Statement by the NCEU Intersectoral Working Group for Monitoring the Implementation of the Reform Agenda of the Republic of Serbia

Transparency Is a Requirement, not a Courtesy

The second meeting of the EU-Serbia Reform and Growth Facility (RGF) Monitoring Committee was held in Belgrade on 3 June 2026. The Monitoring Committee is a tripartite body in which the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) participates as a full member with voting rights. The meeting gathered representatives of the European Commission, Serbian public authorities, civil society organisations, embassies of EU Member States, and international organisations. Discussions focused on the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility across all policy areas of the Reform Agenda, as well as on management and monitoring mechanisms, audit and control, WBIF investments, and communication and visibility activities.

The Intersectoral Working Group for Monitoring the Implementation of the Reform Agenda of the Republic of Serbia (IWG) welcomed the Serbian Government’s decision to publish requests for disbursement under the Reform and Growth Facility on the website of the Ministry for European Integration. These requests contain detailed explanations of activities undertaken in relation to reform steps the Government considers fulfilled, making their publication highly important for independent civil society monitoring and for strengthening the accountability of public institutions in Serbia. This development, which followed a year of advocacy and negotiations led by the IWG, demonstrates that dialogue within the Monitoring Committee can lead to concrete outcomes.

However, transparency must be systemic rather than selective. IWG representatives therefore called on the Government to extend this positive practice to all draft legislation and strategic documents submitted to the European Commission for opinion. Given their clear public relevance, such documents should, without exception, be made publicly available through the eConsultations platform.

During the meeting, representatives of the European Commission stated that the Commission had issued a preliminary positive assessment of the reform step related to increasing transparency of projects contracted under intergovernmental agreements. Under the Reform Agenda, this measure requires the publication (starting from December 2024) of contracts arising from intergovernmental agreements, most often linked to major infrastructure projects. According to the findings of the IWG’s First Monitoring Report on the implementation of the Reform Agenda of the Republic of Serbia, ministries have established dedicated webpages, yet the full contract texts remain unavailable, despite the explicit requirement set out in the Reform Agenda.

Granting a positive assessment to a reform step whose essential implementation requirements have not been met sends the wrong signal and undermines the credibility of the Facility as a whole. The IWG therefore called on the Commission to reconsider its preliminary assessment and insist on full transparency in this area, particularly bearing in mind that the Reform Agenda also foresees, from mid-2027 onwards, the repeal of all laws and by-laws introducing exemptions from the application of the Public Procurement Law – another key mechanism used to circumvent public procurement rules.

IWG representatives also reiterated civil society’s deep concern regarding the recent amendments to the Decree on Regulatory Impact Assessment and the Decree on the Methodology of Public Policy Management. The amendments introduce a broadly defined exemption from the obligation to conduct impact assessments and public consultations for acts adopted within the framework of Serbia’s EU accession negotiations, without clearly defining which legal and procedural safeguards apply in such cases. The IWG considers this approach incompatible with the spirit of the Reform Agenda and calls on the Government to urgently withdraw these amendments.

Serbia is currently the only Western Balkan country whose RGF disbursements are at risk due to concerns regarding the fulfilment of fundamental conditions related to democracy and the rule of law. Under such circumstances, the credibility of the process cannot rest solely on institutional dialogue conducted behind closed doors. The public has the right to know how the Government justifies the fulfilment of its commitments and to respond to those arguments before the Commission reaches its final decision.

The IWG remains committed to constructive and independent monitoring of the implementation of the Reform Agenda and stands ready to continue cooperation with all stakeholders in addressing obstacles to Serbia’s access to much-needed funding. Through the Reform and Growth Facility, Serbia may access nearly EUR 1.6 billion in grants and highly favourable loans for reforms implemented by the end of 2027, in line with the Reform Agenda.