CEEOL - Search Result

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COVID-19 tracing app in Serbia: How to pave the road with trust, transparency and inclusion

Author(s): Milena Lazarević,Dragana Bajić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Digital tools; Contact tracing; COVID-19; Serbia; Public health; Privacy; Data protection; User acceptance; EU data policies; Pro-European orientation;

Governments across the globe are increasingly using digital tools to accelerate the tracking of people infected with COVID-19 and their contacts as a key measure to prevent the pandemic’s spread. Among potential solutions, contact tracing mobile applications have emerged as the most used and discussed, and it is likely that many governments, including Serbia’s, will include them in national public health efforts. Nevertheless, issues of privacy and data protection, and low public trust and user acceptance can prevent these apps from being used, which is why Serbia’s government needs to ensure a good understanding and respect of citizens’ concerns before proceeding with the implementation of one. Given the comprehensive EU-level discussions towards finding the best possible common solution aligned with the Union’s robust personal data protection policies, little can go wrong if Serbia follows European approaches. This can also help rea rm the country’s pro-European orientation.

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What have we learned from the COVID-19 crisis in terms of Sino-Serbian relations? China’s influence in Serbia will grow as much as the EU allows it to

Author(s): Strahinja Subotić,Miloš Janjić / Language(s): English

Keywords: COVID-19 crisis; Sino-Serbian relations; China’s influence; Serbia; EU influence; Geopolitics; Foreign policy; Economic cooperation;

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Serbian and international expert community has become alarmed by Serbia’s overwhelming emphasis on China in its fight against the virus. Coupled with a statement proclaiming the end of European solidarity by the Serbian President as a result of the EU’s untimely assistance, recent developments in Sino-Serbian relations warrant attention - especially from the perspective of Serbia’s EU accession process. The concern is so great that some are worried that China might misuse the situation to continue expanding its political influence in Serbia, while weakening the EU’s regional position. Others also warn that the boost of public support for China will diminish the already-fragile support of Serbian citizens for the EU. The basis for these fears can be found in the fact that Serbia indeed already stands out from the rest of the Western Balkan countries in terms of its level of political and economic cooperation with this Asian giant.

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Human resources at the local level as the most important link for quality public services

Author(s): Katarina Tadić,Vladimir Mihajlović / Language(s): English

Keywords: Human resources; Local level; Public services; Quality service delivery; Capacity building; Local governance; Workforce development; Public administration;

Public administration reform in Serbia, having entered a new stage with the endorsement of the Public Administration Reform Strategy and its Action Plan for implementation, aims, inter alia, at establishing a harmonised and merit-based civil service system and at improving human resource management. With endorsement of the PAR Strategy, Serbia defined its strategic framework and direction of a broader public administration reform, which encompasses all levels of governance. The Strategy defines the principles of the reform process emphasising decentralisation, depolitic isation, professionalisation, rationalisation and modernisation of public administration.

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Policy Making and EU Accession Negotiations: Getting Results for Serbia

Author(s): Milena Mihajlović,Sena Marić,Amanda Orza / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU accession; Serbia; Policy making; Coordination practices; Negotiations; Horizontal governance; European Commission; Public administration reform; EU integration; Governance reforms;

One of the substantial questions of the EU accession process, which has so far been fairly neglected in Serbia, concerns the correlation between the national policy making and coordination practices and the EU accession negotiations (as well as negotiations in the EU institutions after membership is achieved). The rationale behind the focus on this topic lies in the fact that the timing of the opening of negotiations with Serbia coincides with an evident growing interest on the part of the European Commission in the policy making aspects of horizontal governance reforms in candidate countries.

