Skip to content
  • Home
  • About the Agency

About the Agency

Establishing the Agency

The Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Commodity Reserves (hereinafter: the Agency) was established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia to provide services of general economic interest (Decree on establishing the Public Economic Institute for Commodity Reserves, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 72/1995).

  • The Agency started to discharge its public service obligations in 1996.
  • The Agency is the legal successor of the Directorate of the Republic of Slovenia for Commodity Reserves.
  • On 1 January 2010, the operations of the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Compulsory Oil Stocks (ZORD) were merged with the operations of the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Commodity Reserves (ZRSBR) and ZORD ceased operation.

Activity

The Commodity Reserves Act gives the mandate to the Agency for Commodity Reserves to discharges public service obligations of economic interest in two areas:

  • The public service of economic interest for the establishment and utilisation of strategic community reserves, and
  • The public service of economic interest for the establishment and maintenance of emergency reserves of crude oil and/or petroleum products.

The stockholding programme for strategic commodities and stocks of crude oil and/or petroleum products readily available in case of a crisis is drawn up and approved by the Government the Republic of Slovenia for a five-year period. The document specifies the categories and minimum quantities by the type of goods to be held in stock that can be released from stock to ensure supply of essential commodities in the following situations:

  • major disturbances in supply and market volatility,
  • major natural disasters and other emergencies,
  • wars and other conflicts.

Under the Commodity Reserves Act, the public service obligation is to stockpile essential food and non-food items people need when there is supply shortage, strategic raw materials and intermediary products necessary used by processing industries or being particularly important for the country’s defence.

All decision relating to commodity reserves are taken by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia – the founder and the sole shareholder of the Agency. The Government may authorise the minister responsible for food and non-food product supply to decide on release and allocation of strategic stocks in consultation with the minister responsible for the concerned area.

The Government the Republic of Slovenia also discharges other powers:

  • to adopt the act on the establishment of the Agency and to exercise the rights and observe the obligations associated with its role of the founder of the Agency in accordance with legislation,
  • to stipulate the requirements for concessions to import essential food and non-food items for the commodity reserves,
  • to designate the bodies, agencies and other organisations financed with public funds and obligated to turn first to the Agency when purchasing goods,
  • to appoint the Administrative Board of the Agency,
  • to appoint the director of the Agency, and
  • to approve the annual report and accounts drawn up by the Agency.

The Agency uses the five-year programme of activities to its draft annual plans and the budget. These documents are laid before the Agency’s Administrative Board for approval. The Administrative Board comprises nine members and includes the representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (2), the Ministry of Agriculture (1), the Ministry of Finance (1), the Ministry of Defence (1), the Ministry of Infrastructure (2), and a representative of the employees of the Agency (1).

The director of the Agency for Commodity Reserves appointed and revoked by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia is responsible for running the work and the activities of the Agency.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, Security and Commodity Reserves Service, supervises the work performed by the Agency.