In Bratislava, representatives of the European Commission met with Slovak industry leaders and key stakeholders in the energy sector.
On Thursday, 3 July 2025, Bratislava hosted an important meeting between representatives of the Slovak Ministry of Economy, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Denisa Saková, and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy, led by Director-General Ditte J. Jørgensen. They met with leaders of business and industry associations and organizations to discuss energy prices and the future of the EU energy market, particularly following the presentation of the REPowerEU Roadmap measures. Talks also included Slovak stakeholders from the gas and oil markets and a nuclear electricity producer, with the participation of the relevant national regulators.
“The meeting in Bratislava marked an important step toward finding solutions that account for the specific circumstances of each member state while diversifying energy sources. This will help ensure affordable energy prices for Slovak industry, which faces rising costs. We remain ready to engage constructively with the proposed measures and to continue expert discussions involving all relevant stakeholders,” added D. Saková.
Representatives of employers’ organizations gathered at one table, including the National Union of Employers (RÚZ), the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SOPK), Klub 500, the Federation of Employer Associations and Unions of the Slovak Republic, and the Association of Industrial Unions and Transport. The main topics focused on energy prices and the future of the EU energy market. Slovak industry representatives expressed concern about the current state of EU energy policy, pointing out a shared problem: high energy prices and the current pricing system significantly reduce the competitiveness of Slovak industrial companies, which rank among the technological leaders in their fields. They called on the European Commission to pay special attention to the needs of the member state most affected by its measures and to introduce short-term actions to lower electricity and gas prices, an urgent issue for energy-intensive businesses.
The Slovak Ministry of Economy and industry representatives fully recognize the importance of the European Union’s climate goals and support their achievement. However, as emphasized during the talks, a successful transition to a more sustainable economy requires balancing environmental ambitions with the economic reality of countries with a strong industrial base, such as Slovakia. Decarbonization remains an important goal, but its implementation should allow companies to continue operating without jeopardizing their stability and competitiveness.
The discussion also showed a readiness to hold an open dialogue about the specific conditions of Slovakia’s industrial environment. Director-General for Energy Ditte J. Jørgensen expressed understanding of the challenges facing Slovak industry and stated that the European Commission is open to finding balanced solutions. She also expressed willingness to meet again with business representatives and, if invited, to visit specific companies in Slovakia that face particular issues related to energy and competitiveness.
The meetings continued with key players in the gas market, including eustream, SPP, ZSE/VSE, SSE, and the Regulatory Office for Network Industries. Alongside discussions on the impact of the proposed regulation to gradually end imports of Russian natural gas, topics included transport capacity for supplying gas to Slovakia, use of the domestic transmission network, as well as tariff setting, pricing, and ensuring energy security. The European Commission pledged to establish a monitoring group for landlocked countries with limited potential for diversification.
A separate meeting addressed the security of oil supply and processing, where representatives of Slovnaft and Transpetrol presented their positions. Nuclear energy was also discussed in light of planned restrictions on imports of enriched uranium or nuclear fuel from the Russian Federation. Representatives of Slovenské Elektrárne and the Chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority highlighted the lack of alternative sources with sufficient capacity and stressed that nuclear safety must take priority over political goals.
The European Commission’s working group meeting in Slovakia followed a series of talks in Brussels and Luxembourg, which focused mainly on the planned regulations from the REPowerEU Roadmap. The European Commission’s proposal took into account several positions presented by Slovakia during the joint working group’s discussions. As a result, the ban on deliveries from long-term contracts was postponed until the end of 2027. An exemption from the ban on spot trading of Russian pipeline gas for landlocked member states was added, allowing such trades even after the general ban on spot transactions takes effect. A suspension clause was also introduced, enabling the ban on Russian gas deliveries to be lifted if a member state experiences negative developments in terms of energy security or rising energy prices.
The Press Department of MoE SR