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Serbia

Organise trainings for public administration officers in connection with the application of the Guidelines on Inclusion of Civil Society Organisations in the Process of Passing Regulations (RS0015)

Overview

At-a-Glance

Action Plan: Serbia Second National Action Plan 2016-2018

Action Plan Cycle: 2016

Status: Inactive

Institutions

Lead Institution: Office for Cooperation with the Civil Society

Support Institution(s): Human Resource Management Service; Civil society organisations

Policy Areas

Capacity Building, Public Participation, Public Service Delivery

IRM Review

IRM Report: Serbia End-of-Term Report 2016–2018, Serbia Mid-Term Report 2016-2018

Starred: No

Early Results: Marginal Marginal

Design i

Verifiable: Yes

Relevant to OGP Values: Civic Participation

Potential Impact:

Implementation i

Completion:

Description

THEME: Improve the consultative process with the civil sector at national and local levels when adopting public policy documents; COMMITMENT 2: Organise trainings for public administration officers in connection with the application of the Guidelines on Inclusion of Civil Society Organisations in the Process of Passing Regulations; Status quo or problem addressed by the commitment: In 2015 we conducted the “Initial Survey for the Purpose of Drafting the First Strategy for an Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development in the Republic of Serbia for the Period 2015–2019”, which consisted of two parts. The data collected cover the period from 1 January to 31 December 2014. The first part included data relating to cooperation between state administration and CSOs, based solely on information obtained from state administration bodies. Based on the survey results, of the 32 public administration bodies which participated in the survey, although invitations had been sent to 42 state administration bodies, only 11 state administration bodies reported they had held public hearings in 2014 in the process of passing regulations. According to the available data, of the total number of regulations passed in 2014 (351), only one in ten were subject to a public hearing (37 regulations in total, or 10,5%). Furthermore, a minority of the surveyed state administration bodies formed working groups tasked with drafting regulations in the course of last year. Generally, the only CSOs that are invited to participate in this form of cooperation are those that are recognised by the authorities as relevant for various reasons. Furthermore, public calls for CSOs to apply for membership in working groups are relatively rare (such calls were made only in respect of eight working groups of the 38 formed in 2014). The second part of the survey includes data on cooperation between LSGUs and CSOs, which included 122 LSGUs, or 75% of all LSGUs in the Republic of Serbia. The results of this survey have shown that, of the total number of instruments passed in 2014 (11,000 instruments - budgets, strategic development plans, decisions, zoning plans. Statutes etc.), only 3% had undergone any kind of public hearing. In addition, those municipalities that did hold public hearings usually involved CSOs in the public hearings during the drafting stage, but not during the follow-up and implementation stages. In 2015, the Office for Cooperation with the Civil Society collaborated with the TACSO project in Serbia to organise 10 two-day training events for representatives of LSGUs on the issues of transparent financing of civil society organisations and importance of cooperation with CSOs. The recommendations set out in the reports from these trainings are indicative of a need for additional training of civil servants about improved cooperation and possible cooperation mechanisms and models, especially with regard to involvement in the process of planning and allocation of funding. Main objective: Improved capacities of public administration bodies to establish sustainable models and mechanisms of cooperation with CSO when developing and implementing public policies. Brief description of commitment (140-character limit): Plans have been made for up to 5 training events for representatives of public administration that would address the importance and potential modalities of cooperation with civil society organisations in the process of developing and implementing regulations and other public policy documents. The trainings will be organised in collaboration with the Human Resource Management Service and other public administration services. The minimum planned number of participants is 20, including officers in charge of drafting regulations, as well as officers in charge of financing and cooperation with civil society organisations. OGP challenge addressed by the commitment: Improving public services, Strengthening public integrity. Relevance: By increasing the capacities of public administration bodies in connection with the application of the Guidelines on Inclusion of Civil Society Organisations in the Process of Passing Regulations, we will contribute to better understanding of the role and importance of cooperation between public administration bodies and CSOs, which will contribute to greater civic participation in the work of public administration bodies and drafting of sounder regulations. This, in turn, will lead to greater transparency and accountability in the work of the authorities. Ambition: Improved practice of applying the already established mechanisms and levels of cooperation between public and private sectors by public administration bodies should contribute to civic participation in the drafting and implementation of regulations and public policies and ensure greater efficiency in the work of public administration bodies, along with cost cuts and optimisation of work of institutions, i.e. it should bring about to an overall increase in capacities, knowledge and skills of the staff of public administration bodies.

