In 2002 the global and domestic economy suffered a downturn. In most important world economies, GDP grew less than expected. The crisis primarily affected the United States and the EU and, according to analysts, an upturn cannot be expected until 2004. The possibility of an economic recession in Slovenia’s most important trade partners affected the Slovenian economy. In the assessment of Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development, GDP grew 3.2% in real terms in 2002, which was slightly less than forecast. Employment trends also slowed. In December 2002 the number of persons in employment equalled the December 2001 figure, while a comparison of the annual averages shows an increase in the number of persons in employment of only 0.6%.

At the end of 2002 there were 881,539 active people in total, of whom 781,932 were persons in employment. On average, there were 886,133 active people in 2002 in Slovenia, of whom 783,499 were persons in employment. In comparison with December 2001, the number of active people fell by 0.5%; the number of persons in employment remained the same. The average number of active people in 2002 compared to 2001 increased by 0.6%; the growth was the same for the persons in employment. During the year the number of persons in employment grew most months, apart from July, August and December, when it fell.

Table II: Total employment (persons in employment) in Slovenia, annual averages, 1987–2002

1987

1991

1993

1995

1996

1997 *

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

Note: *In early 1997 the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia introduced methodological changes to the monitoring of employment in companies and other organisations. It included data on private companies with one or two staff. Since 1997 the source of data on self-employed people (except farmers) and people employed by self-employed people has been the Statistical Register of Persons in Employment, and for farmers the Labour Force Survey.

Of the 781,932 persons in employment in December 2002, 697,552 were employed and 84,380 self-employed people. The majority of employed people (631,598) were employed by companies and organisations, and 65,954 people worked for the self-employed. The largest category of the self-employed was formed by sole traders (in December 2002 there were 43,814 sole traders and 6,325 people performing professional services, with another large category being formed by farmers, of whom there were 34,241).

Figure 7: Structure of the active population (2002 average percentages)

The number of people employed in companies and organisations rose in the first half of the year, followed by a fall in the summer months (July, August) due to a lull in employment, after which it rose again until the end of the year. In December it fell again for seasonal reasons. In comparison with December 2001, there were 0.7% more people employed by companies and organisations in December 2002; on average, their number increased by 0.7% in 2002.

The trend relating to people employed by the self-employed was different. Their numbers rose until June, but fell during the three summer months. In the second half of the year the number rose until November and December, when it fell. In comparison with December 2001, there were 2.7% fewer people employed by the self-employed in December 2002; on average, there were 2.3% fewer people employed by the self-employed in 2002 than in 2001.

The number of self-employed people increased in 2002; on average there were 1.7% more self-employed people. During the year the number of self-employed people rose in most months in the first half of the year (except for March and June), while in the second half of the year the number only rose in July and September, falling in all other months. In December 2002 there were therefore 0.9% fewer self-employed people than in December 2001.

In 2002 the number of individual private entrepreneurs fell most months, with the exception of May, when it rose slightly; in December 2002 there were 1.7% fewer sole traders than in December 2001 and, on average, there were 1% fewer sole traders in 2002 than in 2001.

In most months the number of farmers remained the same, except in October, when it fell. At the end of the year there were 0.6% fewer farmers in comparison with December 2001, with the average number growing by 4.9%.

The smallest category of self-employed people consists of people performing professional services; their numbers showed the most positive trends of all in 2002. Their numbers grew most months, with the exception of June and December. In December 2002 there were 3.8% more of them than in December 2001; on average their number increased by 4%.

Table III: Persons in employment, by branch, 31 December 2002

99,7