The project "Partnership for Development: Improving the Role of Civil Society in Regional Policy Development in Serbia" supported balanced and sustainable regional development in Serbia within the accession process to the European Union. It was particularly aimed at the adoption and establishment of the principle of partnership between public authorities and stakeholders (Civil Society Organizations, Chamber of Commerce, regional development agency, academic community) at all levels of government in the design and implementation of regional development policy in Serbia. This project is based on the "Let's Talk About Negotiations" initiative, which aims to involve stakeholders in monitoring the process of accession negotiations with the EU.

In the framework of the project, a survey was conducted. The idea was to determine the main shortage of the legal and institutional framework in terms of adopting and implementing the principles of partnership in the regional development policy in Serbia and, accordingly, develop concrete recommendations for overcoming those problems and for harmonization with the EU standards and principles in this field.

Members of the project team had consultations with decision makers and other stakeholders from different regions of Serbia in order to include all opinions in the best possible way and thus to obtain valid findings.

Goals

The specific objectives of the project are:

• Introduction of the principle of partnership in the most important documents of  Serbia in the field of regional development;
• Improving the creation and implementation of regional development policy in Serbia in line with best practices and principles of the EU;
• Increasing the role of civil society organizations in the process of negotiations on Serbia's accession to the EU in Chapter 22;
• Initiating a debate on the future of multilevel governance in Serbia in the context of the European integration process.

Activities

The main part of the activities on this project was focused on researching the legal and institutional framework regarding the adoption and implementation of the principles of partnership in the regional development policy in Serbia. The research will result in a study of policy study. The second part was dedicated to advocating for concrete recommendations that were referred to decision and policy makers.
The project was implemented with the support of the European Fund for the Balkans, within the Think and Link 2015 program from January 13 to December 13, 2015.