Članak Serbia and the European Union: Geopolitics and EU Values – in Tension or in Tandem? se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Članak What does the Western Balkans cost me? se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

1. Ana Milinković, Mapping Platform Work in Serbia: Background Paper, (Europeum, 2025), https://cep.org.rs/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SERBIA.pdf.

Članak Obstacles and Opportunities for Implementing the Platform Work Directive: Focus on Work Classification and the Presumption of Employment in Serbia se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Read the recently published background paper on platform work. This background paper, produced by within the project “The platform revolution: shaping the future of work in the EU and Western Balkans” provides an in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of platform work in Serbia. It explores the rapid growth of digital labor platforms, mapping the types, prevalence, and demographic characteristics of platform workers across the country.

All the background papers created as part of the Platform Revolution project can be accessed here.

Članak Mapping platform work in Serbia se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

The Republic of Serbia was selected as the primary case study due to its size, significance, and the potential impact of its labor mobility on the EU. Additionally, a comparative approach by examining Montenegro, the closest to EU membership, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, known for its high labor mobility, was taken. By conducting research efforts, in-depth, context-specific data was collected through interviews with key stakeholders in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

Supported in part by a grant from Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation (OSIS) with the support of Open Society Foundations (OSFs). Responsibility for the contents and views expressed in this publication therein lies entirely with the European Policy Centre – CEP and the Clingendael and in no way can be construed as reflecting the official position of OSIS, OSFs or any affiliated entities.

Članak Labour Migration and EU Enlargement: Reconciling Dutch and Western Balkan Priorities se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

The New Growth Plan (NGP) for the Western Balkans marks a significant departure from the existing Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). While the latter lacks reform-related conditionalities, the NGP’s funding will hinge upon the successful implementation of fundamental and socioeconomic reforms. By gradually providing increased financial benefits ahead of accession (amounting to roughly €6 billion, comprising €2 billion in grants and €4 billion in favourable loans), the initiative seeks to unlock the political will for reforms to take place and to facilitate socioeconomic convergence.

According to the European Commission, the region’s convergence stands at approximately 35% of the EU average. Given the magnitude of this disparity, the pertinent question arises: Will the NGP prove sufficient to address the pressing socioeconomic gap and contribute to catching up with the EU average?

Answering this question entails examining multiple facets. Thus, this analysis first identifies key socioeconomic trends and gaps to be addressed and then tests the two claims made by the Commission regarding the effects of the NGP. The first claim is that the financial assistance through NGP and IPA III combined will provide the WB with “roughly the same aid intensity per inhabitant as cohesion policy does on average in the EU.” The second claim is that the NGP “has the potential to double the size of the WB economies within the next 10 years.”

Based on the analysed socioeconomic indicators and the evaluation of the Commission’s claims, the analysis concludes that the NGP can serve as a solid foundation for stimulating economic growth and expediting EU integration. However, its effect on reducing the socioeconomic gap will remain limited.

Članak The Great Gap se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Additionally, it scrutinises the controversial aspects of EXPO 2027, such as the use of a special law, financial implications, and the future of iconic structures like Hall 1 (Hala 1) within the Belgrade Fair complex. By examining these complexities and potential issues, the paper seeks to shed light on the intricate dynamics of hosting an EXPO exhibition, offering recommendations for an approach that maximises the benefits while addressing the challenges, ultimately contributing to the balanced development of Serbia and its strategic positioning in the Western Balkans and the EU integration process.

This brief was originally produced for CeSPI ETS (Center for International Policy Studies) from Italy. The original brief in English can be found at this link.

Članak Belgrade’s EXPO 2027 shining light and shadows se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Circular migration represents an innovative response to the challenges of demographic decline and population outflow in Serbia. This migration model allows the country to harness the benefits of migration, transfer knowledge and capital from abroad, thus contributing to its economic development.

