The EU-Serbia Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) is one of the bodies set up under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and Serbia. The JCC enables civil society organisations (CSOs) from both sides to monitor Serbia’s progress towards joining the European Union, and to adopt recommendations for the attention of the government of Serbia and the EU institutions. The JCC understands the notion of civil society as encompassing organisations of employers, trade unions and other economic, social and civic interests.
The JCC is made up of 18 members, nine from each side, representing the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and Serbian civil society. During its current term, the JCC is co-chaired by Andrej Zorko, President of the Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia and Boško Savković, Secretary-General of the Serbian Association of Employers.
The meeting was held in Belgrade. The JCC discussed the current state of play in EU-Serbia relations and in Serbia’s accession process negotiations with the EU, strategic foresight for EU-Serbia relations, the findings of the Serbia Report 2025, security and media in Serbia and an overview of the state of democracy and the rule of law in Serbia.
The JCC solemnly marks one year since the Novi Sad tragedy and commemorates the lives lost.
1. On the state of play in EU-Serbia relations and the accession process
1.1. reaffirms its continued support for Serbia’s European perspective; recalls the JCC’s longstanding role as a platform for civil society dialogue and in monitoring Serbia’s accession process; stresses that the observations, warnings, and recommendations from previous JCC declarations have been validated over time and remain fully relevant;
1.2. expresses concern that Serbia’s accession process has seen limited or no progress even with backsliding since December 2021, with 22 chapters still open and only two provisionally closed; considers that support for opening Cluster 3 should be linked to overcoming the current stalemate in Serbia’s EU integration process, conditioned with concrete actions on behalf of the Government of Serbia in improving the rule of law and Fundamentals in general; calls for renewed commitment to reforms and inclusive dialogue, which would create the necessary conditions for further progress in the accession process, when conditions on behalf of Government are enabled;
1.3. notes the statements by the Serbian political leadership that EU membership remains the country’s strategic priority; stresses, however, that this must be translated into concrete actions; recalls that credible progress towards the EU requires tangible improvements in the rule of law, democratic governance, effective social dialogue, media freedom, and alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy;
1.4. takes note of the European Commission’s 2025 Serbia Report[1] and calls on the Serbian authorities to thoroughly examine and take into account the outlined recommendations;
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recognises and welcomes, after a year of massive citizens’ protests in Serbia, the more determined engagement and shift in tone of the EU institutions and welcomes the European Commission’s increased attention to the perspectives of organised civil society in Serbia[2];
1.6. acknowledges the European Parliament’s sustained involvement in Serbia and condemns the hostile rhetoric from the Serbian leadership towards Members of the European Parliament; recalls the key findings of the Serbia Report[3] and the European Parliament’s most recent resolution[4] as important references for assessing Serbia’s democratic trajectory;
1.7. recalls that the EU accounts for nearly 60 % of Serbia’s total trade, making it the country’s largest trading partner; highlights that the benefits of this partnership are frequently under-communicated to the Serbian people;
1.8. noting that support for EU membership in Serbia is by far the lowest in the region, stresses that anti‑European rhetoric promoted by officials and misinformation amplified by the media, including campaigns portraying the protests as a Western-financed colour revolution, is unacceptable;
1.9. urges Serbia to carefully consider the implications of its strategic partnerships and foreign-policy choices, including ongoing military and energy ties with Russia and China; notes that Serbia’s energy dependencies create vulnerabilities as demonstrated by the current crises of Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) and must be addressed through transparency, diversification of supply, and alignment with EU standards; welcomes and urges for greater involvement of the EU to help with diversifying Serbia’s energy supply and implementing projects such as the Bulgaria-Serbia Interconnector Gas Pipeline, as ways to enable Serbia to avoid an energy crisis;
1.10. recalls that the disbursement of pre-accession and Growth Plan funds to Serbia depends on tangible reform delivery, and that suspending them is a legitimate tool under the EU’s rule-of-law conditionality framework; should such action prove necessary, urges that steps be taken to safeguard support for civil society, independent media, and shield the Serbian population from any negative impact;
