Introduction
The banking sector in Slovenia functioned in 2025 in a highly complex and rapidly changing environment characterised by global macroeconomic uncertainty, technological changes, tightened regulations and changing customer behaviour on one hand and the economy colling off on the other as a consequence of global shifts and uncertainty, as well as local economic policy measures driving operating costs of the real sector. The long-term profitability of banks has been under pressure largely due to high regulatory costs and digitalisation, competition from alternative providers of financial services, limited size of the Slovenian market coupled with a low level of capital investments resulting in modest demand for corporate lending and the need for ongoing investment in technology. The recent modifications to the national legislation and unpredictability of the legislative, legal, and fiscal system keep the Slovenian banking sector in a position that is all but competitive in comparison with the banking sectors in other Member States of the European Union. The current situation calls for adjustments to business models, higher operating efficiency and accelerated digital transformation.
Alongside the banking sector, the activities carried out by the employees of the national association of banks and the representatives of its members (banks and savings banks) sitting on its committees and working bodies were also exposed to these changes. In 2025, the Bank Association provided support to its members in all five strategic areas of activity: reputation, corporate financing, new products and green economy, regulation and supervision, digital transformation and consumer protection. With the support of its members, the Bank Association continued with the large-scale activities aimed at raising general public awareness of exposure to risks associated with online frauds and scams and how to contain such exposure.
The cooperation with the real sector and relevant institutions also kept momentum: the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Chamber of Small Businesses and Crafts of Slovenia and other standing employers’ associations within the framework of the initiative ‘Economic Circle’ that comprises 15 employers’ associations), SI-CERT and the Police and judiciary, Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development, Slovenian Surveying and Mapping Authority, Slovenian Environmental Agency and others, as well as with various banking associations in other EU Member States, taking part at the same time in ever more activities carried out within the framework of the European Banking Federation.
All operational objectives set out in the Association’s Programme of Activities for 2025 were carried out as planned alongside numerous additional activities and ad hoc duties requiring swift action mostly in connection with unexpected and too frequent changes to the legal environment.
Within the framework of the activities focused on reputation building, the Bank Association was consistently following the communication strategy in all its segments: from general communication to the activities related to education and training and to publishing. Despite less public releases in 2025 in comparison with a year earlier, the issues addressed were noteworthy in terms of their scope, target-oriented and strategically connected with systemic issues. Online media clippings in particular show a robust increase on social media mentions.
It is particularly important that the rise of positive comments confirms ever-increasing belief of the media and the general public that the Bank Association is a credible interlocutor. By carrying out also in 2025 the professional, timely and proactive communication, preparation of professional materials, the educational campaign “Pazi.se, Izobrazi.se!”, coordination of professional events and timely media resonance, the Bank Association has consolidated its position as a trustworthy source of professional information, an important player in raising awareness of digital frauds, and a key stakeholder in the development of digital security, as well as a responsible and reliable partner of the media, institutions and the public at large. Supported by its members and in cooperation with an outsourced agency, the Bank Association continued in 2025 to campaign in public for raising public awareness of cyber scams and the ways to protect oneself from them – “Pazi.se, izobrazi.si” – and conducted numerous activities in relation to financial literacy for different population groups delivered by the Association in addition to its core business for the benefit of the society and free of charge.
In this context, a special issue of Bančni Vestnik dedicated to cyber risks was published in May 2025.
Furthermore, as far as the activities of the Training Centre are concerned, all goals for 2025 were achieved and surpassed.
In the field of retail banking operations, the activities were largely focused on monitoring regulatory changes, that is, requirements, and tacking the issue of accessibility and security that arise in practice in the course of operations. To this end we worked together with the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Banka Slovenije, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Solidarity-Based Future, the Association of Social Work Centres of Slovenia, Social Work Centre Ljubljana and others.
Also, in the field of financing of the economy, green economy and risk management, the year under review called from banks and savings banks considerable alignment with the new regulatory requirements and strategic response to the challenges of the macroeconomic environment, rising uncertainties, cyber risks, frauds and environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. The activities carried out in the aforementioned fields of work were of key significance for delivering professional support to member institutions for effective risk management in an increasingly more complex and dynamic environment and for strengthening their operational resilience. The greater part of the activities was dedicated to the preparations for the implementation of the new rules for the calculation of capital requirements in compliance with the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR3), with the emphasis on the changed rules for the calculation of capital requirements for credit and operational risk (including the updated regulatory reporting on capital requirements – COREP forms) and the implementation of prudent valuation of real estate collateral in banks’ credit security portfolio by taking into account prudent conservative valuation criteria, the activities in relation to the requirements laid down in the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) in the in the field of cyber resilience, conducting geopolitical stress tests and further integration of the ESG factors into the risk management processes mostly in the field of credit collateral (revising, that is, expanding the uniform valuation form for the preparation of the executive summary of the report on the valuation of the real estate serving as collateral for secured loans) and evaluating corporate ESG-maturity.