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Implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment in Serbia in the EU Integration Context: Current State and Recommendations

Author(s): Nebojša Lazarević,Stefan Šipka,Miloš Đinđić,Dejan Maksimović / Language(s): English

Keywords: Environmental policy; Serbia; EU integration; Environmental impact assessment (EIA); Strategic environmental assessment (SEA); Public participation; Legislation harmonization; Institutional mechanisms; Decision-making; EU standards;

Serbia faces significant challenges in terms of environmental policy reform. These challenges are connected with the EU integration process, due to high EU environmental standards Serbia needs to comply with. One of the key environmental policy measures is the environmental assessment of projects (environmental impact assessment - EIA), as well as planning documents (strategic environmental assessment - SEA). Environmental assessment ensures that the competent authority will make more informed decisions. Thereby adverse environmental effects of projects and planning documents are prevented or reduced. Public participation is the crucial element in the procedure which ensures the flow of information from the civil society towards the competent authority and guarantees transparency and legitimacy of the decision-making process. Approximation of Serbia’s legislation and institutional solutions with the EU standards concerning EIA and SEA is contested both in Serbia and by the EU. In order to determine the exact state, comprehensive research was conducted concerning implementation of the EIA Directive and to a certain extent SEA Directive in Serbia, primarily at the local level. The research focus was on institutional mechanisms and public participation. Besides implementation, certain attention was given to harmonization of Serbia’s legislation with the EU law.

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Citizen-oriented Public Administration in Serbia - Reality or Wishful Thinking?

Author(s): Katarina Tadić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Citizen-oriented administration; Public administration; Serbia; Governance; Service delivery; Accountability; Public sector reform; Citizen engagement; Policy implementation; Administrative efficiency;

The current process of public administration reform in Serbia is conditioned by the process of European integration, and thus the reform process represents the harmonization of legislative framework and public administration functioning in Serbia with European principles and good practice. Accordingly, the emphasis is on developing citizen-oriented public administration, which has become a strategic direction of the Serbian Government. However, even though the latest report of the European Commission gives Serbia a predominantly positive assessment in the area of public administration reform (PAR),1 it also reveals its concrete deficiencies. In other words, public administration in Serbia faces numerous challenges and difficulties, some of which are reflected in the lack of capacity, but some also in the reluctance of the Government and the administration to adapt to new demands.

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From Russia with Love: Telegram as a Tool of Russian Propaganda in Serbia and Beyond

Author(s): Anna Khan / Language(s): English

Keywords: Russian influence; Western Balkans; Serbia; EU membership; Foreign policy; Geopolitics; Multi-vector diplomacy; Sanctions; EU integration; Serbia-Russia relations; Telegram;

In the last decade, the exploration of Russian interests in the Western Balkans (WB), particularly in Serbia, has surged in scholarly circles, rivalling the longstanding issue of Kosovo's status. The eruption of war in Ukraine has thrust the question of Russian influence in Serbia into sharper focus, presenting Serbia with an existential dilemma in its foreign policy trajectory. Amidst a geopolitical landscape evoking echoes of a new Cold War, the urgency of Serbia's decision-making has intensified. On one hand, as a candidate for European Union (EU) membership, Serbia faces pressure to align with EU political interests. On the other hand, historical ties and ongoing cooperation with Russia present a complex dynamic that challenges the stated commitment to European integration. As a result, despite Western discontent, Serbia has steadfastly pursued its multi-vector foreign policy for the past two years. This approach involves maintaining active partnerships not only with the EU and the United States (US) but also with China and Russia. Notably, Serbia stands out as the sole European nation to have avoided the imposition of sanctions against Russia, sustaining robust business and political ties with Moscow amidst international tensions.

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Circular and return migrations: Experiences of Estonia, Bulgaria and Ireland - A comparative analysis

Author(s): Jelena Žarković Rakić,Ana Milinković / Language(s): English

Keywords: Migration strategy; Brain drain; Economic Migration Strategy (2021-2027); Talent retention; Return of highly educated individuals; Public pressure; Population outflow; Serbia;

The issue of migration in Serbia has been approached fatalistically in the last few years, by often presenting information that is not completely accurate in order to create the image that especially the most talented are leaving Serbia. The reality is different: the educational structure of people leaving the country is similar to the level of education of the resident population (Arandarenko, 2022). Nevertheless, the pressure coming from the public was transferred to the decision-makers, which motivated the adoption of the first migration strategy in 2019, which focused almost entirely on ways to prevent population outflow. A little later adopted Economic Migration Strategy of the Republic of Serbia for the period 2021-2027 softened the tone of the first version of the document, but the measures adopted due to concerns about the so-called “brain drain” phenomenon sought to encourage the return of highly educated individuals to Serbia.