1.11. notes that the inaugural meeting of the Monitoring Committee under the Reform and Growth Facility for Serbia was held with participation from civil society in line with the EESC’s opinion New growth plan and Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans[5]; welcomes this institutional step, and stresses that full civil society participation must be continued and maintained for all future meetings: including access to all supporting documentation required for the participation in the Monitoring Committee; underlines that the Monitoring Committee should become an instrument of transparency and democratic oversight;
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reiterates the importance of the recommendation made in the EESC opinion on Potential challenges for the European single market arising from the future enlargement of the Union[6], which stresses the need for Western Balkan countries to agree on the automatic extension of EU rules in a specific area within the Common Regional Market once a particular country achieves and confirms EU alignment; considers it would eliminate the need for additional procedures for the same rules in the region, which represents a proactive approach and guarantees a more successful implementation of the Regional Common Market and the EU Single Market processes;
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welcomes the launch of the European Commission’s Single Market Highway initiative, a framework for bilateral industrial cooperation between the Western Balkans and the EU, with the aim of improving the economic integration of the Western Balkans into the EU Single Market and EU industrial supply chains;
1.14. recalls Serbia’s key strategic importance for the whole of Western Balkans and emphasises that Serbia’s accession path is a linchpin for regional stability;
1.15. reiterates its support for all initiatives and agreements conducive to unleashing greater potential from regional cooperation and contributing to good neighbourly relations and economic development, including the New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans[7] the Berlin Process[8], the Regional Cooperation Council[9], the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), the Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum[10] and fostering the Common Regional Market[11]; highlights the essential role of civil society and business community in promoting regional stability, particularly by promoting trust, reconciliation and deeper cooperation across the region;
1.16. encourages EU institutions to take inspiration from the EESC’s Enlargement Candidate Members (ECMs)[12] initiative and to actively promote a gradual and structured approach to integration; simultaneously, calls on the EU to proactively prepare to integrate new Member States while safeguarding its effectiveness and decision-making capacity;
1.17. welcomes the communications on the European Democracy Shield[13] and the EU Strategy for Civil Society[14] and the inclusion of candidate countries in these initiatives as a clear sign that, despite the obvious geopolitical importance, the EU enlargement process will continue to be based on respect for fundamental democratic principles and values, which candidates must demonstrate before accession and which are not subject to negotiation; supports setting up a European Network of Fact-Checkers and strengthening the EU’s early warning systems to enable stronger responses to emerging threats and signs of shrinking civic space.
2. On the state of democracy and rule of law in Serbia
The JCC
2.1. remembers the Novi Sad railway station tragedy and reiterates once again its call for full and transparent legal proceedings to ensure accountability; underscores the need to investigate the role of corruption in the reconstruction of the Novi Sad railway station and other large investment projects in Serbia;
2.2. calls on the Serbian authorities to render publicly available the Anti‑Corruption Council report submitted to the Government of the Republic of Serbia on 27 October 2025[15] on the missing documentation concerning the reconstruction and modernisation of Belgrade‑Novi Sad railway section;
2.3. stresses that the right of freedom to peaceful assembly is a fundamental pillar of any democratic society and enshrined in the EU acquis; expresses therefore deep concern over growing efforts to suppress dissent and restrict civil liberties; notes that nearly 11 000 protests took place across Serbia over the past year, including the largest demonstrations on 15 March, 28 June, and 1 November 2025; acknowledges the crucial role of the student movement and broader citizen engagement in calling for accountability, respect for civil liberties, separation of powers, electoral integrity, media freedom, and the eradication of systemic corruption – demands which reflect and align with the European values;
2.4. has regard to previous EESC statements and declarations[16], the open letter on Serbia by the Commissioner for Enlargement[17], the United Nations statement on crackdown on student movement[18], the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)’s interim measure on sonic device usage[19], the statement from the Commissioner for Human Rights[20] and the numerous reports from civil society organisations, academia and citizens of Serbia; strongly condemns all acts of police brutality, threats, politically motivated prosecutions, arbitrary arrests, intimidation of journalists, mass surveillance, smear campaigns and all other human rights abuses targeting citizens participating in protests;
2.5. condemns retaliation against public, education and cultural sector employees for supporting protests, including dismissals, intimidations, salary reductions and withdrawals of funding, as such actions represent a clear violation of fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and academic freedom;
