Authors: Belgrade Open School (Serbia), Access Info Europe (Spain), Gong (Croatia), Institute Alternative (Montenegro), PiNA (Slovenia)

Published: 2020

Authors: Belgrade Open School (Serbia), Access Info Europe (Spain), Gong (Croatia), Institute Alternative (Montenegro), PiNA (Slovenia)

Published: 2019

Citizen participation is one of the key elements in the establishment and development of modern society and its political, economic and social systems representing the interests of all citizens, social groups and society as a whole. A society with this kind of system should enable the rule of law, together with high living standards for all citizens no matter what their national, religious, gender or political identification, or economic status.

This publication provides an overview of 50 key citizens’ questions about important political, economic and social processes which should be highly positioned on the national and the EU agenda, together with the answers of targeted decision-makers.

The publication was prepred within the Project „YOU4EU – Citizen Participation 2.0“ which lasts from September 2018 until February 2020 with the support of the European Union within the Europe for Citizens Programme.

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Briefings prepared by the EU3doms project

Published 2017

In this brief booklet we would like to introduce what European citizenship and the four freedoms mean to us; how they evolved throughout the integration; what kind of challenges they have to face today. We pay special attention to the topics that can have relevance for the cities involved in EU3doms. Labour shortage, border controls, attracting FDI can be also discussed with a European perspective, profiting from the freedoms. We included some interesting numbers about trends in trade or tourism, students in tertiary education, and those who work abroad. Results of an online questionnaire about EU freedoms will be also shown.

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Author: Danijela Božović

Published 2017

Although it exists, the institute of public debate in Serbia does not apply to a large extent. A very small number of laws, subordinate legislation, and development strategies are the subject of a public discussion. In fact, one of the most direct ways of citizen participation in the drafting of public policies, and therefore the adoption of laws that are the subject of accession negotiations with the European Union, are public discussions. In the accession negotiations with the European Union when the whole society changes, this is even more evident. How are the public debates conducted in relation to the Government of the Republic of Serbia, which was established in August 2016? Is there a positive shift in relation to previous year's practice in the first six months of the work of the Government? The report in front of you answers these questions in detail. The report is a part of the research on the same topic and it was created as a part of the project "Res Publica: Laws are a public matter".

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Author: Centre for European Integration of the Belgrade Open School

Published in 2014

As the first step in considering the problems of implementing partnerships in the regional development policy in Serbia, the overview before you provides a short presentation, appealing to citizens and interested parties, about the state of the regional development policy in Serbia. The overview is part of the ‘’Partnership for development: Improving the role of civil society in regional policy development in Republic of Serbia” project. 

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Authors: Danijela Božović and Vanja Dolapčev

Published 2016

Although it exists, the institute of public debate in Serbia does not apply to a large extent. A very small number of laws, subordinate legislation, and development strategies are the subject of a public discussion. In fact, one of the most direct ways of citizen participation in the drafting of public policies, and therefore the adoption of laws that are the subject of accession negotiations with the European Union, are public discussions. In the accession negotiations with the European Union when the whole society changes, this is even more evident. How are the public debates conducted in relation to the Government of the Republic of Serbia, which was established in August 2016? Is there a positive shift in relation to previous year's practice in the first six months of the work of the Government? The report in front of you answers these questions in detail. The report is a part of the research on the same topic and it was created as a part of the project "Res Publica: Laws are a public matter".

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Authors: Vanja Dolapčev, Danijela Božović and Tamara Branković

Published 2017

Accession negotiations with the European Union is a process which greatly changes the whole society. Since the government is leading the negotiations, it should provide its citizens a new environment that will go in their favor. One of the most direct ways of citizens participation in the drafting of public policies, and therefore the adoption of laws that are the subject of negotiations on EU accession, are public discussions. How are public discussions in Montenegro and Serbia, the countries that are currently negotiating the accession to the European Union, are being conducted? Do citizens have the opportunity to participate? Are there examples of good practice? These issues are addressed by this study. This paper is part of the research on the same topic and it was created as part of the ongoing program of the Belgrade Open School  "Europe for Citizens".

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Authors: Danijela Božović and Vanja Dolapčev

Published in 2016

This paper is a brief and more simple overview of an extensive one-year research of the current state and the best practices, and recommendations for the implementation of the partnership principle in the regional development policy in Serbia. Along with the policy study, situation overviews and infographics, this brief is one of the results of the hard work done on the "Partnership for development: Improving the role of civil society in regional policy development in Republic of Serbia" project. The paper is in English.

