Local Self-Governments Strengthen Their Project Preparation Skills for Territorial Development through the EU INTEGRA Programme in Čačak

As part of the “EU Support to Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA” Programme, funded by the European Union and implemented under the auspices of the Ministry of European Integration, the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) organised a two-day workshop in Čačak on 2–3 November 2026, where representatives of local self-governments enhanced their knowledge and skills in preparing development projects. The workshop was held ahead of the second Call for Proposals under the Programme’s grant scheme.

The workshop brought together representatives from Čačak, Užice, Raška, Vrnjačka Banja and Čajetina, who gained practical knowledge on how to translate their communities’ development priorities into high-quality and feasible project proposals, based on the principles of integrated territorial development and aligned with EU PRAG procedures.

During the two-day training, participants worked on developing their project ideas, defining objectives and expected results, planning activities and required resources, and learning how to develop a project logical framework. Particular attention was given to the planning and technical documentation required for the preparation of infrastructure projects.

“This training is particularly valuable for those of us working on local community development, as it helps us strengthen our knowledge and skills in preparing high-quality project proposals. Through practical examples and interactive sessions, we gained a better understanding of EU procedures and how to align the needs of our local communities with territorial development strategies. The knowledge gained will help us make better use of opportunities to attract EU funding and support the development of our towns and regions,” said Nataša Jovanović from the Zlatibor Regional Development Agency in Užice.

Support provided through the EU INTEGRA Programme helps local self-governments translate their communities’ development needs into well-prepared project proposals, laying the groundwork for future investments and improvements in citizens’ quality of life.

The workshop in Čačak was the first in a series of training sessions organised ahead of the second Call for Proposals under the EU INTEGRA Programme’s grant scheme. The upcoming workshops will take place in Niš, Svilajnac and Novi Sad.

The “EU Support to Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA” Programme is funded by the European Union with EUR 15 million through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance – IPA III, and implemented by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration. The Programme contributes to integrated territorial development in Serbia by applying the principles of the European Union’s Cohesion Policy, fostering cooperation among local self-governments, better use of development potential, and improvements in citizens’ quality of life.