Slovenia Maintains Its Competitiveness – Standing Out in International Trade and Quality of Life

SLOVENIA, June 17 - Slovenia ranks an impressive 4th in quality of life, 6th in international trade, 9th in high-tech exports, and 13th in environmental sustainability. These results affirm Slovenia’s strong competitive advantages and reflect an economy that remains open, export-oriented, and committed to sustainable development.

The IMD World Competitiveness Ranking evaluates 64 economies based on 262 indicators, grouped into four key pillars: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. In Slovenia, the study is coordinated by the Institute for Economic Research (IER) and the School of Economics and Business of the University of Ljubljana, with the support of SPIRIT Slovenia, the public agency for business development.

Among EU countries, Italy and Cyprus ranked just ahead of Slovenia, while Hungary, Romania, Greece, Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Slovakia followed. The highest-ranking Central and Eastern European countries this year are Lithuania (21st) and the Czech Republic (25th). At the top of the global list are Switzerland, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Despite Slovenia’s stable overall performance, the report highlights several areas for improvement. The greatest opportunities for progress lie in business environment and government efficiency. Key challenges include tax policy, the effectiveness of business legislation, and society’s overall openness to change and adaptability.

Dr Damjan Kavaš, Director of the Institute for Economic Research, emphasized the need for swift and decisive action in response to global developments:

“The world is changing rapidly, and Slovenia must keep pace through decisive reforms. The only path to maintaining and increasing prosperity is by raising added value, which requires systemic changes from the government, businesses, and society alike.”

At the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, we remain committed to strengthening the competitiveness of the Slovenian economy. Our efforts are focused on fostering entrepreneurship, internationalisation, and the transition to a green, digital, and innovative economy.

Slovenia remains competitive. Going forward, it is vital that we build on our strengths through targeted measures to increase added value, foster innovation, and strengthen the entrepreneurial environment.