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A new opening in relations between the EU and the Western Balkans

Nowe otwarcie w stosunkach Unia Europejska – Bałkany Zachodnie

Author(s): Marta Szpala / Language(s): Polish

Keywords: EU; WEstern Balkans

The EU–Western Balkans Summit on 17 May in Sofia – the first such event since 2003 – is one of the examples of the growing interest of the EU in the Balkan countries aspiring to membership. On 6 February, the European Commission presented a new policy strategy for the Western Balkans. The will for greater involvement in the region is also indicated by the visits of the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and the President of the European Council Donald Tusk to all the countries of the region in recent months. The activities of the EU institutions are accompanied by actions taken towards the Balkans by the member states under the banner of the Berlin Process, which focuses on economic cooperation. The new dynamics in the EU's policy towards the Western Balkans is the result of the growing awareness in Brussels of the threats resulting from the crisis of the enlargement policy – the main EU instrument intended to ensure lasting stability in the region.

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Circular and return migration: What can Serbia learn from EU countries’ experiences?

Author(s): Ana Milinković,Jelena Žarković Rakić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Circular migration; Return migration; Serbia; EU countries; Best practices; Migration policy; Workforce mobility; Knowledge transfer; Economic development; Migration management;

In the last decades, Serbia has been facing serious demographical challenges. The low rates of natural increase in population combined with the negative net migrations caused depopulation at the state level. This trend is the strongest in rural areas and less developed regions. Circular migration (repeated legal migration of the same person between two or more countries), whose importance has been increasing both globally and in Serbia in the past decade, could lead the way out of this problem. Although today, it is much easier to emigrate from Serbia than it used to be in the past – primarily due to the termination of sanctions and the democratisation process, and later, visa liberalisation and bilateral agreements with some European Union (EU) countries on the facilitated movement of labour, Serbia hopes for further procedure simplification, especially in the context of EU integration. As an EU candidate, Serbia should be ready for all the upcoming changes.

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Financing of the Environmental Protection at the Local Level: Relationship between Revenues and Expenditures

Author(s): Stefan Šipka,Dejan Maksimović / Language(s): English

Keywords: Environmental protection; Local level financing; Revenues; Expenditures; Budget allocation; Sustainability; Public finance; Local governance; Environmental policy; Fiscal management;

Financial investments in the environmental protection are one of the biggest challenges for the Republic of Serbia in the European Union accession process. Official estimates from 20111 indicate that by 2030, the costs of application of the rules under Chapter 27 (Environmental Protection) will reach €10.6 Billion, mainly for protection against water pollution (€5.6 Billion), waste management (€2.8 Billion) and the industrial pollution (€1.3 Billion). Furthermore, according to more recent estimates, the required investments, considering only the capital investments, are around €10 Billion. Inclusion of the operational investments (infrastructure maintenance costs) will result in an even higher amount.

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The Senior Civil Service System in Serbia: 12 Years of Simulated Depoliticisation

Author(s): Vladimir Mihajlović / Language(s): English

Keywords: Senior civil service; Serbia; Depoliticisation; Public administration; Governance reform; Bureaucracy; Political influence; Merit-based appointments; Civil service system; Institutional reform;

Following the adoption of amendments to the Civil Service Law (CSL) in December 2018, the Serbian Government has put the goal of depoliticisation on its 2019 agenda of priorities. The country has wrestled with this issue since the early days of its democratic transition, which started in 2000. This effort is one of the key preconditions of Serbia’s admission to the European Union (EU). Also, the depoliticisation of the public administration is important for citizens, as the public interest is best served by professional, politically independent, and competent civil servants.

