The Government of Serbia adopted the Reform Agenda of the Republic of Serbia during its session held today, on 3 October. This document aims to accelerate all ongoing reforms, as outlined in the EU membership negotiations. Prepared in collaboration with 37 Serbian institutions and the European Commission, the agenda responds to the EU’s offer for accelerated membership preparations through the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
The Serbian Reform Agenda is a comprehensive strategic document detailing the steps and measures that Serbian institutions will take to advance the country’s numerous reforms on its path to EU membership. At the same time, it will enable Serbia to access funds from the European Growth Fund.
In four reform areas, 98 measures, i.e. steps, are foreseen which, when implemented, will be a condition for payment:
- Business environment and private sector development (26 steps for disbursement),
- Green and digital transition (39 steps for disbursement),
- Human capital (12 steps for disbursement),
- Fundamentals, i.e. measures in the rule of law area (21 steps for disbursement).
The next step involves the IPA Committee, which includes all EU member states, adopting the Reform Agenda. After that, the European Commission will issue an Implementation Decision. Additionally, by the end of the year, the Republic of Serbia must align and ratify in the National Assembly two financial instruments with the EU, which will be an integral part of the Growth Plan. This is a prerequisite for accessing the funds allocated to Serbia. According to the European Commission’s methodology, Serbia is expected to receive the first tranche of around EUR 112 million, from a total of EUR 1.58 billion available until the end of 2027, i.e. the next three years, if everything outlined in the Reform Agenda is achieved.
The Reform Agenda also specifically mentions general conditions, such as the rule of law, which is a primary requirement for any dialogue with the EU. Additionally, there is a specific prerequisite related to the constructive approach to Belgrade-Priština dialogue, where Belgrade is already consistently participating.
