Chamber of Commerce unveils medium-term outlook for Slovenian companies - EXCLUSIVE

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS) has warned that the medium-term outlook for Slovenian companies remains highly challenging, particularly for manufacturing and transport sectors, as global supply chain disruptions continue to weigh on costs and delivery stability.

The main pressure comes from sharply higher energy prices and expensive oil-derived inputs such as plastics, chemicals, urea, naphtha and bitumen, alongside growing risks of delayed or reduced oil deliveries compared to contracted volumes, Chief Economist of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia Bojan Ivanc said in an exclusive interview with CE Report.

CCIS notes that these cost increases are gradually spreading across the wider economy, contributing to higher prices for both goods and services.

The most affected sectors currently include chemicals and plastics, road transport, agriculture, food production, steel, and logistics. These industries are especially exposed due to their high energy intensity and dependence on imported raw materials and fuel.

Bojan Ivanc also highlights that companies are increasingly relying on mitigation strategies such as stockpiling and rerouting transport. While stockpiling helps reduce the risk of delivery delays and price shocks, it significantly increases working capital requirements. Rerouting supply chains, meanwhile, remains operationally viable but leads to higher costs and longer delivery times, with limited effectiveness in certain commodities such as fertilisers, where current market prices already remain elevated.

In terms of policy response, CCIS is calling for the swift implementation of Slovenia’s already adopted Act on Promoting Competitiveness and Decarbonisation of Electricity-Intensive Companies (ZSKREP), including at least €30 million annually in state aid. It also urges the extension of reduced renewable energy contributions and CO₂ levies for energy-intensive firms, as well as an expansion of support under the recently updated European state aid framework, introduced in response to geopolitical tensions linked to the Iran conflict (METSAF).

Despite ongoing cost pressures, CCIS expects the transmission of higher input costs into consumer prices to remain gradual. While manufacturing firms are likely to adjust prices more significantly, the impact on final consumers is expected to be partially cushioned by government measures. Inflation is projected to average around 3.1% in 2026, before easing to 2.8% in 2027 and 2.5% in 2028 under the base scenario.

Photo: Facebook/GZSsi

This interview was prepared by Julian Müller