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Towards a Smart Retention Policy for the Sustainable EU Integration of Serbia

Author(s): Milena Mihajlović,Katarina Kosmina,Dragana Bajić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Administrative capacities; Serbia; EU membership; Public administration; Staff retention; EU accession; IPA jobs; Employee turnover; Work conditions; Civil service;

Adequate administrative capacities are one of the crucial preconditions for a successful and sustainable membership of Serbia in the EU. However, experienced employees have been increasingly leaving their public administration jobs due to inadequate work conditions. Given that over 50% of surveyed employees working on EU/IPA jobs have an intention of leaving the administration within the following year, a quality staff retention policy is essential, especially taking into account the relevance of these employees and their contribution to the EU accession and integration processes.

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Serbia’s Pursuit of Interests in the EU: Ready to Grasp Growing Opportunities?

Author(s): Strahinja Subotić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Serbia; EU integration; National interests; EU opportunities; Foreign policy; Accession process; Regional cooperation; Economic development; Serbia-EU relations;

Serbia has been progressively increasing its engagement with the EU for more than a decade. This has enabled it to get itself well acquainted with the work of the EU institutions, the EU laws and the particularities of the EU association/accession process. The question is whether Serbia could use this to its advantage. Moreover, how the existing “capital” can be used in order to further develop the present network of contacts and reap benefits from being seen as a trustworthy partner. These questions become more pertinent knowing that the interaction between the EU and Serbia is expected to increase in the following phases of the EU accession process. However, the research on how Serbia is pursuing its interests in Brussels is rather scarce and at the same time there is very little policy debate on that issue. That is why this research aimed to explore Serbia’s current administrative, financial and lobbying capacities at the EU level in the context of Serbian EU accession negotiation process, in order to acquire a comprehensive understanding of how Serbia is standing in Brussels today.

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Getting results in Public Policy: Monitoring and Evaluation with Evidence Supplied by the Civil Society

Author(s): Sena Marić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Public policy; Monitoring and evaluation; Civil society; Evidence-based policy; Accountability; Policy outcomes; Governance; Public sector performance; Citizen engagement; Transparency;

Evidence clearly demonstrates that implementation of public policies in Serbia leads to broken promises. Although the Government Work Programme sets goals and planned activities, these goals are often left unachieved in practice, while there is no mechanism to measure the activities’ results or impact. In contrast to Serbia, the decision makers in countries with a more developed political culture are under constant public scrutiny that demands effective policies, credible and reliable data and evidence-based policy making in general.

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Citizen-oriented Public Administration in Serbia - Reality or Wishful Thinking?

Author(s): Katarina Tadić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Citizen-oriented administration; Public administration; Serbia; Governance; Service delivery; Accountability; Public sector reform; Citizen engagement; Policy implementation; Administrative efficiency;

The current process of public administration reform in Serbia is conditioned by the process of European integration, and thus the reform process represents the harmonization of legislative framework and public administration functioning in Serbia with European principles and good practice. Accordingly, the emphasis is on developing citizen-oriented public administration, which has become a strategic direction of the Serbian Government. However, even though the latest report of the European Commission gives Serbia a predominantly positive assessment in the area of public administration reform (PAR),1 it also reveals its concrete deficiencies. In other words, public administration in Serbia faces numerous challenges and difficulties, some of which are reflected in the lack of capacity, but some also in the reluctance of the Government and the administration to adapt to new demands.

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Problems and obstacles in access to justice in enforcement procedure from the perspective of consumer protection - With models of continuous monitoring of enforcement process

Author(s): Dušan Protić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Access to justice; Enforcement procedure; Consumer protection; Legal obstacles; Continuous monitoring; Judicial efficiency; Procedural transparency; Serbia;

The purpose of this research is to improve the existing state of consumer protection in enforcement procedures and to provide possible models that provide a more active role for consumer organisations in this matter. Specifically, the identification of problems and obstacles faced by consumers and civil society organisations in the field of enforcement should be ensured, to work towards providing a higher level of protection for citizens’ rights and interest. Secondly, a documentary basis should be provided for the development of recommendations for improvements in this area. Finally, based on the findings of the research, it is necessary to develop options for establishing a mechanism that enables the involvement of consumer and other organisations in the monitoring citizens’ problems in enforcement proceedings and proposing measures to address these problems.

