159th Regular Session of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia

SLOVENIA, June 19 - The Government of the Republic of Slovenia has adopted the draft text of the Healthcare Digitalisation Act (ZDigZ) and submitted it to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia for regular legislative procedure. The ZDigZ represents a reform of the current Healthcare Data Collections Act (ZZPPZ). The purpose of the act is to regulate the processing of personal data in healthcare comprehensively and to establish more efficient and secure data exchange. It also aims to ensure adequate personal data protection while reducing the administrative burden on healthcare professionals.

The act pursues four strategic objectives:

• Strengthening patient rights: Patients will be able to access their health data securely, transparently, and easily through the central electronic health record (CeZZ);
• Reducing reporting duplication: Through the introduction of a unified classification plan and solution centralisation, healthcare professionals will be relieved of unnecessary administrative burdens;
• Supporting strategic decision-making: Transparent and analytical approaches will facilitate monitoring of the healthcare system, treatment effectiveness, and resource availability;
• Establishment of a public enterprise: This company will maintain the core digital infrastructure in healthcare and perform this task as a public service.

The law aims to serve the broader public interest by promoting healthcare digitalisation. It introduces a system based on transparent, secure, and centralised data management. It builds upon well-functioning existing solutions, such as the Central Patient Data Register (CRPP), which will be renamed CeZZ. This system gives doctors access to all relevant patient data in one place, reducing duplicated tests and increasing patient safety.

Personal data protection is one of the key principles of the law. The so-called access matrix is retained, meaning healthcare professionals will only access data necessary for their work. Patients will continue to have the right to decide who may access their data, except in emergency situations (e.g., with their personal doctor or in urgent care).

The draft is already being aligned with the upcoming EU Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation, set to take effect in March 2027. It also anticipates the possibility of further data processing for public health, research, and planning — but only in pseudonymised or anonymised form. Every patient will have the right to prohibit such use.

The draft stipulates that data controllers will remain healthcare service providers and the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). The newly established public enterprise will act as a data processor, handling data only on the instruction of controllers and not for its own purposes.

The Government also adopted the draft Animal Health Act, which ensures the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases. In effect since 2021, the regulation covers all aspects of animal health with a strong focus on prevention. It defines key responsibilities for operators, biosecurity measures, a list and categorisation of diseases, reporting procedures, monitoring and eradication programmes, emergency responses, registration of establishments and operators, animal movement regulations, and more.

Previously, there was no unified EU strategy for disease management; efforts focused mainly on treatment and eradication. This national act will more precisely regulate aspects left to Member States, such as defining competent authorities, responsibilities of the General Director of the Food Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection Administration, a national disease list, and detailed biosecurity measures for breeders. The current system of service organisation and enforcement remains unchanged. The law also consolidates relevant provisions from various existing acts and regulations into a single framework.

The Government also discussed draft laws on agriculture, food, and food and feed safety, which will be formally adopted in a correspondence session.

The Agriculture Act establishes legal foundations for monitoring mitigation and adaptation of agriculture to climate change and links to the Climate Act and Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan. It also enhances soil monitoring systems and expands digital records and monitoring frameworks for streamlined EU reporting.

The new Food Act is the first in Slovenia to comprehensively cover the entire agri-food chain from farm to fork. It aims to provide a solid legal foundation for producing quality food, organising supply chains, and protecting consumers — creating optimal conditions for sector development and food supply efficiency.

The Food and Feed Safety Act introduces a systematic regulation of food and feed safety, including dietary supplements, special group foods, and materials in contact with food. Its purpose is to consolidate all related legal requirements into one, more user-friendly and transparent act. Until now, this field was governed by multiple outdated laws. This legislative package marks a turning point — for the first time, Slovenia is addressing its food system as a strategic national issue. It lays the foundation for food security, respect for farmers, quality food, and well-informed consumers.

The Government confirmed the proposed amendment to the Foreign Affairs Act to improve the functioning of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and Slovenia’s diplomatic network. The Ministry has identified practical shortcomings in the current law that hinder its operations, particularly in areas related to personal data protection and established diplomatic practices.

The key reasons for amending the Drowning Prevention Act include regulation of activities on flowing and wild waters and making editorial improvements. In the past decade, activities such as rafting, kayaking, canyoning, stand-up paddling, and river sledging have significantly increased, yet were not adequately regulated. Rivers account for most drowning incidents. The amendment seeks to reduce accidents and drowning through proportionate, enforceable measures, ensuring safety in, on, and near water. The law will set clear conditions for conducting such water activities and more specifically define qualifications for water rescuers.

Finally, the Government adopted amendments to the Act on the Realisation of Public Interest in Culture, the first major reform in nearly 20 years. The amendment introduces key changes to improve cultural accessibility, working conditions in public institutions, and for the self-employed in culture. It promotes a stable, decentralised, and predictable public cultural system.

Measures include improved working and spatial conditions, prevention of precarious employment among youth, better career transition for ballet dancers, and paid mentoring during generational shifts. It enhances the operation of public institutions, including on the international stage.

For the self-employed, it brings a higher and more flexible income threshold for social contributions, better protection during illness or parental leave, and improved conditions for working abroad. NGOs will have better access to facilities and legal protection in public calls. The share of artistic content in public investments is strengthened. The act also encourages arts education, international presence of Slovenian arts, and long-term space leasing abroad. Registers, commissions, and strategic documents are also addressed. The act was prepared through extensive dialogue with the cultural sector and will undergo fast-track legislative procedure.