During its stint as the EU presiding country in the first half of 2008, Slovenia participated in the drafting of the joint EU positions for the IWC session, gaining international credibility in this field, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment said in a press release ahead of the meeting.

IWC sessions are attended by government delegations from 80 IWC member states, as well as by media and NGO representatives, and usually attract around 500 participants. Slovenia as the host of the Portorož session wants to achieve a breakthrough regarding several open issues in the field.

According to the ministry, the event is also an opportunity for Slovenia to promote its natural wonders, cuisine, cultural heritage and nature conservation policies, and is also expected to positively affect the economy.

The IWC is an international body established in 1946 to implement the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. It initially dealt solely with whaling quotas, adding the preservation component in the 1980s. Slovenia joined it in 2006.