2.6. condemns all cases of endangerment of private property and unequivocally condemn attacks on and retaliation against businesses of those who have publicly declared support for student and civic protests, recalling that private property is a cornerstone of market economy and it must be respected and protected in accordance with EU rules and standards;
2.7. calls on the Serbian authorities to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and to undertake genuine efforts to de‑escalate tensions, including by addressing student demands, investigating all allegations of arbitrary detentions and unnecessary or disproportionate use of force by law enforcement during demonstrations, and dismantling structures such as encampment in front of the National Assembly which contributes to general unrest; the same applies in relations with neighbouring countries as well;
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reiterates its call on the Serbian authorities to implement recommendations identified in the 2024 Rule of Law report for Serbia[21], and take concrete and effective measures regarding:
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political pressures on the judiciary;
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deficiencies in the functioning of democratic institutions, including electoral framework and functioning of the Serbian parliament;
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shortcomings in enforcement of anti-corruption framework;
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issues related to media pluralism, media independence, media ownership and safety and protection of journalists;
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calls upon all relevant stakeholders to establish safeguards against undue political influence on the judiciary, particularly within the prosecution service; encourages the High Judicial Council and High Prosecutorial Council to reinforce internal integrity mechanisms and urges the authorities to refrain from selective investigations affecting civil society actors and participants in public assemblies; urges the international community to closely monitor elections for members of HPC and HJC scheduled for December 23 and January 28, 2026;
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expresses concern over recent announcements by senior state officials regarding possible legal changes that would reorganize the prosecution system and potentially disband the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (POOC); notes that these statements follow public attacks on prosecutors involved in high-profile corruption cases, raising risks of undue influence and obstruction of justice; stresses that any reform of the prosecution service must preserve judicial independence, prosecutorial autonomy and the integrity of ongoing investigations, in line with EU recommendations and Venice Commission standards;
2.11. reiterates once again the importance of youth for the future of Serbia and therefore the importance of taking measures to create future prospects and opportunities for young people, enabling them to stay in the country and prosper; once again urges the Serbian authorities to ensure effective youth empowerment, engagement and participation in decision making, and to increase efforts to improve the credibility of the institutions to regain the trust of young people, including through meaningful involvement of students in policy processes;
2.12. recalls that the Serbian civil society is one of Serbia’s most valuable assets; once again strongly condemns unjustified detentions or any other attempt to silence the voices of Serbian civil society; especially the unfounded pre-investigation processes and police raids, calls on officials to refrain from spreading inflammatory rhetoric against representatives of civil society;
2.13. calls on the authorities to establish an environment for elections [22], while stressing that they must be held under credible, transparent, and fair conditions, supported by reforms to electoral integrity, media freedom, and judicial independence;
2.14. welcomes with cautious optimism the progress on the Law on the unified voter register; calls on the Serbian authorities to prioritise urgent implementation of all ODIHR recommendations; takes note of the launch of a broad voter information and education programme by the Republic Electoral Commission and ODIHR aimed at strengthening public trust; encourages the Serbian authorities to complete and implement the audit of the voter register without delay, ensuring inclusive participation of civil society actors;
2.15. calls on the Serbian authorities to make sure that simplified and urgent procedures mandated by the lex specialis[23] for EXPO 2027 do not result in oversights and reduced construction safety and quality standards, nor reduced safety and health of workers; calls on all participants to take seriously into account all reports of related shortcomings;
2.16. regrets the removal of protection from significant historical and cultural complexes, actions taken in disregard of the Constitution, the Law on Cultural Heritage, the Law on Cultural Goods and other applicable regulations, and, consequently, their exclusion from protected spatial‑cultural‑historical zones despite clear and well‑documented domestic and international opposition;
