AmCham Slovakia

Most importantly - I want to cordially thank all of you - our members, colleagues, and supporters - for a fantastic year 2025. This season marked the opening of the fourth decade of AmCham Slovakia’s activities, as we proudly continue to represent the voice of modern international and local businesses, united within a community of more than 330 members.

As in 2025, in 2026 we cannot ignore the geopolitical developments that have had, and will continue to have, an impact on our business and daily lives. AmCham’s role is to monitor emerging trends and new regulations shaped by geopolitics. The race to secure critical resources, such as basic materials, drinking water and capital has already begun.

We operate in Europe at a time when the continent is at a crossroads and faces multiple challenges. On the one hand, there is an effort to preserve free trade and the European single market, as well as green frameworks and goals set long ago. On the other hand, Europe faces pressure to increase defense spending, boost economic growth, and tackle massive deficits. But unpopular measures are creating room for populism. Managing these competing pressures is extremely challenging, making European unity more important than ever. In 2025, the European Union adopted regulatory “simplifications” across a range of reporting requirements, a trend that is expected to continue in 2026.

The role of the United States in times of geopolitical competition will also be very significant in 2026. Rules and regulations are evolving rapidly, and markets across the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Europe are adapting to these changes. On July 4, 2026, America will celebrate a significant milestone: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For Slovakia, maintaining a long-term relationship with the US remains crucial given our shared history of multinational investment in Slovakia over the past 30 years.

As history has shown, even a challenging environment can foster great innovation and new opportunities. Therefore, it is time to focus on what lies ahead in 2026 and the trends and indicators it brings. This year, AmCham will continue to focus on competitiveness.

Initially, we will focus on two key areas:

• The workforce and its health, including impacts on productivity and demographics. We will begin on March 3 with the Healthcare in Transformation: Care, Data and Costs conference.
• Energy for Business , on March 26, we will discuss energy through the lens of business opportunities: energy sources, transmission infrastructure, big data storage, supercomputers and geo-energy competition in commodities, all of which are critically important topics in an election year.

Throughout the year, we will also focus on:

• The shared services sector, which represents the third most important pillar of the Slovak economy. Geopolitical shifts, the rise of artificial intelligence and automation pose enormous challenges for this sector, as it is more exposed to macroeconomic uncertainties than any other.
• Tariffs will remain part of the global economy, at least in the medium term. The United States will continue to use tariffs and export controls as tools of economic and geopolitical strategy.

In 2026, it will be essential for all of us to integrate geopolitics into strategic and financial decision-making, building resilience and moving away from relying solely on traditional business management methods while developing proactive risk management and adaptability strategies.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those of you who, with your expertise, help us prepare comments, participate in legislative proceedings and contribute to work that often remains invisible, but is extremely important. Much of this effort takes place during evenings and weekends, outside standard working hours, and is provided voluntarily and without entitlement to financial reward. For this, you deserve our deepest gratitude.

The past year has been particularly intense, and I would like to share with you a summary of some legislative and advocacy activities we have undertaken and will continue to pursue in 2026.

2025 TOP ACHIEVEMENTS

In 2025, AmCham Slovakia proudly represented more than 330 member companies united by a shared mission: to build an impactful, strong, and inspirational community.

Across Patron, Corporate, General members, and the NGO sector, we created a space to connect, collaborate, and inspire change. Our members found common ground to exchange ideas, foster partnerships, and drive innovation. Networking remains our key asset and a top priority that continues to strengthen relationships and open doors to new opportunities.

 



In 2025, AmCham Slovakia hosted more than 60 events, covering a wide range of topics with a strong focus on competitiveness. Guided by our mission to build an impactful, strong, and inspirational community, we welcomed over 5,000 attendees to events combining policy discussions, business insights, and social engagements. These events delivered valuable content, fostered meaningful connections, and created unique opportunities for networking and collaboration, empowering our members to exchange ideas, create business opportunities, and shape policy.





AmCham Slovakia addressed critical issues concerning the competitiveness of the Slovak economy, the quality of the business environment, as well as the transparency of the legislative process across four domains: Institutions, Regions, Innovations, and People. The past year was particularly intense, with AmCham actively participating in standard legislative procedures as well as contributing to the development of legislation through expert working groups. In many cases, our expert comments and recommendations were welcomed and reflected in the final outcomes. Here is a summary of some legislative and advocacy activities that AmCham has undertaken and will continue to pursue in 2026.

 




One of the highlights of the year 2025 was the Future Ready Slovakia: Let’s Talk Competitiveness! conference - our flagship event focused on global and euro area trends, their impact on Slovakia, and strategies to strengthen competitiveness and mitigate risks. Together with the Minister of Finance, the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy, as well as senior representatives from the EIB, OECD, and other high-level officials, we explored ways to boost competitiveness, identify windows of opportunity, and unlock resources critical for success in today’s dynamic business environment. The discussion also covered key topics such as Talent Retention & Workforce Attraction, Manufacturing Competitiveness, Sustainability & Innovation, Building Trust between Business and Institutions, and more.

 




AmCham´s 15 policy-advocacy committees and working groups actively support fair regulation and an improved business environment in Slovakia. Through more than 200 policy meetings, gatherings, and public events, our members engaged in dialogue with high-level officials through-out the entire year. Key policy developments and positions are regularly shared with members via AmCham News, monthly policy updates, Policy-Advocacy Highlights, Connection magazine, and social media, alongside continuous monitoring of the rule of law developments. Through its membership in the AmChams in Europe network and the National Union of Employers, part of BusinessEurope, AmCham Slovakia also strengthens its advocacy and engagement at the European level.

 




In 2025, AmCham Slovakia continued its efforts through the HR Learning Circle platform, opening critical topics aimed at inspiring innovative approaches to human resource management. We devoted the year to two core areas: Equal Pay and trade unions. Building on this foundation, the HR Learning Circles continue to encourage a broader perspective on the future of work and the evolving role of HR.

 




Throughout 2025, AmCham Slovakia and its representatives were regularly featured in leading media outlets, commenting on topics related to competitiveness and the business environment. TREND, HN, NEXTECH, SLOVAK SPECTATOR, as well as TASR and SITA, published AmCham commentaries, press releases, and expert insights. Our social media presence, especially on LinkedIn, continued to grow in reach and engagement. Today, AmCham platforms collectively reach more than 13,000 followers, with key business and competitiveness-related topics ranking among the most visible media moments of the year.