Partner: The Balkan Trust for Democracy

The overall goal is to contribute to the democratic consolidation and institutional reforms in Serbia by contributing to Serbia’s overall alignment with the European Union’s competition policy. It is aimed that progress manifests itself in the advancement of the Chapter 8 negotiation process so that Serbia’s negotiation position is ready a year from the beginning of the project. However, the democratic consolidation and institutional strengthening will be accomplished by the strengthening of the institutions in charge of protecting and promoting competition and of CSOs to call them to account. This, in turn, will be accomplished above all by creating an environment in which broad stakeholders have a greater understanding of how EU Competition policies benefit consumers and how they promote the development of the economy. This understanding, in turn, improves stakeholder engagement and both the support they offer to relevant institutions (above all the Commission for State Aid Control) but also their capability to call them to account.