In the field of banking regulation and supervision, and legal matters and compliance, the promotion of integrity, ethics and correct collaboration with different stakeholders remained among the Association’s key tasks also in 2025. The activities were focused on the management of numerous challenges associated with the implementation of new regulatory requirements by providing for compliance, building awareness of digital payment frauds and by providing protection against risks in line with the guidelines for the prevention of money laundering and personal data protection. Our efforts remain geared towards improvement of transparency, security and compliance, and confidence in the banking sector.
In the field of digital transformation/informatics, cybersecurity and payment services, a wide range of issues was addressed in 2025 in connection with digital security, regulation and cooperation between the financial sector and law enforcement authorities. The key topics discussed were inter alia the European regulation concerning information security and payments and to this end most of the year was dedicated to monitoring the analyses and drafting responses to the key EU regulatory processes and addressing frauds, responsibility, costs of reporting on incidents and impact on banks.
Participation in the work of international and domestic working groups was also active, largely by monitoring activities within the framework of the EBF CSEG, Cyber Security WG and other European groups and interinstitutional collaboration with the Police, Banka Slovenije, Ministry of Digital Transformation, AKOS, SI-CERT, URSIV, Interpol and telecommunications operators.
The contacts under the protocol for the cooperation between the Bank Association and Police in case suspected abuses.
Collaboration with government institutions, Police and European bodies was crucial when it comes to management of cyber threats and safeguarding the financial sector against cyber frauds.
The centre stage task in the field of payment services in 2025 was the implementation of the provisions set out in the Instant Payments Regulation, preparations for the kick-start of the Verification of Payee (VoP) services (verification of payee) and adequate communication activities for legal and natural persons referring to the novelties in executing instant payments.
In parallel, in cooperation with the processor, the activities providing for successful migration of all SEPA credit payments to SEPA instant payments enabled by the ECB’s extension of the timeline so that after the migration from the Bankart technical account to TIPS, SCT transactions can also be settled alongside SCT Inst transactions until February 2027.
And last but not least, the work on the digital euro project progressed at the European level by wrapping up the preparation phase in 2025. As the digital money ecosystem of the future starts to materialise, it also calls for meticulous preparations for its implementation in the national banking environment.
In the field of money and capital market, the focus of the activities was on efficient liquidity management and paying close attention to the developments in the field of financial markets, as well as addressing issues in relation to back-office functions concerning financial markets and custody of securities. The main tasks in 2025 included active participation of the representatives in the working group for the introduction of Individual Investment Accounts (in Slovenian: INR) within the framework of Ministry of Finance, examination of the provisions of the law governing individual investment accounts and drafting questions on issues concerning the implementation of the law for the Ministry of Finance, Securities Market Agency, Central Securities Clearing Corporation and the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, on top of other activities in relation to the Capital Market Development Strategy for Slovenia 2023-2030.
The Bank Association also ensured in its own operations compliance with regulations and the needs for gradual transformation. To this end, in all its processes, as well as its activities, it takes into consideration to the extent possible the environmental factors, and when it comes to the organisation of work, it also takes into account the factors such as safety and health at work and the provision of adequate and friendly working conditions for the employees. Moreover, the Bank Association adheres to the Code of (Ethical) Principles adopted and duly observed by its members.
In summary, as in previous years, the Bank Association operated also in 2025 in a dynamic environment, carried out its tasks in cooperation with different stakeholders in a responsive and efficient manner for which I thank you all and particularly the staff of the Bank Association and all members of committees and working groups. Many thanks also go to the providers of alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes whose area of competence is becoming increasingly complex with the development of technology and rising exposure to risk of various online fraud.
I would also like to thank the members of the Supervisory Board for their guidance and support in achieving the goal to deliver efficient support to the operation of the banking sector, as well as for their support in changing the processes of the way in which the Bank Association operates, which as a result of constantly evolving technology and regulatory novelties and changes in the business environment, is today “work in progress”.
mag. Stanislava Zadravec Caprirolo,
Director of the Bank Association of Slovenia