The program "Support to Local Self-Governments in Serbia on the Road to EU Accession: Improving Service Quality, Stakeholder Dialogue and Local Self-Government Efficiency", funded by the Swedish Government, is implemented by the SCTM in partnership with Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR). By signing the new Cooperation Agreement at the end of 2020, the duration of the Program has been extended for one more year- up to 31 December 2021, with the additional project funding.
The aim of the Program is to support and further prepare towns and municipalities in Serbia for EU accession by improving the quality of services, enhancing dialogue between key actors and facilitating more efficient local administration, in accordance with the principles of good governance and gender equality.
The program draws on the results of a previous program funded by the Kingdom of Sweden entitled "Supporting Local Self-Governments in Serbia in the EU Integration Process" (December 2011 - September 2015), but this time the focus is on concrete and direct support to towns and municipalities in our country. During this phase of support for local self-governments in Serbia, the SCTM and SALAR should provide so-called support packages to selected municipalities, but should also provide support to all local self-governments through the promotion of public policies.
Program activities take place on two levels:
1) Through direct support to the improvement of services for citizens and the economy (the so-called municipal support packages) to a number of local self-governments with a focus on the following areas:
a) Environmental protection
b) Improving the local business climate
c) Prevention and management of local emergencies.
The Municipal Support Package is a set of activities tailored to local needs and designed to assist selected local self-governments in solving a specific problem or achieving a specific goal. These packages will assist local authorities in raising the level of efficiency, improving capacity and providing services in an innovative, efficient, and sustainable manner, in line with EU standards. Support packages include direct involvement of experts, trainings, workshops, seminars, as well as other forms of support to towns and municipalities.
2) Through the general support to the SCTM and all local self-governments, through improving public policies, to improve the capacities of local authorities with a focus on the following areas:
a) Environmental protection
b) Improving the local business climate
c) EU integration and international cooperation
d) Gender equality
e) Prevention and management of local emergencies.
f) Developing the capacity and sustainability of the SCTM.
While the first part of the program activities focusses on direct support to selected local self-governments in the fields of environmental protection, business climate and emergency management, in the second part they serve as an engine for the improvement of all local self-governments in Serbia in the above mentioned areas, but also in European integration and gender equality. This should be achieved through: supporting local authorities in law enforcement; providing arguments for the activities of the SCTM in representing the interests of membership in order to advance public policies and regulations; improving cooperation with national and EU institutions, as well as raising the level of efficiency of local administration to meet the needs of the business community and citizens.
The program places particular emphasis on two cross-cutting issues: gender equality and good governance (including transparency and anti-corruption), which should be an integral part of all program activities and results achieved.
By 2022, thanks to the impact of this program, local self-governments in Serbia are expected to be better prepared for EU accession, with improved services, enhanced dialogue with key actors and a more efficient and transparent local administration, operating in accordance with the principles of good governance and gender equality.