EU Strategy for the National factsheet -

General information

Serbia has from the very start been a strongly committed partner in the Strategy. It is coordinating two Priority Areas, PA 7 "Knowledge Society" (University of ) and PA1b Rail, Road and Air (Ministry for Infrastructure).

The national coordination for the Strategy is with the Serbian Office, who also coordinates a wide range of funds such as IPA and bilateral and multilateral donor funds. This facilitates the link between strategic Danube Region projects and their financing and implementation.

Within the allocation for the “Instrument for Pre-Accession, 19.5 million have been allocated for projects from the Danube Strategy. This money are used both in direct projects such as reconstructing fortress but also to strengthen coordination activities of the Danube Strategy in Serbia.

The Serbian Government has established a working group for cooperation with the EU in the Danube Region, composed of 10 ministries, the Government of the Autonomous Province of , and the Council for European Integration. Key stakeholders

National Contact Points

Mr Ognjen Miric Deputy Director, Coordinator for EU funds Government of the Republic of Serbia Serbian European Integration Office [email protected]

Priority Area Coordinators

PA 1b Rail, road and air Mr Miodrag Poledica Ministry of Transport [email protected]

PA 7 Knowledge society Mr Miroslav Veskovic University of Novi Sad [email protected]

Initiatives and strategic projects Serbia is involved in:

Technology transfer centres

During the first Annual Forum of the Danube Strategy, on 27-28 November 2012 in , the Baden Württemberg based Steinbeis Innovation Agency signed 5 contracts with the universities of (), (Slovakia), Novi Sad (Serbia) and Cluj Napoca () to establish in each of the 4 cities a "Danube Transfer Centre". The centres aim to improve links between academia and the private sector, examining how knowledge and technology transfer can be conducted in the best possible way and will act as a one stop shops for SMEs. This will contribute to support innovation, enhance research and facilitate competitiveness in these .

Improving navigation and ecological conditions

Shipwrecks are being removed from the Danube, and Tisa, improving navigation and ecological conditions. The project to remove wrecks totalling some 15 000 tons, initiated by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce as part of the Strategy, also involves the private sector.

New research projects on innovative vessels ( NEWS)

New research projects on innovative vessels, such as the project NEWS, led by , are developing technological solutions to renew the Danube fleet, with more competitive and environmentally friendlier approaches, e.g. through more efficient, cleaner engines, and better body design. This contributes to the overall goal to increase sustainable cargo transport on the by 20 % by 2020, compared to 2010.

Bulgaria-Serbia gas interconnector

Work on the -Serbia gas interconnector project has advanced, linking the Baltic Sea area to the Adriatic and Aegean Seas and further to the . The gas pipeline will be 150 km long. It contributes to gas supply diversification, ensures gas supply security and completes the important regional gas supply ‘ring’.

Maintenance of the Danube waterway

At the invitation of the Commission, the ministers of transport of the Danube Region on 7 June 2012 adopted a Declaration on maintenance of the Danube waterway, committing themselves to concrete measures, including surveillance of water depth and signalling navigation routes in shallow sections. This has in turn led to an agreement between Romania and Bulgaria to plan work together jointly and to share equipment.

Upcoming events of relevance for Serbia

25-31 May The Sava Cycling Tour

20-25 May Floating conference on the Danube, with 3 parts: Danube parliamentarian conference, Danube & Local, regional development & cross border cooperation in Danube Iron region

28-29 October 2nd Annual Forum of EUSDR,

For all country factsheets and more on the EU Strategy for the Danube Region: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperate/danube/index_en.cfm http://www.danube-region.eu/