AGP Executive Report

Climate & Food Security: The EU Commission’s JRC warns that prolonged heat and low rainfall are stressing summer crops and fodder across western and central Europe, with Slovenia among the affected countries and maize yields hit; the bulletin also flags reduced pasture and biomass, raising fodder concerns. AI Advertising: Criteo expands its integration with ChatGPT Ads, now available in 31 European markets, aiming to let advertisers reach consumers during conversational “discovery” moments. Health Research: A systematic review looks at patient experiences with prehabilitation and early rehabilitation for hip and knee arthroplasty, reflecting growing interest in faster, better-prepared recovery pathways. Slovenia in Focus (Science & Industry): Aquaculture Europe’s 50th-anniversary conference is set for Ljubljana this September, positioning Slovenia’s smaller, adaptable aquaculture sector as a case study for global change. Local Tech/Events: IBAKTECH returns in October (14–17) with expanded halls and a growing international exhibitor lineup, spotlighting bakery and food-tech equipment and production innovations.

Kyiv Resilience Summit: Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska hosted the Sixth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in Kyiv, bringing representatives from 14 countries to launch a public “Global Vocabulary of Resilience” tied to her “How Are U?” mental health initiative. Slovenian Presence in International Events: Slovenia’s Aleš Musar attended the summit, underscoring Ljubljana’s growing visibility in European civic and wellbeing initiatives. Vuelta Tech Meets Weather Reality: Stage 3 of the Vuelta a España 2026 was abandoned with 15km left after a hailstorm made racing dangerous, with riders including Tadej Pogačar sheltering as conditions turned severe. Precision Fermentation Funding: ADM won $2.23M in Iowa tax credits to expand precision fermentation capacity—an industrial biotech push aimed at scaling proteins and enzymes. Cardio Research at ESC: Amarin announced multiple REDUCE-IT-related analyses will be presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich, covering adherence, legacy effects, biomarkers, and sex differences. Slovenia Agriculture Focus: Prime Minister Janez Janša visited the AGRA Fair, promising next-year agricultural policy changes to cut bureaucracy and support young farmers. Kids’ Social Media Rules: A new cross-country roundup highlights tightening regulation for minors’ social media access, including Australia’s under-16 ban and moves in Britain. Local Tech & Innovation: LegalTech founder Rudi Kesic launched ClearPath AI in Birmingham, pitching an AI-native operating system for legal and professional services.

Cardiology Research: Amarin will present new REDUCE-IT analyses at the ESC Congress 2026 in Munich, including adherence and “legacy effects” of high-dose EPA, plus sex differences in early discontinuation and drug withdrawal. Slovenian Agriculture & Policy: Prime Minister Janez Janša visited the AGRA Fair, stressing farmers as land stewards and announcing next-year steps to cut bureaucracy and support young farmers. Aquaculture in Slovenia: Aquaculture Europe returns to Ljubljana this September for its 50th anniversary, with a focus on “Aquaculture in Global Change” and field trips highlighting how Slovenia’s smaller sector adapts. AI for Legal Work: UK startup ClearPath AI (launched by Rudi Kesic) says it’s building an AI-native operating system for legal and professional services, aiming to automate research, reasoning, and next-step task planning. Precision Fermentation Push: ADM won $2.23M in Iowa tax credits to expand precision fermentation capacity at its Clinton facility, targeting proteins and enzymes and creating 53 jobs. Tech Regulation Watch: A new report surveys how countries are tightening kids’ social media access, from Australia’s under-16 ban to Europe’s emerging rules. Sports Tech Angle (Vuelta): Tadej Pogačar kept the Vuelta lead after Stage 2 in Manosque, with Wout van Aert’s late move forcing a rapid response—exactly the kind of race dynamics that keep fans and analysts glued.

Construction Slowdown: Eurostat reports June 2026 construction output fell 1.3% in the euro area and 1.0% in the EU vs May, with the biggest monthly drops in Slovakia (-4.6%), Hungary (-3.9%) and France (-2.9%), while Slovenia is noted for a sharp annual rise (+22.9%). Vuelta Tech & Talent Watch: Tadej Pogačar kept the Vuelta a España lead after stage 2, saying he follows Wout van Aert’s attacks because they’re “almost invariably” decisive; Ethan Hayter again missed the red jersey by tiny margins. Climate Reveals History: Drought and heat in Europe are exposing old relics, including WWII-era danger in Belgium’s High Fens wildfires and the “Sava’s Titanic” steam tugboat resurfacing in Serbia. Security Alert: Researchers describe “Zombie Card,” a method that can revive expired Visa contactless cards in-store via NFC relaying—raising fresh concerns for payment systems. Slovenia in the Spotlight: A Ljubljana Festival debut features China’s Wuxi Symphony Orchestra, bringing East–West classical programming to Cankarjev Dom. Healthcare Inequality: EULAR’s RheumaFacts baseline flags major gaps in rheumatology access and care across Europe.

