Summary of the Fair Competition Alliance (FCA) Activities in 2025

During 2025, the Fair Competition Alliance (FCA) implemented a number of key activities aimed at strengthening institutional capacities to combat the grey economy, improving the regulatory framework, and enhancing cooperation between the public and private sectors.

Project “Innovations Against the Grey Economy”

The project has been active throughout 2025 and represents one of the Alliance’s most important new areas of action. It is implemented with the financial support of Authentix SE. As part of the project, a comprehensive Analysis of Contemporary Models for Combating the Grey Economy was prepared. The draft analysis was presented to the Alliance on 5 June, opening a process of considering innovative, primarily digital, supervision solutions—including AI-based models, advanced risk analysis, and instruments for monitoring e-commerce. The next phase of the project includes workshops with public authorities and the business community, contributing to the development of the Programme for Combating the Grey Economy 2026–2030.

Advocacy for the New Programme for Combating the Grey Economy 2026–2030

FCA and NALED actively participate in the process of drafting the new Programme for Combating the Grey Economy. During the year, an analysis of the level of implementation of activities from the current Programme was submitted to the Expert Group of the Coordination Body for Combating the Grey Economy, showing that approximately 60% of the activities planned for the first year were successfully implemented. NALED prepared a proposal for the 2025 Action Plan in line with inputs from the competent ministries; however, the Action Plan was never adopted.

In 2025, the process of adopting a new decision on the establishment of the Coordination Body was ongoing, and the Ministry of Finance sent official requests to all ministries to nominate members for the formation of a new Expert Group. As a member, FCA actively participates in this process and advocates for strengthening inspection capacities—staffing, technical, and organizational—as one of the priorities of the new Programme.

In line with the Alliance’s priorities, facilitating foreign trade procedures was also a key area of work during the year. In 2025, a new recommendation was included in NALED’s Grey Book of Recommendations: Facilitate and Accelerate Foreign Trade Procedures, identifying some of the key challenges companies face in international trade operations. The recommendation also proposes digitalization of procedures through the implementation of a Single Window system, as well as improvements in risk analysis. Positive developments were recorded, as the National Assembly adopted the Law on the Single Window System and the Law on Official Controls, the implementation of which should improve risk analysis in the work of border inspections. NALED will continue to monitor the implementation of these regulations in the coming period, particularly as the application of the Single Window System is expected in 2027. In addition, in the second half of 2025, the Alliance established a dedicated working group on the facilitation of border procedures, with representatives from eight member companies delegated so far. More intensive work of this working group is expected in the coming year.

Strengthening Market Inspection Through Private Sector Support

The implementation of the dedicated project “Strengthening the Capacity of Market Inspection in the Republic of Serbia Through Private Sector Support” is also underway. The project includes the procurement and donation of a specialized van to the Market Inspection, intended for conducting procedures for the seizure of illegal goods, as well as the organization of training sessions for market inspectors and roundtables between the business sector and the Market Inspection to exchange practices and improve inspection work in areas affected by the grey economy. The van was handed over to the Market Inspection this year.

Regulatory Initiatives and Analysis of the Legislative Framework

Within the GIZ project “Support to the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government to Improve Preconditions for a Better Inspection Oversight System in Serbia”, ex post and ex ante analyses of the Law on Inspection Oversight were conducted, along with a draft of a new Law, which was presented to representatives of the Fair Competition Alliance. The final version of the draft law will be prepared after the establishment of the new Working Group of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government (MPALSG). In addition, the Alliance participates in the Working Group for drafting the new Law on Occupational Safety and Health at Work, representing the proposals of its members. The first meetings of this working group were held during 2025.

Conclusion

In 2025, the Fair Competition Alliance achieved significant results: an analysis of innovative models for combating the grey economy was completed, a van was donated to the Market Inspection, and the Alliance actively participated in the drafting of key strategic documents and new legislation. At the same time, FCA strongly advocates for strengthening inspections, digitalizing supervision, and enhancing cooperation between the public and private sectors—particularly by involving businesses in the preparation of legislation affecting the economy and business operations—as key prerequisites for reducing the grey economy and fostering economic growth in the years ahead. In the coming year, the implementation of newly adopted regulations relevant to accelerating foreign trade operations will be monitored, and NALED will continue to actively participate in the work of the National Trade Facilitation Coordination Body.