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European Youth: Addressing digital challenges

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: European youth; Digital challenges; Digital literacy; Cybersecurity; Online education; Youth engagement; Digital inclusion; Technology policy;

Following global trends, social media has become an instrumental part of daily life for most Albanians. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a primary means for social communication and receiving information on current affairs. Moreover, since the outbreak of the pandemic, social media has cemented its position as an irreplaceable aspect of people’s personal and professional lives. While it is wonderful that the internet allows education, business, and daily life to continue, there are some challenges to such dependency on social media. For example, disinformation spreads six times faster through social media channels than actual news, and social media platforms create opportunities for unsupervised communication, which can lead to harassment, abuse, and blackmail.

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Consumer protection in Serbia: What are some possible directions for progress? A public policy discussion document with options for possible solutions

Author(s): Dušan Protić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Consumer protection; Serbia; Public policy; Legal framework; Consumer rights; Market regulation; Policy solutions; Consumer advocacy;

Consumer protection in Serbia is an area of public policy that has been established and is legally shaped under the auspices of the European integration process. The 2010 Consumer Protection Act (“2010 Consumer Act”) introduced consumer protection rules into our legislation based, for the first time, on EU law as part of the legal harmonisation process with the acquis communautaire, as well as previously assumed obligations under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA). Consumer protection policy in Serbia is therefore a reflection of the standards and practices of the EU legal framework. Bearing in mind these conditions and the reasons for the legislative initiative, it is not surprising that the 2010 Consumer Protection Act was focused on the issue of legal harmonisation: a great effort was made with this legislation to implement almost all relevant EU consumer law into the legal order of Serbia with a single law. This approach has crucially influenced the further course of development, in terms of systemic regulation, of the legal framework of consumer protection in Serbia, as it defined and likely irreversibly constituted the practice of codification of consumer law, as opposed to the sectoral approach, the ability to incorporate relevant consumer acquis by sectoral acts.

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Serbia at the Crossroads Between the West and the East

Author(s): Strahinja Subotić,Miloš Janjić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Serbia; European integration; Foreign policy; East-West balance; Geopolitics; Global actors; EU accession;

For the last two decades, Serbia has been engaged in the European integration process with the ultimate goal of becoming a full-fledged member of the EU. Yet, what has complicated Serbia’s path and made its stand out from the rest of the region is the fact that a part of its territory declared independence from it in 2008, representing an issue which essentially hijacked Serbia’s foreign policy and defined its relationships with global and regional actors. For this reason, Serbia’s willingness to attempt to balance between the East and the West is a phenomenon that has accompanied its path towards the EU. What has drawn concern is that this phenomenon has become more prevalent in recent years, particularly as the number of foreign actors with whom Serbia has intensified relations has increased, while its international relations at the global scale have become more complicated.

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National PAR Monitor Serbia 2017/2018

Author(s): Miloš Đinđić,Dragana Bajić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Public Administration Reform (PAR); Serbia; Monitoring; Governance; Accountability; Transparency; Public services; EU integration;

For over 15 years, the Western Balkan (WB) countries have undergone democratisation and transition processes, embarking onto deep structural, economic and social reforms to modernise their societies and improve the lives of their citizens. The reform processes are reinvigorated by the aspiration of these countries to become members of the European Union, and they are framed to a large extent by the EU integration process. Good governance lies at the heart of the European integration project, while a public administration that supports good governance needs to be professional, reliable and predictable, open and transparent, efficient and effective, and accountable to its citizens.

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Spanish Presidency of the Council: Making the “Golden Presidency” Count

Author(s): Đorđe Dimitrov / Language(s): English

Keywords: Spain EU presidency 2023; European Union challenges; war in Ukraine; economic crisis; climate change; EU institutional cycle; Spain EU leadership; European Parliament elections 2024;

In July 2023, Spain will assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union, being the first in the new trio together with Belgium and Hungary. This will be Spain’s second presidency since the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty and fifth overall. However, it remains unknown who will be leading Madrid, as the snap general elections are scheduled for 23 July, thus causing fears that a long government formation could draw Madrid’s attention away from Brussels. This will be yet another challenging presidency, with the war in Ukraine still looming at large, an ongoing economic crisis with high inflation, unprecedently high interest rates and competition with China, as well as the need to combat climate change. Adding to the weight of responsibility, Spain will hold the so-called “golden presidency”, meaning that this will be the last presidency in which the incumbent institutional cycle will work in full capacity before the European Parliament elections in June 2024. Thus, Spain will have the responsibility to make progress and finalise many pending dossiers before the work of the EU institutions pauses for almost a year. Having in mind the presidency’s motto, “Europe-closer”, the aim of this insight is to analyse how Spain will navigate Europe in the next six months.

