VZCZCXRO0947
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHLJ #0050/01 0371540
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061540Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6426
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LJUBLJANA 000050 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EEB/CBA FOR DENNIS WINSTEAD, EUR/NCE FOR TYEAGER, DOC/ITA 
FOR CRUSNAK, VIENNA FOR FCS CQUINLIVAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP ECON EINV ETRD SI
SUBJECT: LJUBLJANA'S 2008 BUSINESS FACILITATION INCENTIVE 
FUND (BFIF) PROPOSAL 
 
REF: STATE 87026 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) BFIF funds are key in promoting U.S.-EU transatlantic 
economic cooperation in Slovenia, which is a theme in 
bilateral dialogue between the U.S. and the Government of 
Slovenia (GOS).  Increasing U.S. exports to and expanding 
U.S. investment in Slovenia are two high priorities for 
Embassy Ljubljana.  In 2004, the center-right government came 
in on a platform of economic reforms and widespread 
privatization.  The reforms started slowly, stopped for a 
while, and just recently started gaining momentum as the 
current coalition government makes an effort to privatize 
some key sectors prior to parliamentary elections in the fall 
of 2008 and to energize its economy by promoting innovation 
and entrepreneurship.  In the last two years, post has 
utilized the BFIF funds to engage the Slovenian government, 
NGOs, and businesses on issues of importance for the USG such 
as biotech, intellectual property rights, U.S. exports, 
military tenders, entrepreneurship and renewable energy. 
Slovene contacts have thanked Post for bringing U.S. 
expertise and energy to issues of great importance for 
Slovenia, and the EU.  As the only former Yugoslav republic 
to join the European Union, and the first of the new 
accession countries to hold the EU Presidency, Slovenia is 
uniquely positioned and expects to play a major role in the 
political and economic development of the Western Balkans. 
Post requests BFIF funds to support necessary commercial 
training for our economic/commercial officer and FSN 
specialists, to participate in regional economic conferences, 
to host a roundtable on entrepreneurship and investment 
opportunities in Slovenia and the Western Balkans, and to 
host an IPR roundtable.  End Summary. 
 
Promoting USG Policy Objectives in Europe 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Embassy Ljubljana has very successfully taken on the 
task of offering economic consultations and commercial 
services to U.S. and Slovenian companies, in the absence of a 
Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) representative.  Recently, 
FCS has implemented new software and interface capabilities 
(CTS).  To continue to provide the high level of commercial 
services, post's economic/commercial officer and two locally 
employed economic/commercial specialists need to receive 
training on the new system.  Post requests that a regional 
FCS IT specialist provide training in the new system at 
Embassy Ljubljana.  This would guarantee that our entire 
section receives the necessary training. 
 
¶3. (U) Slovenia has been actively engaging in the global 
economy.  Slovenia joined the eurozone in January 2007, 
joined the Schengen zone in December 2007, is the midst of 
its accession work to join the OECD, and is currently running 
the EU presidency.  With the emphasis put on U.S.-EU 
cooperation in the Transatlantic Economic Council, it will be 
important that the incoming economic/commercial officer, 
arriving at post summer 2008, and our economic/commercial 
specialists stay strongly connected to Brussels and Vienna, 
and participate in regional conferences. 
 
¶4. (U) As the USG focuses on economic development and 
cooperation in the Balkans, Slovenian participants can add 
expertise and an EU perspective to the dialogue.  The 
Department Of State and Department Of Commerce each plan to 
organize conferences focused on developing business 
opportunities in the Western Balkans.  Post would like to 
participate and assist in coordinating a delegation of 
Slovenian businesspeople to participate in the DOS investment 
conference proposed for spring 2008 in London, and the DOC 
regional business conference proposed for summer 2008 in 
Vienna. 
 
