The EU Continues to Support Serbia’s Administration in Conducting Successful Accession Negotiations

05.11.2024.

The Policy and Legal Advice Centre (PLAC IV) project, supported by the EU, officially commenced its fourth phase with a project launch conference held at the Europe House in Belgrade on 30 October.

The success of the conference is largely reflected in the media interest in this event, as well as the high number of attendees.

As reported by the BETA news agency, through the PLAC IV project, the European Union has allocated 2.4 million euros, continuing its support to Serbia in improving the compatibility of national legislation with the EU acquis, and its implementation, as well as enhancing capacities of relevant institutions to successfully carry out accession negotiations.

As highlighted at the launch conference, the objective of the project, which focuses on legal assistance through changes in legislation and its alignment with acquis, is to enable the Serbian administration to effectively conduct accession negotiations and successfully manage the overall European integration process and pre-accession assistance, geared towards EU membership.

The implementation of the PLAC IV project began in June this year and the project runs until November 2026.

Acting Assistant Minister for European Integration Miroslav Gačević stated that one of the key requirements on Serbia’s path to full EU membership is the alignment of national legislation with EU acquis and the establishment of adequate administrative capacities.

He also noted that, in line with this, the Government of Serbia recently adopted a new National Programme for the Adoption of the EU Acquis for the period until the end of 2027.

As he explained, when planning this document, the development of EU legislation since the adoption of the previous National Programme for the Adoption of the EU Acquis was taken into account, and it has been adapted to other reform processes, including the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

“We expect a lot from the PLAC IV project. We expect all the technical support our administration needs to meet the objectives set out in the new National Programme for the Adoption of the EU Acquis,” Gačević said.

He emphasized that other ministries and institutions which have benefited from legal assistance through this project have rated the PLAC project with the highest scores.

“This assistance is more than concrete, reflected in the preparation of laws, bylaws, the development of action plans, strategies, and drafting negotiation positions,” Gačević said.

He pointed out that, so far, numerous workshops and study visits to EU member states have been organized within the project, “providing useful knowledge on legal practices in specific areas.”

“A distinctive feature of the project is also its flexibility, as activities are adjusted to current needs in the EU accession process,” he noted.

He added that in this project cycle, the negotiation chapters for which legal assistance can be requested have been defined, but he emphasized that assistance can also be sought for other chapters.

“For now, the priorities are Chapter 1 – Free Movement of Goods, Chapter 8 – Competition Policy, Chapter 9 – Financial Services, Chapter 12 – Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy, Chapter 15 – Energy, Chapter 27 – Environment and Climate Change, and Chapter 32 – Financial Control,” Gačević said.

Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Plamena Halacheva, stated that the alignment of Serbia’s legislation with the acquis is a demanding task that lays the foundation for EU membership.

“Even though we often talk about the political aspects of EU integration, it is necessary to recognize the practical side of the process. The path to EU membership is not only a political journey; it is a deep commitment to shared democratic values and the rule of law,” she said, adding that it is a complex and evolving task, considering that the European Union and its legal framework are continually developing. Therefore, the process presents a greater challenge for future member states than it did in the past.

She added that for more than a decade, the PLAC project has provided invaluable support in aligning legislation and drafting laws in accordance with EU standards. The project has brought together experts from over 20 countries to foster cooperation and knowledge exchange.

The Team Leader of the PLAC IV project, Samo Godec, stated that the project goals were to prepare Serbia’s public administration to conduct accession negotiations effectively.

“The expectations from the project are to enhance the compatibility of Serbia’s national legislation with EU legislation and to ensure its effective implementation. The goal is to train civil servants responsible for preparing and implementing legislation,” he said.

According to him, a key challenge in this project will be to establish a balance between the accelerated adoption of new legislation and the requirements of a democratic legislative process which must be of high quality.

Another challenge, he added, will be prioritisation and narrowing down the number of negotiation chapters and selected areas to be addressed.

Godec noted that in the first phase of the project, which began on 2 June this year, meetings with representatives of the relevant ministries were held and a work plan was established, among other activities.

The project’s Key Legal Expert, Professor Dijana Marković Bajalović, emphasized that aligning legislation with EU acquis and its effective implementation contribute to the well-being of all citizens, and to Serbia’s economic development and social progress.

“Aligned legislation enables and facilitates the integration of the Serbian economy into the economic flows of the single European market. It allows the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital between Serbia and EU member states,” she stated.

Marković Bajalović noted that alignment of legislation also enables the integration of markets in Western Balkan countries, a goal encouraged by the EU.

“The benefits of legislative alignment include better quality of goods and services, health and technical safety of products, strengthened competition in the production and distribution of goods, lower prices, and a more diverse range of goods and services,” she said.

Furthermore, she added, aligned legislation enables improved consumer rights protection and enhancement of public services, including telecommunications, financial services, transportation, postal services, and utilities.

“This also includes a higher level of environmental protection, stronger support for specific economic sectors, such as agriculture and entrepreneurship, as well as support for science, education, culture, improved social protection, and protection of employee rights,” Marković Bajalović emphasised.

As she explained, technical assistance under the PLAC IV project will provide support in drafting laws and bylaws, conducting gap analyses, developing legislative compliance tables, and assessing the impact of regulations.

It is also planned to hold seminars, workshops and other forms of training for civil servants to strengthen their capacities to implement harmonized legislation.

She added that assistance is also planned in preparing the documents necessary for negotiations with the European Commission, as well as study visits to EU member states.

The main beneficiaries of the project are the Ministry of European Integration and Serbia’s EU Accession Negotiating Team.

A large number of media outlets reported on this event, and you can see the reports at the following links (in Serbian):