The Government of the Republic of Slovenia authorised the Minister of Education, Science and Youth, Dr Borut Rončević, to sign a contribution agreement with the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU). The agreement will determine the financing arrangements and the amount of Slovenia’s voluntary financial contribution from funds allocated under the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

The development of sovereign European supercomputing infrastructure is one of the key priorities of both the European Union and Slovenia, as reflected in national and EU strategic documents. The concept of European supercomputing is based on the recognition that infrastructure for high-performance computing and data storage has become one of the main drivers of development in the world’s most advanced environments. Slovenia is also actively pursuing this objective.

EuroHPC JU is part of the portfolio of institutionalised partnerships under Horizon Europe. It may pool funding from Horizon Europe, the Digital Europe Programme and the Connecting Europe Facility, together with financial contributions from Member States. Under the unanimously adopted Act Implementing the EU Regulation Establishing the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, Slovenia has an appropriate legal basis enabling the competent ministry to carry out all procedures arising from Slovenia’s membership of EuroHPC JU.

Following the amendment to Slovenia’s Recovery and Resilience Plan adopted by the Council of the European Union, the signing of the contribution agreement is a prerequisite for transferring funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility to EuroHPC JU.

The transfer will significantly reduce the burden on Slovenia’s national budget between 2026 and, provisionally, 2034. These funds would otherwise be required to establish key national infrastructure in the fields of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.

By signing the contribution agreement, the Recovery and Resilience Facility funds will be transferred to EuroHPC JU as a non-repayable contribution. EuroHPC JU will manage the funds and use them to co-finance obligations that would otherwise have to be met by the Republic of Slovenia as a member of the Joint Undertaking.

Source: Ministry of Education, Science and Youth