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Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU

Author(s): Đorđe Dimitrov / Language(s): English

Keywords: Sweden EU presidency 2023; Ukraine war; economic turmoil; inflation; green transition; EU enlargement; Western Balkans; EU security agenda; crisis management;

On 1 January 2023, Sweden will assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union, as the last in the line of the current presidency trio. This will be Sweden’s first EU presidency since the Lisbon Treaty came into force and third overall. The Presidency takes place in time of severe turbulence caused by the prolonged war in Ukraine and economic turmoil characterised by record-high inflation and looming recession. Thus, there is no doubt that Sweden will continue the crisis management work of France and the Czech Republic. The presidency’s slogan ‘Greener, Safer and More Free Europe’ indicates that security and green transition will dominate the Presidency’s agenda. In addition, although the enlargement policy has been widened and now includes Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, it is unlikely that the Western Balkans will strongly feature on Sweden’s agenda. The aim of this insight is to examine how Sweden will manoeuvre through Europe in the midst of an increasingly complex context.

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Political Priorities of Serbia in 2024: Between Trans-Atlantic, Sino-American, and EU-China Relations

Author(s): Đorđe Dimitrov / Language(s): English

Keywords: Serbia 2024 political priorities; Trans-Atlantic relations; Sino-American relations; EU-China relations; foreign policy challenges; Serbia-EU relations; geopolitical strategy; Serbia-China cooperation;

In the face of looming global challenges, Serbia finds itself navigating a complex and uncertain landscape. The ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, coupled with heightened tensions in the Western Balkans region, have placed the country in a precarious position. The past year has been particularly turbulent for Serbia, marked by widespread anti-government protests and snap elections in December 2023, which were characterised by allegations of electoral fraud, both on national and local levels. On a foreign policy level, developments such as the United Nations Srebrenica resolution and developments regarding Kosovo’s Council of Europe membership application have further inflamed public discourse and increased political tensions in Serbia. Meanwhile, exactly a decade since the start of the accession talks, Serbia’s journey toward the EU shows no encouraging signs of the necessary change.

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EU enlargement to the Western Balkans in the light of the war in Ukraine

Author(s): Sava Mitrović / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU enlargement; Western Balkans; war in Ukraine; EU integration; geopolitical shift; Serbia; enlargement policy; European Union; regional stability;

The outbreak of the war in Ukraine has dramatically changed the geopolitical map of Europe. With aggression against the sovereign and independent European state, Russia has drawn a line and isolated itself from peaceful and free Europe. Former Soviet republics such as Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia rushed into the embrace of the European Union (EU), unwilling to remain behind Russia’s newly erected iron curtain. In the meantime, Western Balkan (WB) countries are continuing the European integration process, which is most clearly reflected in opening ac- cession talks with Albania and (conditionally) North Macedonia, as well as in granting candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Simultaneously, changed geopolitical circumstances brought their alignment with the EU Foreign and Security Policy to the top of the agenda. In such a context, tracking where the WB countries stand on their path to the EU gains further importance.

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EU Trio Presidency Rewind: From Germany, over Portugal, to Slovenia

Author(s): Miloš Pavković,Strahinja Subotić / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU Trio Presidency; Germany; Portugal; Slovenia; European Union; presidency rotation; EU governance; EU cooperation;

The complex system of governance of the European Union often blurs the distinction between where decisions are made and who is responsible for them. One of the major institutions that steer the direction of EU policies is the Council of the EU which is run by member states based on a model of rotation. In order to ensure continuity in the Council’s decision-making process, the notion of the Trio Presidency was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty in 2007, which defines it as “pre-established groups of three Member States for a period of 18 months taking into account their diversity and geographical balance within the Union”. The Trio sets long-term goals and prepares a common agenda with the major issues that will be addressed by the Council over an 18-month period. In order to better grasp the recent key developments in the Union, the work of the Council in the last year and a half is the focus of this CEP Presents (July 2020 – December 2021).

