SLOVAK LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

February 2014 – May 2014

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This publication has been developed in the framework of the Magyar-Szlovák Közös Inkubációs

Központ Pócsmegyer implemented through the Hungary-Slovakia Cross-border Co-operation

Programme 2007 – 2013 co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

www.husk-cbc.eu

The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect

the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EASME nor the European Commission are responsible for

any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

January 2015

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SLOVAK LEGISLATIVE UPDATES (02/2014 – 05/2014)

Land

As it is written in the new law revision, the Parliament approved a new Act on Buying Farmland. When

selling farmland, the owner will have to first offer it to a physical or legal entity in the given village with

at least three years of experience in farming. If such a buyer cannot be found, the owner will have to

offer the land to farmers in nearby villages, and only afterwards may the land be sold to anyone else.

Sale of land in Slovakia will be banned to countries or physical or legal entities from countries that do

not allow the sale of land to Slovak citizens. The new Act’s aim is the continued use of farmland for

farming, and keeping land in Slovak hands. Offers to sell or buy farmland will have to be published in a

special registry to be set up by the Agricultural Ministry.

Antitrust

The revisions to acts on Protection of Competition, on Organization of Ministries align antitrust

legislation to the latest EU standards. They also modify rules for the antitrust authority PMU in

evaluating mergers and acquisitions. In addition, they introduce rewards for persons or companies that

blow the whistle to the antitrust authority PMU on the existence of a cartel. The reward is conditional

upon courts confirming the PMU ’s cartel verdict, and is set at 1% of the fine, to a maximum of €100,000.

EU Funds

The government approved drafts of individual Operational Programs for drawing EU funds for the 2014

– 2020 period. Allocation of resources for the programs:

Program Allocation

Integrated Infrastructure €4.0bn

Quality of Environment €3.2bn

Research and Innovation €2.2bn

Human Resources €2.0bn

Integrated Regional OP €1.9bn

Rural Development Program €1.5bn

Effective Public Administration €0.3bn

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Loans

The revision of a directive, which was already implemented, newly defines the costs of a loan and how to

calculate them. Costs for all loans will be capped at twice the average annual percentage rate of loans in

the given category (2.5-times for leasing companies). Loans up to €100 and those with maturity shorter

than 30 days will have interest rates capped at 30% p.a.

Farming

The government approved a revision to its directive No. 50/2007 Coll. on Registering Varieties of

Agricultural Plant Species. In line with the relevant EU directive 2013/57/EU, it adds new varieties.

Source: Symsite Research

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Contact information

The content of this publication was created by the Italian-Slovak Chamber of Commerce. For more

information contact:

Italian – Slovak Chamber of Commerce

Michalska 7, 81101 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

www.camit.sk

Tel: +421 (2) 541 31 290

project@camitslovakia.sk