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EU’s Benchmarking within Chapters 23 and 24 in Accession Negotiations with Serbia: Effect and Challenges

Author(s): Sena Marić,Dragana Bajić / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU accession; Serbia; Chapters 23 and 24; Benchmarking; Rule of law; Judiciary reform; Fundamental rights; Justice and home affairs; EU negotiations; Challenges; Compliance;

It has been exactly one year and a half since the opening of Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) in the framework of European Union (EU) - Serbia accession negotiations. These two chapters, which address the issues related to the rule of law, have been the spiritus movens of the EU’s strategy towards the Western Balkan (WB) candidate countries, a strategy which is still evolving. Ever since the “new approach to enlargement” was defined in 2012, the EU has been upgrading its tools and resources in order to incentivise rule of law related reforms in the candidate countries and evaluate the results in that respect.

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EU Agri-food Quality Schemes and Potential Benefits for the Registration of PGI’s and PDO’s for Serbian Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs in the Prospect of EU Negotiations

Author(s): Ksenija Simović / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU agri-food quality schemes; PGI (Protected Geographical Indication); PDO (Protected Designation of Origin); Serbian agricultural products; Foodstuffs registration; EU negotiations; Geographical indications; Market benefits;

The main objective of this policy paper is to examine different aspects of EU agri-food quality schemes, developed for products with specific characteristics resulting from a particular origin, special ingredients or farming and production methods. The purpose of this paper is to examine in depth different aspects of this European policy and identify potential benefits for Serbian agri-food producers in applying it. Special attention will therefore be dedicated to assessment of Serbian state of affairs in regards, as well as to the opportunities that are now more present, due to the advancement of Serbia’s negotiations with EU. Since many economic findings show, the registration of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) usually results in the higher ability of producers to compete in the market, the paper will attempt to explore the opportunities and problems that the registration of regional and traditional products may bring to the Serbia’s local agrifood production system.

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Civil Society and Government: Participatory Policy Formulation in Serbia

Author(s): Amanda Orza / Language(s): English

Keywords: Civil society; Government collaboration; Participatory policy formulation; Serbia; Public participation; Policy development; Governance;

Up to this point, the issue of a systemic approach to civil society participation in the process of policy making in Serbia has not been resolved. In its last Progress Report, the European Commission notes that "civil society is a crucial component of any democratic system and should be recognized and treated as such by the state institutions". Notably, the EU has leverage to emphasize civil society participation mainly in relation to the accession process. Beyond this sphere, the resources and expertise of the civil society should be recognized and taken advantage of by the government and other public institutions. This is supported by the increasing complexity of the course of reforms, the challenge of legislative harmonization, and the lack of human capacity in the public administration as part of the EU integration process. In this regard, substantial effort needs to be invested to assure an evidence basis from the beginning of the planning of a policy, which is the basis of a sound and comprehensive reform. Thus, it is necessary to raise awareness of the potential mutual benefits of establishing closer and continuous cooperative mechanisms of the governmental and civil sector throughout policy making. On the one side, these promise to result in a more transparent, responsive, and inclusive public administration, which would in return also be more ready to fulfill its obligations and responsibilities towards the EU and its citizens. Moreover, the current constellation is conducive to these types of reforms especially upon the constitution of an ambitious Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and Secretariat for Public Policies.

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From Peace to Preparedness: Conscription as a Once-Again Fashionable Idea in the EU and Serbia

Author(s): Marko Todorović / Language(s): English

Keywords: Conscription; EU defense policy; Serbia; Military service; National security; EU integration; Defense preparedness;

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been a significant trigger for the resurgence of mandatory military service in Europe. As a result of the invasion, the EU has found itself in a position of heightened concern for its own security. Beyond considering how to best support Ukraine, the Union has also been preparing for the worst-case scenario of aggression progressing and extending beyond Ukraine to an EU member state. This overarching strategic thinking has led to a rise in military capacities among member states, sparking a new wave of militarisation in Europe. Consequently, the idea of conscription- mandatory military service for all eligible male citizens - is resurfacing, despite its abandonment in the early 2000s, based on the belief that future wars would not require extensive ground forces. Renewed proposals for conscription sprung up in several EU member states and, perhaps unexpectedly, in Serbia, an EU candidate country.