Vuelta a España Spotlight: Tadej Pogačar grabbed the red jersey after winning the opening 9.4km Monaco time trial by just 0.09 seconds, setting up a potentially dominant run as the race heads into a brutal, high-elevation route. Sports Tech & Security: Researchers describe a “Zombie Card” attack that can revive expired Visa contactless cards at point of sale by rewriting the terminal’s read of the expiry date, raising fresh concerns for payment systems. EU Health Equity: A new EULAR RheumaFacts-based study flags major gaps across Europe in access to rheumatologists, treatments, and non-drug care for rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Defense & Policy: The U.S. eases export controls on certain civilian/commercial UAVs while also adding tariffs on imported UAVs and parts, aiming to boost domestic production. Climate & Heritage: Europe’s drought is exposing long-lost river relics, including a century-old Slovenian steam tugboat resurfacing in Serbia’s Sava River. Slovenia-Linked Culture: Ljubljana’s festival welcomed China’s Wuxi Symphony Orchestra for a cross-cultural classical debut at Cankarjev Dom.

Sports Tech & Data Culture: Tadej Pogačar kicked off La Vuelta a España with a razor-thin opening time-trial win in Monaco, edging Ethan Hayter by 0.09 seconds and putting the Slovenian on track for a rare Grand Tour treble. Climate & Safety: Wildfires in Belgium’s High Fens have unearthed World War II-era bombs and mines as peat fires burn underground, forcing firefighters to change tactics amid intermittent blasts. Health Systems: A new EULAR RheumaFacts study flags big gaps across Europe in rheumatology care, from specialist availability to treatments and non-drug support. Cybersecurity: Researchers presented “Zombie Card,” showing how expired Visa contactless cards can be revived for real purchases via NFC relays—raising fresh questions for payment security. Energy & Infrastructure: Europe’s drought is exposing historic wrecks and disrupting power, shipping, and agriculture, with Serbia’s “Sava’s Titanic” steam tugboat surfacing from the Sava River. Arts & International Links: Ljubljana’s festival welcomed China’s Wuxi Symphony Orchestra for a cross-cultural classical debut.

Slovenia in the spotlight: Ljubljana welcomed the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra for a first-ever debut at the Ljubljana Festival, with a program blending Italian opera and Chinese orchestral works at Cankarjev Dom. AI & security: Researchers at UMass Amherst demonstrated a “Zombie Card” attack that can revive expired Visa contactless cards for in-store purchases by rewriting the expiry read by terminals, without breaking card cryptography. Energy storage in the region: Waldevar Energy won an EPC deal to deliver a 55 MW / 220 MWh GEN-I Sonce BESS project in Romania, targeting delivery by Q3 2027 and positioning batteries as a key grid flexibility asset. Drought reveals history: As Europe’s rivers shrink, a century-old steam tugboat wreck known as “Sava’s Titanic” surfaced from Serbia’s Sava River, joining other drought-exposed war relics and archaeological finds. Healthcare gaps: A new EULAR RheumaFacts study reports major disparities across Europe in access to rheumatologists and rheumatology care. Tech policy watch: The US eased export controls on certain civilian UAVs while keeping tighter limits on military-capable systems, alongside new tariffs on some UAV imports.

Vuelta a España Watch: Tadej Pogačar returns to the Spanish Grand Tour on Aug. 22 in a bid to complete his Grand Tour collection and chase a rare Tour–Giro–Vuelta treble, with Primož Roglič and João Almeida among the key threats. Healthcare Inequality: A new EULAR RheumaFacts study flags big gaps across Europe in access to rheumatologists, treatments, and non-drug care for musculoskeletal diseases. AI Safety Debate: A new book, “Will AI Murder Us All?”, leans into the “great filter” idea—whether advanced tech could push civilizations toward self-destruction. Cybersecurity: Researchers describe a “Zombie Card” attack that can revive expired Visa contactless cards by altering what a terminal reads, raising new concerns for payment authorization checks. EU Tech & Data Rules: The EU’s e-Evidence framework is taking effect, shifting how tech firms handle rights and court processes. Drought & Heritage: Extreme heat is exposing historic wrecks across Europe, including Serbia’s “Sava’s Titanic” steam tugboat. Energy Storage in the Region: Waldevar Energy won an EPC role for GEN-I Sonce’s 220 MWh battery project in Romania.