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Unpacking the 2021 Enlargement Package

Author(s): Strahinja Subotić,Miloš Pavković / Language(s): English

Keywords: 2021 Enlargement Package; EU enlargement; Western Balkans; accession process; European Union; candidate countries; EU reforms; enlargement policy; European integration;

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there were moderate expectations in 2021 in terms of the Western Balkans’ recovery and progression into the EU. Recognising that the pandemic created new challenges in the region all the while exacerbating the existing ones, European Policy Centre (CEP) organised an online discussion in order to unpack the 2021 Enlargement Package. The event was organised alongside the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) of the European Commission, and the Think for Europe Network (TEN) which gathers think tank representatives from all Western Balkan countries. In the first part, the acting Director-General, Maciej Popowski, presented the Package and emphasised the key results, while in the second, TEN members presented their views, comments, recommendations, and questions from the standpoint of their country. The aim of these discussions was to present to the public the key findings of the Commission’s annual reports, all the while highlighting to what extent these converge with the regional think tanks’ assessment of the situation on the ground.

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#ThinkTanksMatter2020

Author(s): Strahinja Subotić / Language(s): English

Keywords: Europe; policy; think tanks; significance; Serbia; Western Balkans;

On 30 January 2020, the European Policy Centre – CEP hosted “The Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice in the Context of Democratic Crises” conference. This two-panel event took place on the occasion of the launch of the “2019 Go To Think Tank Index Report”, published as a programme of the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. For the third year in a row, CEP organised the presentation of this report in Belgrade, using this opportunity to proudly share results with panellists and guests. In this report, CEP was ranked as the best think tank in the Western Balkans for the second year in a row, as well as among the top ten organisations from Central and Eastern Europe. The Think for Europe Network (TEN), whose work is coordinated by CEP, made it to the list of the world's best think tank networks (in the 35th position), also for the second consecutive year.

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Time of Crisis, Time for Think Tanks

Author(s): Strahinja Subotić / Language(s): English

Keywords: COVID-19; policy; health; security; think tanks; crisis; Balkans;

The COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world unprepared, think tanks included. Besides producing evidence-based analyses of the current events, think tanks utilize their expertise and experience to foresee potential challenges that lie ahead. Yet, this crisis has proven that even think tanks, a beacon of forward-looking thinking, have failed to anticipate the outbreak of the pandemic, as well as the immediate magnitude of its consequences. Such observation, which brings to light the existing deficiencies of think tanks, should be viewed in the light of self-evaluation, with the greater purpose to usher the path for their further improvement and evolution. Self-awareness and self-improvement of this kind become all the more important considering that the democratic norms continue to erode under the pressure of political, economic, and social impact of the pandemic.

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Publisher: Centar za evropske politike CEP

COVID-19 tracing app in Serbia: How to pave the road with trust, transparency and inclusion

What have we learned from the COVID-19 crisis in terms of Sino-Serbian relations? China’s influence in Serbia will grow as much as the EU allows it to

Human resources at the local level as the most important link for quality public services

Policy Making and EU Accession Negotiations: Getting Results for Serbia

Implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment in Serbia in the EU Integration Context: Current State and Recommendations

Citizen-oriented Public Administration in Serbia - Reality or Wishful Thinking?

From Russia with Love: Telegram as a Tool of Russian Propaganda in Serbia and Beyond

Circular and return migrations: Experiences of Estonia, Bulgaria and Ireland - A comparative analysis

European Youth: Addressing digital challenges

Consumer protection in Serbia: What are some possible directions for progress? A public policy discussion document with options for possible solutions

Serbia at the Crossroads Between the West and the East

National PAR Monitor Serbia 2017/2018

Spanish Presidency of the Council: Making the “Golden Presidency” Count

Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU

Political Priorities of Serbia in 2024: Between Trans-Atlantic, Sino-American, and EU-China Relations

EU enlargement to the Western Balkans in the light of the war in Ukraine

EU Trio Presidency Rewind: From Germany, over Portugal, to Slovenia

Unpacking the 2021 Enlargement Package

#ThinkTanksMatter2020

Time of Crisis, Time for Think Tanks