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Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, Serbia. INTRODUCING EU STANDARDS AT LOCAL LEVEL IN SERBIA. GENERAL OVERVIEW. April 2005 – positive opinion on Feasibility study July 2003: Action plan for Approximation of Draft Laws with EU regulations
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Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, Serbia INTRODUCING EU STANDARDS AT LOCAL LEVEL IN SERBIA
GENERAL OVERVIEW • April 2005 – positive opinion on Feasibility study • July 2003: Action plan for Approximation of Draft Laws with EU regulations • April 2004: Action Plan for Meeting the Priorities of the European Partnership • October 2004: Resolution on EU Accession adopted by the Serbian Parliament
Obstacles for LGs development • Inexistence of municipal property • Slow progress in fiscal decentralization • Insufficient capacities of local governments • Inexperience in accessing EU funds
Progress made in 2000-2005 • Donor support: municipal support programmes • 2002 Law on Local Self government mostly based on European Charter of Local Self-government • Strategy for Public Administration Reform - National Work Programme for Better Local Government (CoE, Ministry of PA&LG, SCTM, EAR, UNDP) - National Training Strategy
Current state • Modernization of municipal services, beginning of professionalisation of municipal public servants, local • economic development, environmental protection, … • Big differences between municipalities, thanks to inadequate financial system in the country • Example of municipality of Novi Beograd • Lack of communication and cooperation with central government
Activities of the Standing Conference • initiatives towards central government, (among other, based on translated CEMR and CLRAE documents) • support in capacity building through various donor-funded projects • developed international cooperation: CEMR, CLRAE, NALAS, LOGON EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCE WITH COLLEAGUES FROM EUROPE
Activities of central government • Development of national strategies in line with EU regulations • Harmonization of national laws with EU legislation (Serbian European Integration Office) • Work of European Integration Board in Serbian Parliament
New EU-funded programmes in Serbia • New Neighborhood Programme - cross-border cooperation - Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Adriatic coast • EXCHANGE programme - exposure of Serbian municipalities to EU practices - SCTM and VNG, financed by EAR
NEXT STEPS • Continuation of familiarizing with EU procedures • Learning how to access EU funds • Using the experience of EU and particularly new EU countries • Regional and cross-border cooperation