However, circular migrants face specific challenges due to frequent changes in their place of residence, requiring tailored services and support. Managing circular migration requires careful consideration to meet their needs and create favourable conditions for their return with new skills and experiences, thus strengthening Serbia’s competitive advantages in the global market. Based on these assumptions, this policy brief provides recommendations for enhancing support for circular migrants, thereby contributing to Serbia’s economic and social development. The brief analyses the significance and effectiveness of two key platforms – the eGovernment portal and the Returning Point – in supporting circular migrants and returnees to Serbia. Through a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis, challenges and potential solutions related to the use of these portals are explored. Additionally, user satisfaction is considered, their specific needs are examined, and potential improvements are proposed

Članak Circular Migration: Does Serbia Have a Solution? se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Public procurement, as a process through which government agencies acquire goods and services from external sources, represents one of the essential areas in Serbia’s EU accession process, covered by Chapter 5. The importance of this chapter was heightened in 2020 with the introduction of the Revised Enlargement Methodology.

The inclusion of public procurement as an integral component of the Fundamentals cluster was a pivotal development, aligning it with other indispensable domains such as the rule of law, democratic institutions, public administration reforms, economic criteria, and more. Upon entering the EU, Serbian companies will gain the valuable right to participate in every public procurement opportunity across the EU alongside businesses from member states. Therefore, Serbia’s entire public procurement system, post-accession, must be carefully designed as a level-playing field, ensuring equal opportunities for all potential bidders from across the EU.

This proactive preparation will not only facilitate the EU accession process but also equip Serbian companies to access the significantly larger public procurement market within the EU. Additionally, public procurement holds a central position in managing EU Structural Funds because each country independently conducts procurements through these funds. This strategic approach plays a pivotal role in fostering economic growth and enhancing competitiveness during and after the accession process. European Commission, 2020, Enhancing the accession process – A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans September 2023.

Although the EU’s endeavour aimed to underscore the paramount importance of fulfilling the public procurement benchmarks, it failed to incite substantive changes on the ground. Numerous challenges persist and continue to exert adverse effects on the functioning of the state. The vulnerability of public procurement in Serbia to irregularities stems from several key issues. A limited number of bidders and a substantial proportion of single- bid procurements indicate restricted competition, resulting in higher prices and diminished value for money. Furthermore, prioritising price criteria over striking a balance between price and quality considerations can undermine the overall quality and effectiveness of the acquired goods and services. Another critical concern is the excessive reliance on exemptions, which can potentially lead to reduced competition and transparency. These problems underscore the urgency of addressing challenges within the public procurement system. Ensuring transparency and integrity of public procurement is vital to preclude any misuse or mismanagement of public funds and, in turn, deliver high-quality services that genuinely serve the needs of citizens.

This is particularly important as a well-functioning public procurement system can be a driving force behind an efficient public sector, building trust, and upholding the principles of accountability and fairness. By analysing the lack of competition and excessive use of exemptions within Serbia’s public procurement system, this paper seeks to shed light on critical areas for improvement and pave the way for crucial reforms that will enhance the efficiency and integrity of the public procurement processes in Serbia, benefitting both the government and its citizens alike.

Članak Unveiling Challenges in Serbian Public Procurement se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

This paper examines the impact of the Staged Accession model on the EU’s budget, with a focus on the Western Balkan (WB) countries. It reveals that the total cost of enlargement to the Western Balkans would amount to €35 billion over a single Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) or €5 billion annually. Although this would represent a 7.5-fold increase in expenditures on the EU’s side compared to IPA III, the annual burden on the member states’ GNI would amount to only 0.014% and 0.026%, or, depending on the member state, between €1.6 and €10.8 per capita.

The burden of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans would be even lower in practice if mandatory contributions of new member states are taken into account. After subtracting the full contributions of the WB6, the post-accession costs would amount to around €26 bn, or €3.76 bn on an annual level. Put into the perspective of the €1.8 trillion of combined funds of the MFF and the Next Generation EU, these amounts appear relatively negligible. The gradual accession process also softens the budget impact, as the countries are unlikely to progress from one stage to another or join the EU all at once, allowing the EU more time to prepare its budget for the newcomers. In that context, the original logic of the Staged accession model of gradual financial assistance and incentives is both needed and feasible.

