Cohesion Regions are being regulated by the article 6a of the Act on the Promotion of Comparative Regional Development (ZSRR-2) which determines that for the implementation of the EU cohesion policy and other joint development tasks, determined by mutual agreement between the municipalities and the state, development regions can link into cohesion regions. These correspond to NUTS 2 units, which are determined in accordance with the procedure laid down in the EU Regulation on the NUTS statistical classification. For Slovenia, the NUTS Regulation defines two territorial NUTS 2 units: eastern Slovenia and western Slovenia. The decision-making body of the cohesion region is the development council of the cohesion region. Each region in the cohesion region has five representatives, appointed by the council of the region, in the development council of the cohesion region. The Cohesion Region Development Council participates in the decision-making processes and gives prior consent to the contents and implementation of EU programs that have influence on the development of the cohesion region and performs other development-related tasks jointly defined by the municipalities and the state. Professional and administrative-technical tasks for the Cohesion Region Development Council are implemented by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. The Act on the Promotion of Comparative Regional Development also determines that when implementing EU programs or parts of them only within one or another cohesion region, the management function is generally transferred to the unit of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology in the cohesion region.

On the basis of the ZSRR-2, the Decree on the Development Council of the Cohesion Region (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 33/13) was issued, which stipulates that the Development Council of the Cohesion Region is established and can start its function when at least three quarters of the members of the Council are appointed and if at least three-quarters of the development regions constituting the cohesion region are represented. The President and Vice-President of the Council are elected from among the members of the Council by a majority of all members votes. The mandate of the Council, the President and the Vice-President of the Council is linked to the programming period for which regional development programs are being prepared. The president and the vice-president of the council may be dismissed prematurely by a majority vote of all members of the council. The Council has a Secretary appointed by the Minister responsible for Regional Development. The Council adopts the annual work program and annual activity reports.

When implementing tasks, the Council acts as the initiator of consultation, coordination, cooperation and joint operation of ministries, development regions and development partners in the development region (representatives of municipalities, economic sector and non-governmental sector). Prior to the decision of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, the competent ministry must obtain prior consent from the Development Council of the Cohesion Region:

• a partnership agreement with the EU and
• operational programs in the policies of the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund.

The Council meets according to the needs of the annual work program. Its sessions are open to the public. The Council can decide to exclude the public when processing individual items of the agenda. A meeting of the Council is quorum if half of its members are present. Council meetings are convened and chaired by the President, and in his absence the Vice-President of the Council. A meeting of the Council must be convened at the written request of at least one third of its members. It must be called in seven, and implemented within 21 days of receipt of the request. The Council shall adopt decisions by a majority of the members present votes. Before voting on a particular resolution, at least five members of the Council from the same development region can request that the decision be adopted by a majority of all Council members votes at a correspondence meeting. The meeting must be carried out no later than seven days after the meeting at which it was requested.

The president, the vice-president and the members of the council act in a non-professional manner and are not entitled to attendance fees. The ministry provides professional and administrative support to the Council. Rules of Procedure of the council detailly regulate the work of the Council. The material and financial needs for the work of the Council and professional support are provided by the Ministry in its financial plan based on the Council annual work program.

East Slovenia cohesion region development council has 40 members from eight development regions (Pomurska, Podravska, Posavska, Koroška, Savinjska, Zasavska, Jugovzhodna Slovenija in Primorsko-notranjska). The President of the Development Council is dr. Ivan Žagar while the Secretary of the Development Council of the cohesion region of Eastern Slovenia is mag. Igor Strmšnik (contacts: Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, Kotnikova 5, Ljubljana, tel: +386 1 4003603, E: igor.strmsnik(at)gov.si).

Zasavje region members of the east Slovenia cohesion region development council:
Jasna Gabrič, mayor of the municipality of Trbovlje
Marko Funkl, mayor of the municipality of Hrastnik
Matjaž Švagan, mayor of the municipality Zagorje ob Savi
Staša Baloh Plahutnik, director of Chamber of commerce and industry of Slovenia district chamber Zasavje
Jani Medvešek, director of RDA Zasavje