The Commission said that EU countries will have to step up to stay on the path towards climate neutrality in the long term and to reach the EU's overall climate and energy goals.

The national plans fell short in terms of renewables, where the gap could amount to 1.6 percentage points, and energy efficiency contributions, where the gap could be as big as 6.2 percentage points (if taking into account primary energy consumption) or 6 percentage points (final energy consumption).

The Commission specifically urged Slovenia to increase its efforts in terms of renewables, and describe in more detail ways in which it aims to meet the 2030 target in its finalised plan.

It also called on the country to be significantly more ambitious when it came to reducing the consumption of primary energy, to convey its contribution including in final energy consumption and to explain its national goals in more detail as well as funding targets for research, innovation and competitiveness.

Slovenia is also required to submit a general overview of investments which are needed to modernise economy in order to reach energy and climate targets as well as an assessment of the sources of those investments.

The country must also list all its energy subsidies, particularly those supporting fossil fuels, as well as all adopted measures and plans for their gradual phasing out.

Slovenia has acknowledged that its national draft, which was drawn up by the Infrastructure Ministry in cooperation with an inter-ministerial task force, was not complete. The plan set the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by 2030 compared to 2005.

A study of member states' draft national plans conducted by the European Climate Foundation in May noted that the Slovenian one was the worst prepared, grading it with only 3.2 points out of 100.

Prime Minister Marjan Šarec later said that there was a lack of scientific resources and little time available for drawing up the draft, but, according to the government, a well prepared finalised plan will be essential.

Member states now have six months to beef up their efforts, with the Commission's assessment and recommendations aiming to help the countries finalise their plans by the end of 2019 and implement them efficiently in the upcoming years, reads the EU Commission's press release.

The Slovenian government tasked a consortium led by the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) with preparing a scientific basis and drawing up the upgraded draft of the country's national energy and climate plan. The deadline for submitting the finalised versions of the national plans is 31 December 2019.