A New Civil Code for Slovakia: Long-Awaited Reform Enters the Spotlight

After many years of intensive expert discussions, conceptual work and legislative preparations, Slovakia is moving towards a fundamental reform of its private law. For the first time, a comprehensive draft of a new Civil Code is available in its entirety. This represents a significant milestone in the modernisation of the Slovak legal framework. 

The currently effective Civil Code dates back to 1964 and, despite numerous amendments (more than 70!), has long ceased to reflect the needs of a modern market economy or the development of private law relationships in a broader European context. The preparation of a new civil code therefore ranks among the most ambitious legislative projects of recent years. At the same time, it should be noted that the first recodification initiatives and expert commission work emerged as early as approximately twenty years ago, underlining the long-term and gradual nature of this process. 

The presented draft is the result of cooperation among a wide range of experts from academia, the judiciary and legal practice, who have contributed to the project at various stages of its development. The current version of the extensive code contains more than 1,900 paragraphs, which in itself illustrates its ambition to become a modern and systematic cornerstone of Slovak private law. The draft was approved by the Government of the Slovak Republic on May 6, 2026 and will now proceed to the National Council of the Slovak Republic for further legislative consideration. 

From a structural and conceptual perspective, the new Civil Code aims to offer a clearer system, a higher level of legal certainty and greater predictability in private law relationships. It is also expected to strengthen the principle of party autonomy, refine key civil law institutions and more consistently reflect developments in European private law. Specific solutions and their practical impact on individual areas of law will be addressed in separate, more detailed analyses. 

As regards the legislative timeline, the draft currently envisages its entry into force on 1 July 2027. This timeline is intended to provide sufficient room for the preparation of legal practice, including judges, attorneys, notaries, business entities and other participants in private law relationships. However, further delays cannot be ruled out, particularly given the scope and complexity of the recodification and the historically lengthy nature of this legislative process.

The new Civil Code has the potential to shape Slovak private law for decades to come. The very submission of a comprehensive draft therefore represents a historic moment. In the following articles, we will gradually focus on selected areas of the proposed regulation and their practical relevance, in particular from the perspective of business and contractual relationships.

By JUDr. Valter Pieger

Download

Authors