¶5.  (U) Post has successfully initiated cooperation on key 
areas of mutual U.S.-EU economic interest such as IPR 
protection, innovation and entrepreneurship, and would like 
to continue to deepen the dialogue with Slovenes and others 
in the region.  To expand the Department of Commerce's 
entrepreneurship program, post would like to organize a 
regional entrepreneurship conference in September, in 
cooperation with the Center for Entrepreneurship and 
Executive Development (CEED).  CEED is a USAID-funded program 
that is helping to promote more stability in the Western 
Balkans and Central Europe by strengthening the economy 
through entrepreneurship.  Post also would like to organize 
another roundtable on IPR, in cooperation with the Slovenian 
Intellectual Property Office (SIPO).  Four senior SIPO 
 
LJUBLJANA 00000050  002 OF 003 
 
 
examiners have attended training at the Global Intellectual 
Property Academy (GIPA), sponsored by the U.S. Patent and 
Trademark Office (USPTO), and post would like to work with 
SIPO to share the GIPA training with a wider community of 
patent officials. 
 
Funds Requested 
--------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) Post requests $11,220 in BFIF funds to support the 
activities listed above and itemized below.  The figures are 
estimated costs, taking into consideration the fluctuation in 
the dollar-euro exchange rate.  Each activity has been listed 
with a subtotal with the total request at the end.  Post 
would return any unused funds to BFIF. 
 
Commercial Software Training for FSO and FSNs 
--------------------------------------------- 
-     Trainer,s flight to Ljubljana from Zurich: 500 USD 
-     Trainer,s hotel for 2 nights: 420 USD 
-     M and IE for 2 travel days, and 2 work day: 350 USD 
SUBTOTAL: 1270 USD 
 
Commercial Connectivity 
----------------------- 
Continued funding for the Internet connection that supports 
our commercial services: 300 USD 
 
Roundtable on Regional Entrepreneurship 
--------------------------------------- 
-     Travel for speaker from Europe: 600 USD 
-     Hotel for 1 night: 210 USD 
-     M and IE for 2 travel days and 1 consultation day: 250 
USD 
-     Rental of Conference room: 1200 USD 
-     Material for Handout: 300 USD 
-     Miscellaneous expenses: 400 USD 
SUBTOTAL: 2960 USD 
 
IPR Roundtable 
-------------- 
-     Rental of meeting hall for roundtable: 800 USD 
-     Materials for distribution: 200 USD 
-     Miscellaneous expenses: 300 USD 
SUBTOTAL: 1300 USD 
 
Economic/Commercial Officer Consultations in Brussels 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
-     Flight to Brussels: 250 USD 
-     2 nights hotel : 450 USD 
-     M and IE for 1 day consultation, 2 travel days: 450 USD 
SUBTOTAL: 1150 USD 
 
Investment Conference on the Balkans in London 
--------------------------------------------- - 
-     Flight for one FSO and one FSN to London: 450 USD 
-     2 hotel rooms for 1 night: 710 USD 
-     M and IE for 2 persons, 2 travel days, 1 day 
conference: 280 360= 640 USD 
SUBTOTAL: 1800 USD 
 
Economic/Commercial Officer Consultations in Vienna and 
Attendance at Regional Business Conference on the Balkans 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
-     Vienna transportation for 1 FSO and 1 FSN: 600 USD 
-     Hotel for 2 nights: 720 USD 
-     M and IE for 2 travel days, 1 day conference, 1 day 
consultations: = 1120 USD 
SUBTOTAL: 2440 USD 
 
TOTAL BFIF FUNDS REQUESTED: 11,220 USD 
 
Planning Milestones 
------------------- 
 
¶7.  (U) Using prior BFIF funds, Post developed a strong 
working relationship with the Department of Energy, 
Department of Commerce, and State,s Commercial Business 
Administration office.  Post has also cooperated with IIP/EUR 
and USAID to obtain funding for economic workshops, and 
business conferences.  Post plans to use these contacts to 
secure an American speaker for the entrepreneurship 
conference, which we plan to conduct in September 2008. 
 
¶8.  (U) Post points of contact for BFIF-related matters are 
Economic/Commercial Officer Julianna Kim, kimjj4@state.gov 
and Economic/Commercial Specialist Matjaz Kavcic, 
kavcicM@state.gov. 
 
 
LJUBLJANA 00000050  003 OF 003 
 
 
COLEMAN