Cybersecurity: Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst unveiled “Zombie Card,” a method that can revive expired Visa contactless payments by rewriting the expiry date a POS terminal reads via NFC proximity—without breaking card cryptography—though bank behavior varies and no public exploitation has been reported. Energy & Storage: Waldevar Energy won an EPC deal to deliver a 55 MW / 220 MWh battery energy storage system for GEN-I Sonce in Romania, targeting delivery by Q3 2027. Climate & Infrastructure: Europe’s severe drought continues to expose history and hazards, with a century-old steam tugboat (“Sava’s Titanic,” the Slovenian) surfacing in Serbia’s Sava River and a WWII mine later detonated by bomb disposal teams. EU Policy: The EU’s new FDI screening regulation entered into force, with national implementation due by January 2028—important for cross-border deals in sensitive sectors. Construction Economy: Eurostat reports uneven June construction output across Europe, with Slovenia showing a sharp annual rise (+22.9%) while the euro area and EU declined month-on-month. Digital Safety Law: France’s constitutional court blocked a bill banning under-15s from social media, citing freedom of expression and insufficient privacy protections.

Drought & Heritage: Europe’s worst dry spell is exposing history in real time, with a century-old Serbian steam tugboat (“Sava’s Titanic,” the Slovenian) surfacing from the Sava River near Sremska Mitrovica, alongside other relics and even a WWII mine detonated by bomb disposal teams. Cybersecurity: Researchers at UMass Amherst describe “Zombie Card,” an attack that can revive expired Visa contactless cards for in-store purchases by altering what a terminal reads via NFC proximity and a relay setup. Energy Storage: Slovenia’s GEN-I Sonce is tied to a major Romania battery project: Waldevar Energy won an EPC deal for a 55 MW / 220 MWh BESS at Gheorgheni, targeting delivery by Q3 2027. EU Tech Policy: The EU’s e-Evidence rules are now fully applicable, letting investigators in member states demand digital data from tech firms with fast deadlines. Robotics Funding: Former Nvidia researcher Sanja Fidler raised $90M+ for Veeda Innovation, aiming to train robots in simulated environments.

Cybersecurity: Researchers at UMass Amherst unveiled “Zombie Card,” a physical NFC attack that can revive expired Visa contactless cards by rewriting the expiry date a POS terminal reads, without breaking card cryptography—presented at USENIX Security Symposium; no CVE and no public exploitation reported. Energy Storage & Renewables: Slovenia’s GEN-I Sonce signed an EPC deal with Waldevar Energy for a 55 MW / 220 MWh BESS in Romania (Gheorgheni), targeting delivery by Q3 2027. EU Digital Law: The EU’s e-Evidence Regulation is now fully applicable, letting investigators in member states demand digital data directly from tech firms with fast compliance timelines. AI & Robotics Funding: Former Nvidia researcher Sanja Fidler raised over US$90M for Veeda Innovation, building AI models to train robots in simulated environments. Online Safety Policy: France’s constitutional court blocked a bill banning under-15s from social media, citing freedom of expression and insufficient privacy safeguards. Climate & Infrastructure: Europe’s drought is exposing historic relics in rivers and also stressing power systems, with extreme heat and low hydropower pushing grids “tight.” Construction Economy: Eurostat reports EU construction output fell in June, while Bulgaria rose 0.9% month-on-month.

AI & Robotics: Former Nvidia researcher Sanja Fidler has raised over US$90M for Veeda Innovation, aiming to train robots using AI models built in simulated environments. Digital Rights & Safety: France’s Constitutional Council struck down a bill that would have banned under-15s from social media, citing freedom of expression and weak privacy protections; Meta meanwhile says it’s removed 750,000+ under-16 accounts in Australia using AI-based detection. EU Digital Justice: The EU e-Evidence Regulation is now fully in force, letting investigators in member states request emails, messages and data from major tech firms with fast deadlines. Vehicle Tech: Volkswagen EV drivers in Europe are getting Samsung Wallet Digital Key support for hands-free entry and phone-based start/lock/unlock. Energy Resilience: Europe’s 2026 heatwave stress test shows vulnerability in power systems, with drought and hotter conditions tightening supply even without a full blackout. Slovenia Tech & Business: Arrow Electronics expanded IBM distribution to include Slovenia, boosting local channel access to infrastructure, automation and data offerings. Health & Research Policy: Psyence BioMed welcomed US support to accelerate ibogaine development for clinical research and potential treatment.