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Authors: Danijela Božović, Tamara Branković and Vanja Dolapčev

Published in 2016

How do civil society organizations monitor the European Union accession negotiations in Serbia? Do they use all available resources? What have they done since the opening of the accession negotiations in 2014? The brief before you is an attempt at providing answers to these questions, and recommending ways to improve the existing practices in this field. This paper is part of the research done on the same topic, and it originated as part of the ongoing activities of the Belgrade Open School, supported by the Open Society Foundation and "Europe for Citizens" programme. The paper is in English.

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Authors: Danijela Božović and Vanja Dolapčev

Published in 2015

After an almost one-year research on the state of partnership between interested parties and authorities in the regional development policy in Serbia, the key findings, and recommendations for improving the state, became part of this study, which is the first one to deal with this issue in Serbia in such a way. The study is part of the "Partnership for development: Improving the role of civil society in regional policy development in Serbia" project.

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Authors: Ana Novaković, Danijela Božović, Tamara Branković, Vanja Dolapčev, Davide Denti, Caterina Ghobert and Lavdrim Lita

Published in 2015

The study before you came to be as an extensive research paper in the Western Balkan countries, done by seven authors from different European countries. The study deals with the participation of civil society in the ongoing process of European integration in Western Balkan countries, but it also offers solutions for improving the current state. This paper is in English.

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Editor: Danijela Božović

Authors: Danijela Božović, Jelena Babić, Mirko Popović and Vladimir M. Pavlović

Published: May 2015

The team of the Belgrade Open School, together with a group of experts, made a second, revised edition of the Guide. The second edition of this guide overlaps with the beginning of the second phase of negotiations on Serbia's accession to the EU - by opening the first negotiating chapters. Monitoring the accession negotiations implies: understanding the institutional and governance framework within which negotiations are conducted, the ways in which they are conducted, the content of the negotiation process and the available instruments by which civil society and other actors can influence the process. The purpose of this guide is to provide civil society representatives with knowledge and information that will enable them to adequately monitor the process of EU accession negotiations and recognize the possibility of making this process the property of citizens of Serbia. The guide was created within the initiative "Let's talk about Negotiations" launched by the Belgrade Open School in 2013 with the support of the Foundation for an Open Society Serbia.

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Editor: Danijela Božović

Authors: Danijela Božović, Jelena Babić, Mirko Popović and Vladimir M. Pavlović

Published: 2015.

Guide for monitoring the process of negotiations on Serbia's accession to the European Union aims to provide civil society representatives from the Western Balkan countries with knowledge and information that will enable them to adequately monitor the process of EU accession negotiations and the instruments by which they can influence and contribute to the process. The guide was created within the initiative "Let's talk about Negotiations" launched by the Belgrade Open School in 2013 with the support of the Foundation for an Open Society Serbia and the EU "Europe for Citizens" program.

The Guide in English. Download PDF

The Guide in Macedonian. Download PDF

The Guide in Albanian. Download PDF

Editor: Danijela Božović

Authors: Danijela Božović, Jelena Babić, Mirko Popović and Vladimir M. Pavlović

Publised: 2015.

Monitoring the accession negotiations implies: understanding the institutional and governance framework as well as the ways in which negotiations are conducted, the content of the negotiation process and the available instruments by which civil society and other actors can influence the process. The purpose of this guide is to provide civil society representatives with knowledge and information that will enable them to adequately monitor the process of EU accession negotiations and recognize the possibility to make this process the property of citizens of Serbia. The guide was created within the initiative "Let's talk about Negotiations" launched by the Belgrade Open School in 2013 with the support of the Foundation for an Open Society Serbia.

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Author: Ivana Radić Milosavljević

Published in 2014

The hot topic of the sustainability of local self-government units which act in their own communities, and the cooperation with local authorities, was the research subject of this study. The study originated on the "ReForce: Reinforcing the Role of Civil Society Organizations in Community Development and Public Administration Reform" project.

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Authors: Slobodan Ocokoljić and Vanja Dolapčev

This study was created as the ’crown jewel’ of the "Development for Real: Evaluating Development Impact and Performances of Regional Development Agencies in Serbia" project, and the research of the same name. The study, apart from an overview of the situation in regional development agencies in Serbia, also provides recommendations for improvement, especially when it comes to cooperation with interested parties.

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