• 2024-04-18

Reform Acceleration Necessary in Respect of Social Policies and Employment

Press Release of the NCEU Working Group for Negotiating Chapter 19

Members of the Working Group for the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) for Chapters 2 and 19 deliberated on the implementation of reforms concerning Negotiating Chapter 19 - Social Policy and Employment.

The conclusion of said deliberations was the necessity to request the competent Ministry and the Government of the Republic of Serbia to accelerate reforms in the field of social policy, reform of labour legislation, and to implement initiated reforms regarding occupational health and safety, gender equality, social inclusion, and combating discrimination more efficiently.

The Working Group calls for the future Government to discontinue the policy of fragmenting labour legislation and accelerate the process of preparing and adopting a new Labour Law. Also, until such time, no laws that partially regulate labour relations should be enacted. We would like to remind everyone that draft laws on internships and the planned expansion of seasonal work application have been heavily criticised by civil society organisations and trade unions.

The Working Group insists on the speedy adoption of the Social Protection Strategy with the participation of all relevant stakeholders in consultations preceding its adoption.

Faced with an intense campaign against the Law on Gender Equality, the Working Group believes that the Government of the Republic of Serbia is obliged to defend this Law in public and to seek out broad support for its execution.

The session was attended by civil society organisations and trade union members.

Working Group Coordinator
Center for Democracy Foundation