On 15 September 2026, the Faculty of Design in Ljubljana will host the free professional event Accessibility of the Built Environment for All 2026, focusing on contemporary challenges related to spatial accessibility, mobility and digital solutions.

The Assessment of Non-Feasibility of Accessibility Adjustments must be prepared for each publicly accessible building by 13 July 2026 and must, together with supporting documentation, demonstrate the reasons why specific accessibility adjustments for persons with disabilities have not been implemented. It includes basic building data, already implemented measures, a precise definition of non-feasible measures with evidence, and justifications (technical infeasibility, safety reasons, disproportionate burden, or heritage protection), as well as consideration of alternative ways of ensuring access to services.

A template for an assessment of the infeasibility of adaptations has been published on infotocka.dostopnost.si. It is intended for entities that, for justified reasons, cannot fully ensure the accessibility of buildings in public use for persons with disabilities. The statutory deadline for preparing the assessment is 13 July 2026. The template has been coordinated with the competent ministries and the inspectorate.

Adapted sanitary facilities must be provided within the building whenever possible, with an exception allowing them at another location within 150 m. In such cases, clear information and practical accessibility during operating hours must be ensured.

The Rules on Universal Construction and Use of Buildings define, as mandatory professional references, the standards SIST ISO 21542, SIST 1186 and SIST EN 60118-4. Although these standards are normally paid in the SIST online store, since 2025 the state finances access to all standards that are introduced exclusively through legislation, so they are available free of charge to Slovenian economic operators.

With the expiry of the deadline on 11 December 2025, all buildings open to the public are required to ensure equal access to services for persons with disabilities. From that date onward, owners or operators who fail to comply are in violation, and supervision is carried out by the Building and Geodetic Inspectorate. Exceptions are permitted only based on justified professional reasons, which must be documented by a feasibility assessment by June 2026. A significant level of accessibility can often be achieved through smaller, properly planned interventions.

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we took part in the radio programme Studio at 17:00, discussing the amendment to the Act on Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (ZIMI).

The deadline for adapting public buildings for persons with disabilities expires on December 11, 2025, yet many facilities still do not meet the legal requirements for universal accessibility. Without timely and professionally executed measures, building owners and managers will be in violation after the deadline, and compliance will be overseen by the Building Inspectorate.

We visited The Art Beyond the Visible, Slovenia’s first tactile gallery in Kromberk, which enables a multisensory experience of art through touch. The exhibition, part of the European Capital of Culture Nova Gorica - Gorizia 2025 programme, brings together tactile interpretations of historical artworks and contemporary pieces created especially for blind, visually impaired, and sighted visitors alike.

The Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (UIRS) conducts professional on-site assessments of building accessibility based on a methodology aligned with relevant legislation and standards. These assessments identify on-site barriers for all types of disabilities, with results made publicly available through online tools.