NALED meets the new European Commission representative for Serbia, better business conditions and rule of law the key for further integration
NALED representatives today met and discussed the business environment reforms with Michael Miller, the new Head of Montenegro and Serbia Unit in the Directorate General for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission.
- The key topic of the meeting was the status of business environment reforms and the priorities as seen by businesses and local governments presented in the 14th edition of the Grey Book. They discussed a systematic approach to regulating property relations and removing obstacles to real estate handling, improving the tax system, which includes fiscal relief of wages and regulation of parafiscal charges, which are also indicated as a strong burden on the economy and a barrier to business predictability in Serbia's EU accession progress report - says NALED Executive Director Violeta Jovanović.
The meeting also paid special attention to cooperation in the Western Balkans region and NALED's Business Friendly Environment (BFE) platform, which connects the region's economies and supports the implementation of reforms that contribute to greater competitiveness in Southeast Europe.
- Another focus topic was the significance of the rule of law for improving business conditions, and NALED representatives stressed the importance of ensuring transparency and efficiency through further digitalization of the judiciary, including judicial professions such as notaries and enforcers. The importance of further work in the field of renewable energy sources and support for the development of innovations and digital economy was also discussed - adds Jovanović.
Michael Miller explained that currently all the attention of the EU and its member states is focused on Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, who are facing terrible aggression launched by Russia, unprovoked. This is most serious violation of international law and the key principles international coexistence is based upon. Europe is reacting so strongly and unitedly, so as to contribute to return of peace. Michael Miller also expressed readiness to continue the intensive cooperation between the EU Delegation and NALED on establishing the rule of law and implementing reforms in the process of European integration.
The European Commission representatives were also interested in the efficiency and results of instruments such as the National Convention and the Economic Reform Program (ERP) and expressed readiness to work with NALED to improve the framework for public-private dialogue and civil society participation in speeding up reforms for faster EU accession.
In Grey Book 14, NALED marked 22 recommendations for improving the administrative procedures with an EU badge, pointing out to the relevant institutions that resolving them would significantly speed up the aligning with the European standards and help the integration process. These recommendations include proposals in the field of labor, such as the regulation of new forms of work, work for a foreign employer, and the extension of the simplified procedure for registering seasonal and occasional workers.
Another significant part of recommendations refers to environment protection - establishing a green fund, improving wastewater management, non-hazardous waste and chemicals, introducing "green" public procurement, as well as other important areas such as social public procurement, introduction of eAgrar system, simplification of food donation. etc.