EU Digital Justice: The EU’s e-Evidence Regulation is now fully in force, letting investigators in any member state demand emails, messages, traffic data and subscriber details from major tech firms directly, with a standard 10-day compliance timeline (and 8 hours in emergencies), cutting out the slow MLAT process. Energy Resilience: Europe’s 2026 heatwave stress test is revealing weak spots: drought and hot water have tightened generation, and the EU says storage is still key to shift solar power into the evening peak. EV Access Tech: Volkswagen drivers in Europe can add Samsung Wallet Digital Key to compatible ID models for hands-free entry, lock/unlock and start via UWB or NFC. Slovenia Business/IT: Arrow Electronics expands IBM distribution to Slovenia (plus more countries), aiming to boost channel delivery of hybrid cloud, automation and data solutions. Biotech Pipeline: Psyence BioMed says the US is accelerating ibogaine development after new federal support tied to the University of Miami’s original 1994 IND filing.

EU e-Evidence: The bloc’s e-Evidence Regulation is now fully in force, letting investigators in most EU states demand emails, messages, traffic data and subscriber info directly from big tech with a standard 10-day compliance window (8 hours in emergencies), cutting out the old cross-border delays. Energy Resilience: Europe’s summer heat has exposed grid weak spots as drought and hot water reduce generation; the European Commission says risks are “tight,” with storage still key to shifting solar power to evening peaks. EV Connectivity: Volkswagen EV drivers in Europe get Digital Key via Samsung Wallet for hands-free entry and tap-to-start on select ID models. Cybersecurity: New Android malware “WindRelay” targets contactless payments by turning phones into NFC relays, enabling real-time card fraud. Slovenia Tech/Business: Arrow Electronics expands IBM distribution to include Slovenia, boosting local channel access to infrastructure, automation and data offerings. Local Economy: Slovenia’s Q2 GDP rose 5.0% year-on-year as consumption and investment strengthened, with equipment, machinery and construction leading.

EU Flood Resilience: The European Environment Agency estimates €822bn in weather- and climate-related losses across the EU from 1980–2024, with floods driving 47%—pushing policy beyond levees toward risk mapping, forecasting, river-basin planning, nature restoration and faster emergency response. Meta’s Teen Safety Push: Meta says it used AI detection to remove 750,000+ under-16 accounts on Facebook and Instagram in Australia, with enforcement still ongoing and parents/community reporting feeding the process. Slovenia Fintech Angle: A new look at Slovenia’s digital finance scene argues the country’s edge is “optimisation” rather than disruption—high banking access, widespread digital payments, strong connectivity and EU-aligned regulation. Cybersecurity Warning: Multiple reports highlight Android malware “WindRelay” that turns phones into NFC payment relays, draining cards in real time. Local Economy Update: Slovenia’s Q2 GDP grew 5.0% year-on-year (up from 3.2% in Q1), led by stronger consumption and investment, including a big jump in buildings and structures. Tech & Logistics Business: Arrow Electronics expands IBM distribution coverage to include Slovenia, boosting channel partners for infrastructure, automation and data solutions.

Slovenia–Kazakhstan Diplomacy: Slovenia’s newly appointed ambassador Branko Rakovec met Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov, with both sides pushing deeper cooperation in agriculture, energy, digitalization, construction, and culture, plus science, healthcare, education, and tourism. EU Tech & Security: Meta says it used AI-based detection to remove 750,000+ under-16 accounts on Facebook and Instagram in Australia, as enforcement ramps up under the country’s social-media rules. Slovenian Research in Global AI: A University of Ljubljana team helped organize IJCB 2026’s face-recognition challenge on adapting foundation models with synthetic training data, with results highlighting how training choices affect accuracy and fairness. Fintech Spotlight: A new look at Slovenia’s fintech scene argues the country’s edge is “optimisation” over disruption, citing high banking penetration and mature digital payments. Cybercrime Warning: Group-IB details WindRelay Android malware that can turn phones into NFC payment relays for real-time card fraud. Energy & Food Pressure: Europe’s farmers face worsening heat and drought impacts, with crop losses and yield forecasts deteriorating across multiple regions.