2.17. stresses the need for Serbia to ensure full compliance with EU environmental, health, labour-safety and human-rights standards; calls all relevant stakeholders to enforce the existing regulatory framework and to ensure monitoring, medical testing and treatment for exposed workers, strengthened labour and environmental inspections, and effective enforcement measures, including criminal accountability where required. Particular attention should be given to ensuring that affected communities, including vulnerable minorities, can exercise their right to a clean, safe and healthy environment, and that workers who are reporting irregularities are protected by whistleblower protection mechanisms;
2.18. notes that the space for meaningful societal dialogue has been significantly limited; calls on representatives of Government of Serbia and state institutions to enable conditions for a beginning of dialogue with political actors, civil society and the business community, with the aim of finding a sustainable and EU standards aligned solution to the current political situation in the country; calls on relevant stakeholders in the EU to provide facilitation and reiterates European Parliament request to deploy an ad hoc EU fact-finding mission to Serbia, in order to assess, on the ground, the state of the rule of law, considering the ongoing protests, attacks on demonstrators and repression targeting students, academics, educators and employees.
3.1. identifies once again that media freedom, media pluralism, and the safety of journalists remain key challenges in Serbia;
3.2. takes note of monitoring reports indicating that journalists and media workers continue to face harassment, threats, smear campaigns, SLAPPs and digital surveillance[24], creating a climate of fear and self-censorship[25][26]; condemns all attacks on journalists and media workers, including physical assaults and hostile verbal attacks by high-ranking officials and MPs, which contribute to a hostile environment and may incite pressure or violence[27]; calls on Serbian authorities to take immediate and effective measures to protect journalists; condemns all attacks on journalists; urges the authorities to ensure transparent and independent regulatory oversight, combat disinformation, and create an environment in which journalists can operate without fear of intimidation, censorship, or political interference[28];
3.3. expresses serious concern regarding the proposed amendments in Serbia’s Criminal Code that may criminalize acquisition and publication of information of public interest by investigative journalists and endanger the right to public assembly with criminalisation of road blocking, currently a misdemeanour act; calls on the Serbian authorities to align the Criminal Code with EU norms on media freedom, transparency, and accountability and to foster a climate in which investigative journalism can thrive;
3.4. remains concerned that Serbia’s media landscape continues to be heavily concentrated, with limited plurality and ownership opacity; notes that state co-financing and licensing mechanisms have frequently favoured pro-government outlets, while independent and investigative media face systemic obstacles[29]; remains concerned that the current media situation undermines the public’s access to diverse information and weakens democratic accountability;
3.5. expresses concern about government involvement in relations between Telekom Srbija and the owners of United Media[30], which can undermine editorial independence; warns that such actions would constitute a serious threat to media pluralism in Serbia; welcomes the initiative by the management and editorial teams of United Media (UM) and N1 to secure a management-buyout of their media outlets from United Group under market conditions; calls on credible external investors to support this process in order to safeguard editorial independence, media pluralism and resilience amid political pressure; calls on all parties to respect the independence of media outlets and to refrain from any measures that could compromise their autonomy; recommends regulatory safeguards to prevent from conflict of interest between media owners and politicians;
3.6. expresses deep concern about the prolonged institutional vacuum in the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM); underscores that the continued delays and lack of transparency in the selection of the REM Council culminated in the recent failure to elect the ninth member after MPs of the ruling majority chose not to support the final candidate, therefore bringing the appointment process to a standstill and leaving the regulator non-functional and undermining the credibility of due process;
3.7. expresses concern about the non-transparent and non-inclusive launch of the announced media reform process allegedly linked to European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) alignment; notes that the Ministry initiated working groups without baseline assessments, problem analysis, or public consultation, contrary to good-governance standards for systemic reforms; is concerned that invitations were reportedly directed mainly to government-affiliated organizations (GONGOs), while independent and experienced media-freedom CSOs were excluded; stresses that such an approach is inconsistent with EMFA principles of independence, transparency and broad participation; further recalls that Serbia has not aligned its framework with other EU acts necessary for EMFA implementation, while the REM Council remains incomplete, making the reform process institutionally fragile.
