and developing countries, as this has developed into a diplomatic and geostrategic struggle. One of the most important diplomatic tasks for the Slovene presidency will be the EU enlargement to the Western Balkans. An informal EU-Western Balkans summit has been scheduled during the Slovene presidency to discuss this, as well as the relations and influence of Russia, China and Turkey in the region.  

Economic cooperation will have a big impact on expansion to the Balkans, as will cooperation on health matters including personal protective equipment (PPE) and vaccines. Especially in the latter Russia and China are far ahead of the EU, for example if we have a look at Serbia, but this is not the only case.  

Member states and EU institutions will be looking to Slovenia for its experience, local knowledge and ideas on the topic of enlargement. Here I would like to point out the comment made by David Sassoli the President of the EU Parliament who said: “EU enlargement can bring enormous benefits to this region and to Europe as a whole and help ensure a stable, prosperous and peaceful continent.” 

On the topic of Green Transition, we expect a diverse set of agenda items. Most notable is the “Ready for 55” legislative package which will focus on the revision of climate and energy legislation and measures to achieve the enhanced EU climate target (55% reduction in emissions).  

I think there will be interesting discussions on the revision of the EU CO2 emissions trading system, burden-sharing regulations, CO2 emission standards from vehicles, land use, land use change and forestry. We have to note that when talking about the Green Transition, it is fundamental that we establish an appropriate framework to provide Member States with adequate financial resources to implement the Green Transition.  

Furthermore, I personally expect a discussion regarding implementation and action plans, specifically implementation of the EU Green Deal and the Green Transition. Here I would point to the transitional energy sources and the transition itself.  

Let us not forget the heated debates about Nord Stream 2 project and others when taking into account the broader picture,  and not just Europe. It’s important that we are aware of Europe’s critical role as a leader in these matters, and must be recognized during the Slovene presidency. The European Union has to approach and tackle this issues with a global awareness.  

Any solutions, innovations and best practices will be implemented faster on the global stage if the EU spearheads this transition and implements it to the best of its ability. The innovations that Europe implements and its green investments will surely have a catalyst effect and model the way for other countries, including both our successes and unfortunately any shortfalls, as we saw under the populist politics of the USA under Trump. 

The tourism sector will also tie to the green transition. Slovenia will focus on the unification of the Member States in terms of sustainable renewal and redevelopment of the European tourism economy within the framework of the European Union’s recovery plan and economic recovery plan. Slovenia will open a debate on achieving greener, more innovative and more resilient tourist ecosystems.  

There will be emphasis on green business models, green value chains in service processes and the transition to circular management in accordance with the goals of the Green Deal and the goal of preserving Europe as a sustainable and green tourism destination.  

In the field of EU tourism promotion, Slovenia will focus primarily on the promotion of green and safe EU tourism with the aim of restoring consumer confidence in tourism activities and encouraging cross-border tourist flows in the EU, post-pandemic. There is talk of Slovenia proposing the introduction of an EU label for green and safe tourism. 

Lastly, I would mention another interesting agenda item: Cyber Security. We have seen warnings that individual EU countries cannot deal with cyber threats effectively, particularly since they are happening so frequently, at times on a weekly basis. The EU needs to build a common firewall to combat this threat. 

Another threat is the planned dissemination of false news and misinformation to achieve various political goals and influence foreign direct investment.  

Digital transformation will focus on the regulation of digital markets and services and artificial intelligence. Here Slovenia might open debates on various aspects of digitalisation, opportunities and challenges for the labor market, occupational safety and health, education and science, potential for businesses, cities, rural areas and consumers, as well as an important ethical and regulatory aspect on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.  

This brings opportunities for improving connectivity, improving digital infrastructure,  introducing digital technologies and accelerating digital transformation. This might lead to a debate on proposals that will make the European Union a leader in this field, including the creation of a favorable environment for the development, testing and use of new technologies, the security of 5G networks and the timely basis of legislative bases for the development of artificial intelligence.  

Digitalisation will be closely linked with the green transition and strengthening the European Union’s resilience to crises.