Serbia’s Path Toward EU

By the end of 2015, Serbia and EU should start with the first negotiating chapters to enter in European Union. Serbia is actually in the line of fire  between Russia and the West, that’s why EU would try to accelerate the negotiations to achieve a result as soon as possible. But the socio-economic situation remains one of the main challenges that the Balkan country needs to face.

Employment and poverty remain the priorities for Serbia

Structural problems related to the low participation in the labour market, the mismatch of labour supply and demand and a large informal economy (almost the 30% of the annual turnover in goods and services) these are the issues on Serbia's agenda nowadays. In the first quarter of 2015 the unemployment rate was about 19.2%, so it increased since the last quarter of the 2014 when it was 16.8%, according to data of a research on labour force; but also the inactivity seems to be dramatically high: 37.5%. Another big issue Serbia is facing is the long term unemployment, 76.9%, exactly 29.5 % higher than  EU average.

Furthermore the informal employment reached 24.4% in 2014, meaning that a quarter of workers are without social protection. But also the youth unemployment reveals worrying data : 52.8%.

Disparities between regions are day by day higher and also the negative demographic trends between a low birth rate, an older population, brain drain phenomenon , depopulation of rural areas to move to major towns. One of the problems is also a lack in a high quality education at all levels: a new law has been adopted in September 2014 and also a strategy for education and development until 2020. The Balkan Country is already part of the programs Erasmus plus, Erasmus Mundi and Tempus.

In 2012 the European Parliament reminded in a resolution that countries who candidate to join the EU should align their legislation to respect minimum work standards in the social field: equal treatment of men and women, security and health at work and antidiscrimination. A project funded by about 1.200.500 euro aims indeed to help the Serbian institutions to develop a better plan for the active labour market that needs to match with market needs.

But to ensure the 1 billion euro of MFI loan it has been starting an austerity plan for the 2015 budget that will cut, in particular, social security services and it will reduce other services.

Serbian political parties : EU and anti- EU

Nowadays no anti-EU parties sit in the Parliament . Some showed their favor to the EU since its outset, while some others have gradually step by step considered the EU path as a means of political survival. Indeed, ideological views and political affiliations have not played a key role to define their own political views about Europe. While regional problems such as the situation in Kosovo, the international context with the economic crisis and the role of political parties in power or not were more influential.

@IreneGiuntella