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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia may compete for EU PROGRESS programme funds

Belgrade, 19 October 2007

Serbian Minister of Labour and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic said today that Serbia is now part of the EU’s PROGRESS programme for employment and social solidarity, and may for the first time compete for funds from this programme worth € 743 million.

Rasim Ljajic, left, and Vladimir Spidla

Author: Fonet

Ljajic told a press conference held jointly with EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Vladimir Spidla that by joining this programme Serbia has shown the readiness to be part of overall European integration.

For the first time Serbia will be able to participate in this programme and use funds worth €743 million for the period from 2007 to 2013. The funds are not meant for Serbia alone but for all EU countries, candidate countries and countries which are part of the PROGRESS programme.

According to Ljajic, experts, trade unions, NGOs, governmental and research institutions from Serbia may compete for these funds by presenting quality programmes in areas of employment and social solidarity.

He said that Serbia is ready and determined to strengthen and affirm social partnership and added that it is necessary to strengthen capacities of all groups involved in social dialogue.

Spidla, who opened today a conference on capacity building aimed at improving social dialogue in the West Balkan countries, stressed the importance of this social dialogue which is part of European legislation.

He stated that conditions should be created for a strong social dialogue, and added that he will take part in a ministerial conference which will be held in Montenegro during the upcoming week within the framework of cooperation in this area between countries of the region.

Serbian State Secretary at the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development Vladimir Ilic said that regarding employment priorities in the Serbian government’s policy for the upcoming year are concluding the privatisation process, continuation of structural reforms in economy and promotion of active measures for increasing employment.

He specified that priorities are also securing adequate transitional funds for severance payments to redundant employees, strengthening capacities of all institutions which are dealing with the problem of unemployment, creation of a good business climate for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as attracting foreign investments.

EU support is needed for achieving all these goals which we do have, and owing to this support we will also realise the key document – the national strategy for employment and the national action plan for employment for the period from 2006 to 2008, said Ilic.

The two day regional conference on capacity building aimed at improving social dialogue in countries of the West Balkans is being held in the organisation of the European Commission and gathered more than 100 representatives of state organs, trade unions and employees’ associations from the region.