Brussels, 10 July 2024
Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Maroš Šefčovič, travels to Slovenia (10-11 July) and Croatia (11-12 July) this week, to participate in the fifth Annual Political Dialogue of the Coal Regions in Transition Initiative and discuss with national and regional authorities and stakeholders the initiatives undertaken to advance the green transition and decarbonise European industry.
Today in Slovenia, the Executive Vice-President will meet bilaterally with the Minister of Economy, Tourism and Sport, Matjaž Han, and the Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy, Bokan Kumer.
Tomorrow, he will travel to the city of Velenje where he will participate in the Annual Dialogue of the Coal Regions in Transition Initiative, co-organised by the Commission, involving stakeholders from all coal, peat, lignite and oil shale regions in the EU. Together, they will take stock of the progress achieved so far through the initiative, the support and investments made through the Just Transition fund and the common challenges and opportunities in today’s energy landscape.
Executive Vice-President Šefčovič will deliver the opening remarks and participate in the opening session ‘Five+ years of Coal Regions in Transition – perspectives of industrial and green transition in coal+ regions’. Later, he will visit the revitalisation project of a degraded area at Lake Velenje and four different city locations with green projects, followed by a High-level working lunch with the Coal Regions Governors.
Upon his arrival in Croatia tomorrow, the Executive Vice-President will meet Marija Vučković, Minister of Environmental Protection and Green Transition. On Friday, he will hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković, and the Minister of Economy, Ante Šušnjar. In addition, he will participate at a Conference on the potential of clean technologies as drivers of competitiveness and economic growth in Croatia. He will deliver a keynote speech and participate in a high-level panel together with the Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds, Šime Erlić and the State Secretary from the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, Ivan Vidiš.
Source – EU Commission