Operating grant – CEP’s Annual Work Programme 2023, in the framework of CEP’s Strategic plan for Good Governance

Good Governance, and particularly Public Administration Reform (PAR), has been set as one of European Policy Centre’s (CEP) priority programme areas from the onset of its existence in 2011. This has been the most developed CEP’s programme area and most of CEP’s projects have targeted PAR. Due to its proven expertise, CEP has been recognized as the leader for this topic in civil society (CS) in Serbia. The importance of Good Governance and PAR for EU integration process was confirmed in the EC Enlargement Strategy for 2014/2015 as one of the three pillars of fundamental reforms early in the enlargement process, and the publishing of “The Principles of Public Administration” by the SIGMA programme of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (SIGMA/OECD), which additionally boosted the motivation of CEP to pursue PAR as a priority area. CEP’s strategic focus on PAR was reaffirmed in 2020, with EC’s new enlargement methodology. Similarly, economic governance topics were also in CEP’s portfolio as of its establishment. Importance of sound economic policy is stressed by EC Enlargement Strategy which invites all candidate countries to prepare Economic Reform Programme (ERP), a guiding document on economic governance, which prepares candidates for participation in the European Semester. Considering the ERP significance and the process of structural reforms selection, CEP was one of the leaders in advocating for stronger involvement of CS into its preparation and monitoring.

Against this background, and taking into account CEP’s organisational strategy 2021-2030, CEP’s
Strategic plan for Good Governance sets out as its overall goal to further strengthen involvement of civil society in implementation and monitoring of and advocacy for good governance policies in the area of PAR and economic governance, in line with EU policies. This overall objective is supported by two specific objectives (SOs): 1. To support civil society’s analyses, implementation and monitoring of policies aimed at enhancing PAR and economic governance in Serbia; and 2. To foster civil society’s engagement and evidence-based advocacy among the key stakeholders for PAR and economic governance in Serbia. This will accordingly further boost CS capacities to provide evidence-based policy inputs and recommendations and participate in policy dialogue with authorities at national and local level.

CEP’s Annual Work Programme for 2023 (operating grant), in the framework of CEP’s Strategic plan for Good Governance, is funded by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, within the Civil Society Facility Programme 2021 – 2023.

Publications published within the Operating grant:

Public consultations VS Consultations (SRB)

Portal eConsultations: New instrument, Unused Opportunities (SRB)

Economic Reform Programme (ERP) 2024 – 2026: Old reforms in a new vesture (SRB)

Events held within the Operating grant:

Consultations of Public Administration and Civil Society on Proposals for Structural Reforms for the new ERP cycle 2024-26 (SRB)

Discussion on Transparency and Inclusiveness of Policy and Regulation Creation and WeBER 3.0 National Working Group meeting (SRB)