IRM Midterm Status Summary

For Commitment details, please see Serbia Mid-Term Report 2016-2018 (Year 1).

IRM End of Term Status Summary

For commitment details, see Serbia End-of-Term Report 2016–2018.

Serbia's Commitments

  1. Develop a model of job description or part of job description of an officer responsible for cooperation with civil society in local administration

    RS0014, 2016, Capacity Building

  2. Organise trainings for public administration officers in connection with the application of the Guidelines on Inclusion of Civil Society Organisations in the Process of Passing Regulations

    RS0015, 2016, Capacity Building

  3. Organise trainings for CSO in connection with application of the Guidelines on Inclusion of Civil Society Organisations in the Process of Passing Regulations

    RS0016, 2016, Capacity Building

  4. Improve the system for collecting initiatives from citizens and businesses

    RS0017, 2016, Capacity Building

  5. Introducing standards for civic participation in the public policy management system

    RS0018, 2016, Capacity Building

  6. Improving proactive transparency – Information Booklet

    RS0019, 2016, Capacity Building

  7. Amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance

    RS0020, 2016, Legislation & Regulation

  8. Development of an Open Data Portal

    RS0021, 2016, Capacity Building

  9. Draft a bylaw based on the Guidelines for Evaluation of Websites

    RS0022, 2016, Capacity Building

  10. Improve the institute of public hearing in the drafting of laws

    RS0023, 2016, Legislation & Regulation

  11. Development of a uniform methodology for planning, monitoring and performance evaluation of programmes and projects implemented by civil society organisations and monitoring the spending of allocated funds

    RS0024, 2016, Capacity Building

  12. Amend the Regulation on Funds to Support Programmes or Missing Amount of Funds for Programmes of Public Interest implemented by Associations

    RS0025, 2016, Capacity Building

  13. Enactment of a Law on Electronic Documents, Electronic Identification and Trusted Services in Electronic Business

    RS0026, 2016, Capacity Building

  14. Establish a single public register of administrative procedures and other conditions for pursuing a business activity

    RS0027, 2016, Capacity Building

  15. Transparency in Monitoring Budget Expenditures

    RS0001, 2014, Capacity Building

  16. Law on Financing Political Activities

    RS0002, 2014, Legislation & Regulation

  17. Transparent Public Procurement Procedures

    RS0003, 2014, Open Contracting and Procurement

  18. Transparent Financing of Civil Society Organizations

    RS0004, 2014, Civic Space

  19. Extending and Clarifying Responsibilities of the Anti-Corruption Agency

    RS0005, 2014, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  20. Whistleblower Protection Trainings and Campaigns

    RS0006, 2014, Legislation & Regulation

  21. Draft Law Regulating Inspections in Public Administration

    RS0007, 2014, Audits and Controls

  22. e-Governmental Portal Awareness and Mobile Application

    RS0008, 2014, E-Government

  23. Starred commitment Public Administration Website Harmonization and Amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance

    RS0009, 2014, E-Government

  24. New Technologies to Improve Citizen Services

    RS0010, 2014, E-Government

  25. Cooperation with Civil Society Organizations in Public Policymaking

    RS0011, 2014, Civic Space

  26. Citizen Participation in Local Government Affairs

    RS0012, 2014, Public Participation

  27. Civil Society Participation in Monitoring the Public Administration (PAR) Strategy

    RS0013, 2014, Audits and Controls