Partnership with European CSOs 

Because of its awareness of how important partnerships with European organisations are which facilitate the transfer of knowledge and good practice, in 2009 the Center began cooperation with the Pontis Foundation from Slovakia on a project aimed at providing support to young professionals from Serbia in exploring Slovakia’s experience in the EU integration process. 

Throughout 2009 and 2010, the Centre for Democracy Foundation as the local partner of the Pontis Foundation from Slovakia, implemented a project aimed at bringing Serbia closer to the EU by enabling research and analysis of Slovakia’s experiences (both positive and negative) accumulated in the process of association with the EU. 

The Priect provided small grants for 12 young reserchers and journalists from Serbia (up to 35 years of age) for conducting reserch and preparation of policy papers in the following fields: 

• Financial implications of the European legislation in the field of environmental protection in Serbia: the critical areas. 
• Pre-accession funds for Serbia: Slovakia’s practical experience. 
• Slovakia; playing catch up with more advanced Central European countries (Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland) in the enlargement process: a model for the Western Balkan countries. 
• Serbia as an EU candidate country: the question of internal coordination. 
• Serbia’s development through consistent regional development – the Slovak experience in implementing the principles of regional development. 
• Problem of a shadow economy in Serbia – the Slovak experience in combating the shadow economy (including illegal activities and those that are legal but go unreported or under-reported for purposes of tax evasion). 
• Environment: the path from the enactment of legislation to its implementation – the lessons Serbia can learn from Slovakia. 
• How to enforce legislation on the protection of economic and social rights in light of Serbia’s European future?

The Project was supported by the Slovak Agency for International Development and Cooperation.