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Europe’s farmers taking to the streets: What will come of the recent disruptions?

Author(s): Paul O’Brien / Language(s): English

Keywords: 2024 European farmers protests; EU agricultural policy; Serbia and Western Balkans; Agricultural impact on EU accession; Farmer unrest in Europe; EU integration challenges;

Farmers have truly taken Europe by storm in the opening weeks of 2024, with protests erupting in most EU member states and causing ever-growing disruptions. German farmers blocked Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck from disembarking a ferry and blockaded roads and motorways throughout the country with their tractors. French farmers are targeting government buildings to express their anger in protests that are gaining in violence in some cases. Meanwhile, farmers in Poland are partaking in a lengthy general strike and the blockading of the border to neighbouring Ukraine. Even Brussels has seen its fair share of violent clashes between farmers and police officers, with officers being sprayed with liquid manure and tyres being lit on fire in some cases. With the important role agriculture plays in the accession process of new EU member states, these European developments, as well as any protests of this kind in the Western Balkans (WB), are hard to ignore. One is left to wonder whether the protests are justified and where the reasons for such extensive measures lie.

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Belgian Presidency of The Council of the EU: Presidency Returns to the Heart of Europe

Author(s): Đorđe Dimitrov,Strahinja Subotić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Belgium EU presidency 2024; European Union leadership; Belgium federal election; European Parliament election; EU challenges 2024; Belgium diplomatic strategies; EU economy and future;

On 1 January 2024, Belgium, one of the European Union’s founding members, will assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union. This will be Belgium’s 13th presidency overall and its second since the Lisbon Treaty. The country finds itself at a critical juncture in the twilight of the current European institutional cycle and ahead of the European Parliament (EP) election, highlighting the utmost urgency to finish some pertinent pending issues. Moreover, the Belgian federal election will take place along with the EP election, thus further burdening the Presidency. Under the guiding principles of “protect our people,” “strengthen our economy,” and “prepare for our shared future,” the Belgian presidency is poised to grapple with the multifaceted challenges confronting the EU. This insight seeks to unravel the strategies, policies, and diplomatic endeavours that Belgium will employ in leading Europe in the upcoming six months.

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In the Shadow of the Middle East: EU and Serbia’s Israeli-Palestinian Policies Compared

Author(s): Marko Todorović / Language(s): English

Keywords: Israeli-Palestinian conflict 2023; EU foreign policy; EU member states dynamics; EU approach to conflict; EU internal contradictions; Middle East crisis; EU diplomacy on Israel-Palestine;

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict once again escalated on 7 October 2023, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties and a further exacerbation of the already delicate regional circumstances. Such an unexpected crisis underscores the persistent nature of this conflict, with each outbreak carrying implications felt far beyond the Middle East. This paper embarks on a nuanced exploration of the EU’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, with a particular focus on the recent developments. Going beyond the official statements and commonplace narratives of EU foreign policy, it delves into the intricate internal dynamics of the EU and its member states, aiming to understand their various positions, motivations, and contradictions.

