Regional Development in Serbia

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Vladan Jeremic, RARIS, Montana, 21 October 2009
Regional Development in Serbia -Eastern Serbia
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Law on Regional Development

• The first Law ever on RD in Serbia adopted in
  July.
• Low defines the names of regions and regulates
  method of defining districts which constitute a
  region and method of defining local government
  units which constitute a district development
  indicators and classification of regions and
  local government units development planning
  documents subjects of regional development
  measures and incentives and financial resources
  for the implementation of measures of regional
  development.
• At the moment, there are 8 RDAs across Serbia.
  All of them, except RARIS, were established
  through donors (mainly EU) assistance.

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RSEDP 2

• Regional Socio-Economic Development Programme 2
  (RSEDP 2) has started this summer.
• The Overall objective of the project is to
  strengthen the capacities in Serbia for the
  design and implementation of a policy for a
  balanced territorial socio-economic development
  in the perspective of EU accession.
• The Project Purpose is to improve the capacities
  of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and
  other regional and municipal stakeholders for
  regional development planning and implementation.
   

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RSEDP 2

• The following results will be achieved during the
  course of the project implementation  
• Increased efficiency of RDAs in managing local
  development resources
• Increased participation of RDAs in the national
  regional development policy planning and
  increased advocacy role of RDAs at national
  level.
• Improved skills of RDAs staff and other
  stakeholders in Project Cycle Management (PCM)
  and financial management
• Efficient management of the Grant scheme for
  Regional development

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Eastern Serbia Timok region

• 8.1 of the whole territory of Serbia
• 8 municipalities and 263 settlements
• 286.000 inhabitants

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• Regional Development Agency Eastern Serbia
  RARIS have 11 founders
• 7 Municipalities
• Regional Chamber of Commerce Zajecar
• 2 companies and
• 1 NGO
• RARIS goal Support to development initiatives
  based on institutional networking and
  partnerships, with a goal of sustainable
  development of Eastern Serbia.

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RARIS services/activities

• Attracting investment
• Preparing Economic profile of the region
• Identification and preparation of regional
  projects
• Promotion and networking
• Lobbying and Advocacy
• Capacity building
• Other technical assistance

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RARIS main projects

• Preparing Technical documentation for
  construction of the Regional landfill Halovo
• Assistance to municipalities for preparation of
  10 infrastructure projects of value gt2 mill
  each
• Increasing competitiveness of regional tourist
  offer
• Rural Development Support Network
• Preparing regional Investment Guide

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Local Development Strategies

• In six municipalities (out of 8) process of
  developing Local Development Strategies will be
  finished by the end of the year.
• RARIS supported process and secure financing for
  preparing LDS. Three of them was financed by GTZ
  and 3 by EU
• For this six municipalities we will have really
  good pictures of their situation, economic
  profiles, goals, priorities, measures etc.
• Municipal staff will get experience to lead
  strategic planning process.

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LED Offices

• In these six municipalities, RARIS supported
  establishment of LED offices (Local Economic
  Development Offices).
• They have been established, they led
  strategic-planning process and they are our main
  partner within the region.
• LED Offices and RARIS together have more 20
  person creating not official but effective
  Regional Development Network

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Regional spatial plan

• Leaded by the Republic Spatial Planning Agency
• Local self-governments and RARIS are taking an
  active role in elaboration and preparation.
• Plan will, among other, comprise strategy on
  spatial development vision, mission, goals,
  SWOT analysis, principles of the development and
  protection of economy, nature, concept for
  development of towns and villages, regional
  infrastructure systems, connections for
  inter-regional and cross border communication,
  and other.
• This plan has to be prepared by April 2010.

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Timok region economic potentials

• rich natural resources healthy environment,
• huge deposits of ores and minerals,
• great preconditions for tourism,
• good hydro-energetic potentials,
• significant wood abundance,
• favourable conditions for the development of
  agriculture
• experienced labour force especially in textile
  and shoe industry etc.

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Market access

• Duty free exports to the EU
• FTA with Russian Federation - market of 150 mil.
  people. Limited number of exceptions complete
  vehicles, confectionery, some alcoholic beverages
• CEFTA duty free access to 30 million people
  market

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Language skills
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Attractive tax environment
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Favorable Investment Regime
More on SERBIA INVESTMENT AND EXPORT PROMOTION
AGENCY www.siepa.sr.gov.yu
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Eastern Serbians municipal incentives

• Each of the Municipalities has developed its own
  system of incitement measures in line with its
  priorities. Examples
• Exemption of investors from paying the fee for
  the infrastructure equipping of land or paying a
  part of the fee, depending on the investors
  business activity and how many workers they
  employ.
• All of the Municipalities allow the investors to
  pay reduced rates of communal tax.

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Major foreign investors in Eastern Serbia
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CONTACT US
RARIS Trg oslobodenja 1, 19000
Zajecar 381(0)19 426376, 381(0)19
426377 office_at_raris.org www.raris.org