Humanoid robot for an event in Slovenia and Croatia: Ljubljana, Zagreb and Zadar. Venues, rules, AI Act and who provides it

A humanoid robot at a congress in Ljubljana, a tech conference in Zadar or a gala in Zagreb is a trip within the EU: no customs, no border checks and the same AI and data protection rules as in any other member state. Three things still need preparation: getting the robot into the venue, marking the robot zone and choosing the conversation languages. Below is practical information for organisers and exhibitors.

What should you know about Slovenia and Croatia before an event with a humanoid robot?

Slovenia and Croatia are both in the EU, use the euro and belong to the Schengen area. Slovenia has been an EU member since 1 May 2004, has used the euro since 1 January 2007 and has been in Schengen since 21 December 2007; its official language is Slovenian (European Union). Croatia has been in the EU since 1 July 2013 and joined both the euro area and Schengen on 1 January 2023; its official language is Croatian (European Union, Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs). For an organiser this means invoices in euro and no border checks on the road.

Where are congresses, fairs and conferences held in Ljubljana, Zagreb and Zadar?

In Ljubljana the two main venues for congresses and fairs are the GR Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre and Cankarjev dom. Venue size shapes how the robot works: an exhibition hall means longer routes and more noise, while in a congress hall the route to the stage matters most.

According to Visit Ljubljana, the largest hall at GR Ljubljana seats around 2,200 guests theatre-style (Visit Ljubljana). At a gala of that size a humanoid robot can greet guests at the entrance and then appear on stage. At a tech conference such as Shift in Zadar the robot more often works on an exhibitor's stand: talking about the product, showing movement and posing for photos. At an invitation-only event such as the Bled Strategic Forum, the robot must be agreed in advance with the organiser and its security team.

In Zagreb, ask the venue operator for current technical data before choosing a venue: door dimensions, goods lifts and backstage power.

Does a humanoid robot need customs clearance or an ATA carnet for Slovenia and Croatia?

No, a humanoid robot travelling from another EU country to Slovenia or Croatia needs neither customs clearance nor an ATA carnet, because the EU is a customs union. The European Commission explains that no customs duties are levied at the borders between EU countries and that goods circulate freely without customs checks (European Commission). An ATA carnet only becomes relevant for trips outside the EU.

How do you get a humanoid robot to Ljubljana, Zagreb or Zadar?

The most practical way to bring a humanoid robot to Slovenia and Croatia is by road, together with its operators and spare batteries. The Unitree G1 is about 132 cm tall and weighs about 35 kg, while the Unitree H2 is about 182 cm tall, so with the larger model you should check the height of doors, lifts and backstage corridors.

Before the trip, agree with the venue on:

1. access and unloading: gate, arrival time and parking during set-up,
2. the route to the robot zone: goods lifts, thresholds, stairs and door widths,
3. power: a socket in the robot zone and a separate one backstage for charging batteries,
4. internet: stable Wi-Fi or a cable, ideally a separate network rather than the public guest Wi-Fi,
5. overnight storage: a lockable room for multi-day events.

At a summer event on the Adriatic coast, heat and sun also matter if the robot works outdoors. More detail in our guide on getting a robot into the venue.

What do the AI Act and GDPR say about a robot talking to guests in Slovenia and Croatia?

A humanoid robot that talks to guests through an AI system is subject to the same rules in Slovenia and Croatia as anywhere else in the EU, because the AI Act and GDPR are EU law. The European Commission states that Article 50 of the AI Act applies from 2 August 2026 and that people must be notified that they are interacting with an AI system from the start of the first interaction, in a clear and distinguishable way (European Commission). In practice a sign at the robot zone in the local language and English plus a short line in the robot's first sentence does the job.

If the robot's camera is on or it records video with guests, the organiser should agree with the provider before the event what is recorded, for how long and how guests are informed. Our checklist on cameras, GDPR and the AI Act helps here, and zone and distance rules are covered in the article on robot safety at events.

Which language should the robot speak at an event in Slovenia or Croatia?

At an event in Slovenia the humanoid robot should speak Slovenian, in Croatia Croatian, and English at international events. The Bled Strategic Forum lists English as its conference language (bledstrategicforum.org), and Shift brings developers from across Europe, so English will be the main conversation language there. Language, voice and the pronunciation of brand names are agreed with the provider before the event and then tested in the noise of the room.

MERA Robotics prepares the robot's conversations in its own MERA OS system, which supports more than 30 languages, including Polish and English, with a voice matched to each language and a native accent.

Who can provide a humanoid robot for an event in Slovenia or Croatia, and how do you choose a partner?

When choosing a company, check whether it:

1. has its own operators who travel with the robot and stay with it for the whole event,
2. has experience with events abroad and knows the rules of large venues,
3. runs conversations on its own software and confirms the languages before signing,
4. has more than one robot model and matches it to the room, stage or stand,
5. checks the robot before departure and brings spare batteries,
6. helps with the AI Act and GDPR, i.e. marking the zone and agreeing recording rules.

MERA Robotics from Warsaw rents Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 humanoid robots for events in Poland and abroad, including an international trade fair in Cannes in September 2026, and runs them on site with its own operators. The company programmes the robot's conversation and behaviour for each specific event, and its MERA OS system is used by clients in Poland, Romania and Germany. MERA Robotics checks every robot before it goes to an event. Pricing is individual and depends on how long the robot is present, the location and logistics; enquiries go to contact@merarobotics.com.

You will find the models in the catalogue of robots for rent and sale. How to vet a company with operators is explained in our guide to renting a humanoid robot with operators in Europe, and neighbouring markets are covered in the articles on Austria and Hungary.