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Spanish Presidency of the Council: Making the “Golden Presidency” Count

Author(s): Đorđe Dimitrov / Language(s): English

Keywords: Spain EU presidency 2023; European Union challenges; war in Ukraine; economic crisis; climate change; EU institutional cycle; Spain EU leadership; European Parliament elections 2024;

In July 2023, Spain will assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union, being the first in the new trio together with Belgium and Hungary. This will be Spain’s second presidency since the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty and fifth overall. However, it remains unknown who will be leading Madrid, as the snap general elections are scheduled for 23 July, thus causing fears that a long government formation could draw Madrid’s attention away from Brussels. This will be yet another challenging presidency, with the war in Ukraine still looming at large, an ongoing economic crisis with high inflation, unprecedently high interest rates and competition with China, as well as the need to combat climate change. Adding to the weight of responsibility, Spain will hold the so-called “golden presidency”, meaning that this will be the last presidency in which the incumbent institutional cycle will work in full capacity before the European Parliament elections in June 2024. Thus, Spain will have the responsibility to make progress and finalise many pending dossiers before the work of the EU institutions pauses for almost a year. Having in mind the presidency’s motto, “Europe-closer”, the aim of this insight is to analyse how Spain will navigate Europe in the next six months.

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Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU

Author(s): Đorđe Dimitrov / Language(s): English

Keywords: Sweden EU presidency 2023; Ukraine war; economic turmoil; inflation; green transition; EU enlargement; Western Balkans; EU security agenda; crisis management;

On 1 January 2023, Sweden will assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union, as the last in the line of the current presidency trio. This will be Sweden’s first EU presidency since the Lisbon Treaty came into force and third overall. The Presidency takes place in time of severe turbulence caused by the prolonged war in Ukraine and economic turmoil characterised by record-high inflation and looming recession. Thus, there is no doubt that Sweden will continue the crisis management work of France and the Czech Republic. The presidency’s slogan ‘Greener, Safer and More Free Europe’ indicates that security and green transition will dominate the Presidency’s agenda. In addition, although the enlargement policy has been widened and now includes Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, it is unlikely that the Western Balkans will strongly feature on Sweden’s agenda. The aim of this insight is to examine how Sweden will manoeuvre through Europe in the midst of an increasingly complex context.

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Political Priorities of Serbia in 2024: Between Trans-Atlantic, Sino-American, and EU-China Relations

Author(s): Đorđe Dimitrov / Language(s): English

Keywords: Serbia 2024 political priorities; Trans-Atlantic relations; Sino-American relations; EU-China relations; foreign policy challenges; Serbia-EU relations; geopolitical strategy; Serbia-China cooperation;

In the face of looming global challenges, Serbia finds itself navigating a complex and uncertain landscape. The ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, coupled with heightened tensions in the Western Balkans region, have placed the country in a precarious position. The past year has been particularly turbulent for Serbia, marked by widespread anti-government protests and snap elections in December 2023, which were characterised by allegations of electoral fraud, both on national and local levels. On a foreign policy level, developments such as the United Nations Srebrenica resolution and developments regarding Kosovo’s Council of Europe membership application have further inflamed public discourse and increased political tensions in Serbia. Meanwhile, exactly a decade since the start of the accession talks, Serbia’s journey toward the EU shows no encouraging signs of the necessary change.

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Unpacking the 2023 Enlargement Package: A Wake-up Call for the Western Balkans

Author(s): Marko Todorović,Strahinja Subotić / Language(s): English

Keywords: 2023 Enlargement Package; Western Balkans; EU accession; Serbia; EU enlargement; geopolitical challenges; reform process; EU integration;

In the wake of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the intricate game of geopolitical considerations has prompted the EU to recalibrate its approach to enlargement. This recalibration has not gone unnoticed in the Western Balkans and former Eastern Partnership countries, where anticipation hangs in the air. Expectations are large, yet the undeniable truth lingers: the EU must reform its institutional groundwork for enlargement to materialise. Against this backdrop, Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, has cast a hopeful gaze towards 2030 as a target date when the EU should complete its internal reforms to become enlargement-ready. Simultaneously, candidate and potential candidate countries are urged to amplify their reform efforts. Brussels remains resolute – any progression towards membership will be merit-based, with an unwavering commitment to the rule of law. As the anticipation builds, all eyes turn to the 2023 Enlargement Package so as to see what the Commission has to say about the progress of respective countries, while also accounting for the Commission’s new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

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