EU integration

Through relevant institutions that bring together the civil sector, NALED actively participates in the social dialogue aimed at aligning laws with EU legislation and more effectively fulfilling economic requirements for EU membership.

NATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE EUROPEAN UNION

The National Convention on the European Union represents a permanent authority that hosts a discussion on Serbia's EU membership that is thematically organized and includes representatives of the state administration, political parties, non-governmental organizations, experts, businesses, unions, and organizations.

NCEU is based on a Slovakian model that has been in use since 2001. Adjusted to the conditions of Serbia’s integration, the Convention has followed the course of the Stabilization and Association Agreement since 2006, and the key issues in Serbia’s process of joining the EU after that.

The possibility to establish the Convention as a unique platform tailored to the next stage of Serbia-EU relations arises with the opening of the EU Accession Negotiations, that should enable:

  • regular consultations of the governing bodies, authorities and institutions of the Republic of Serbia with affected parties (civil society, local governments and representatives of businesses) in the negotiation process and its different phases,

  • defining proposals and opinions regarding the negotiating position of Serbia, as well as the monitoring of fulfillment of membership terms and conditions in different sectors by negotiation chapters,

  • transparent and open dialogue during the processes of screening, developing negotiation positions, negotiations, as well as during the monitoring of the implementation of reforms and commitments made during negotiations,

  • better informing of the public on the accession process, negotiations and effects (obligations of various groups, businesses, citizens, etc.)

The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia established NCEU as a body for special cooperation between the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and the civil society in the course of accession negotiations in accordance with a good practice of strategic cooperation between the civil society and the country's highest legislative body and the elected citizen representatives, which was established in 2004 by the Resolution of the National Assembly and confirmed by the resolution in 2013.

In accordance with the principle of mandatory consultation of civil society in the drafting of legal and strategic documents proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia, NCEU will serve as an appropriate platform for cooperation and consultation with the Government and its institutions responsible for EU membership negotiations, thanks to its structure and way of working (Negotiation Team, negotiation working groups).

The Declaration of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europeo on the code of good practice for citizen participation in the decision-making process serves as the foundation for the notion of cooperation between state institutions and civil society organizations.

As a result, the Government of the Republic of Serbia builds its partnership with civil society organizations on the following tenets: active participation of civil society organizations in all phases of the adoption of regulations, mutual trust, openness and responsibility, effectiveness and efficiency, economy, and timely information.

NALED is the coordinator of Working Group 6 of the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) for Negotiation Chapter 8 "Competition Policy", and since October 2019 it has also been coordinating Working Group 14 of the NCEU for negotiation chapter 16 "Taxation".

SECO for the Competitiveness Sector

In 2011, the European Integration Office (EIO) launched a project that aims to strengthen the cooperation between the governmental and non-governmental sector and more actively involve civil society organizations in development aid planning, especially programming and monitoring of the use of Instruments for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA funds).

NALED is at the head of the consortium of non-government organizations i.e. SECO (Sectoral Civic Society Organizations) on the project, which will cooperate with EIO on defining national priorities and programming IPA funds in the sector of competitiveness. Together with its partners, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), the Institute for Territorial Economic Development (InTER) and the Center for Advanced Economic Studies (CEVES), NALED formed a network of 32 non-governmental organizations interested in the competitiveness sector, which includes small and medium-sized enterprises, research and development, ICT, tourism, business infrastructure, industry and trade.

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