To ensure effective operationalisation, the Template’s original funding progression was adjusted as it did not account for the dynamics of introducing compulsory contributions to the EU budget. The paper, therefore, cross-analyses three different financial variants for distributing funds and determining contributions from the Western Balkan countries at each stage of the accession process. The original Template suggested candidates receive 50% of conventional membership funding in Stage 1, followed by 75% in Stage 2, ending with 100% in Stage 3 when membership is achieved. The revised scheme stipulates that candidates would be able to receive up to 40% of conventional membership funding in Stage 1, followed by funds up to 60% in Stage 2, with standard full funding upon acquiring membership. Considering this adjustment, the paper suggests that the simplest, most straightforward option in terms of implementation would be to pursue Variant A, which prescribes full contributions to the EU budget upon acquiring the membership, as has always been the case.

The more advanced one, and most advantageous for candidates, would be Variant B, which stipulates a gradual increase of required contributions even after attaining membership, leading to full contributions in Stage 4. It effectively balances the urgency of boosting reforms and economic convergence with the need to compensate the candidates for the Stage 3 limitations.

Finally, introducing gradual contributions already during the pre-accession stages, as per Variant C, would be the least favourable one from the Western Balkans’ perspective but could nevertheless be a compromise to convince enlargement sceptics to support the rationale behind the Staged Accession model. Opting in favour of any of these variants would represent a breakthrough in how the EU prioritises enlargement.

Članak On financial and economic implications of the Staged accession model on the EU budget, and on acceding countries’ budgets se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

This report presents the results of the latest WeBER public perception survey, implemented in the entire Western Balkan region in May 2022. Additionally, the report draws main comparisons with the same survey implemented in 2020, shortly after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, and informs about the main changes in public perceptions regarding administrative service provision in the last two years.

Članak Citizens still steadily in favour of government service provision practices: Third public perception survey in the Western Balkans se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

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.

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.

A number of measures with generous tax incentives aimed at attracting highly qualified individuals were adopted even before the adoption of the Strategy. Concern about the “brain drain” also motivated the proposal to exempt qualified individuals from paying the annual income tax, which is normally paid by an insignificant number of 1% of the Serbian population.

Research that was recently published suggests that individuals with lower education leave Serbia more than highly qualified ones, and that the story of the „brain drain“ is exaggerated. In the example of the countries of the Western Balkans, which Leitner (2021) observed in the period 2010-2019, showed that all countries recorded net emigration – the number of emigrants was greater than the number of immigrants. However, there are differences in results based on people’s age and level of education. Her results show that evidence of a “brain drain” exists only for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo*. On the other hand, there is no outflow in Serbia, but an influx of those with higher education, that is, more of them come to Serbia than leave it. The key drivers of this trend are students, who return to the country after completing their tertiary education abroad. Serbia attracts a significant number of foreign students, of which a large share is from the region, mostly Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the level of education, net emigration exists only among those with secondary education and it is most pronounced among individuals with a diploma of secondary medical school.

Arandarenko (2022) explains the reasons for these flows by the tax and social system in Serbia which, for the last twenty years, has been mainly discriminatory against low-skilled and medium-skilled labor, poor workers, large families, people in rural areas and other vulnerable and underprivileged groups.

In the following, we analyze migration flows in three EU member states: Estonia, Bulgaria and Ireland. The reasons for choosing these three countries, whose experiences in attracting returnees we want to examine, stem from the idea of focusing on countries that are closer to Serbia in terms of income, so it was natural to look for candidates among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. We wanted a country that is similar to Serbia in terms of socio-economic indicators, and that is why the choice fell on Bulgaria, and Estonia was chosen because it is marked as a successful in several areas – digitization of public administration, which could introduce us to some useful solutions in attracting returnees, but also the enviable economic recovery after the 2008 crisis. We chose Ireland because it is a traditionally emigrant country, and we wanted to see if the reasons for return and the state’s measures to attract returnees differ in the case of richer and more developed countries.

Within each country, we discuss migration trends with reference to the last few decades. Next, we consider the current institutional structure that deals with migratory movements, as well as measures to support returnees.

Članak Circular and return migrations: experiences of Estonia, Bulgaria and Ireland se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.