4. On the social dialogue situation in Serbia
The JCC
4.1. reaffirms once again the critical importance of upholding the principle of decent work, which includes written employment contracts, job security, healthy and safe workplace, fair and timely wages and the proper resolution of labour market issues; calls on the authorities to promote collective bargaining and extended effect of collective agreements[31], combating corruption and addressing the informal economy; urges Serbia to advance labour reforms that are in line with international standards of decent work, aiming to enhance both the quality of work and quality of life[32];
4.2. strongly encourages the Serbian authorities to foster an environment conducive to social dialogue, strengthening workers’ rights and establishing effective negotiation mechanisms; considers that due to the lack of social dialogue at a time of pronounced social tensions and a crisis that is spilling over into an increasing number of sectors and threatening tens of thousands of jobs, social partners must have a seat at the table where decisions are made about wage levels, layoffs, and development strategies; regrets that essential decisions are made without agreement and discussion, while ignoring the views, arguments and proposals of unions and/or employers;
4.3. considers that foreign direct investments, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, must be implemented on the basis of the Regulation on determining the criteria for granting incentives to attract direct investments[33]; expresses concern that privileged representatives of individual companies and states participate in the process, which questions the equality of participants, especially domestic investors, as well as the regularity of procedures and the protection of the public interest; points out that it is necessary to strengthen transparency mechanisms, improve public control and consistently apply legal procedures in the field of attracting and implementing investments;
4.4. calls once again on the Serbian authorities to translate into action the initiatives put forward to the Social and Economic Council of Serbia (SEC) by representative employees’ and/or employers’ organisations;
4.5. calls on the authorities of the Republic of Serbia to establish a comprehensive plan for a decent life salaries, and not only to the determine arbitrarily the minimum wage, which leads to compression of salaries among employees in Serbia; considers particularly important that wage policy is based on clear economic indicators, social dialogue and principles of fairness, in order to ensure an encouraging labor market, prevent social stratification, layoffs and improve the overall quality of citizens’ life;
4.6. calls on the Serbian authorities to adopt legislative adjustments and improvement of the coverage and adequacy of financial social assistance, as well as to adopt a new strategy for social protection and amendments to the law on social welfare which are seriously delayed;
4.7. calls once again on the Serbian authorities to speed up their work on implementing the action plan for Chapter 19 on Social policy and employment, as significant reforms remain outstanding, including the overhaul of labour law, the adequacy of social benefits, and active labour market policies.
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The JCC instructs its co-chairs to forward this joint declaration to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Council, the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC), the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Commission and the Government of Serbia and all relevant ministries. The JCC calls for this declaration to be published on all relevant websites, including the website of the Ministry of European Integration, and distributed to all relevant stakeholders within Serbia and the EU.
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In accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the EU-Serbia Joint Consultative Committee, this joint declaration was adopted by all members, with the abstention of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia.
The next JCC meeting is to be held in Brussels in the first half of 2026. As agreed at the previous meetings, the assessment of an enabling environment for civil society and fulfilment of the Copenhagen political criteria for accession are a permanent part of the JCC’s meeting agenda.
[1] Serbia Report 2025 – Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood
[2] Ursula von der Leyen sur X
[3] REPORT on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Serbia | A10-0072/2025 | European Parliament
[4] RESOLUTION on the polarisation and increased repression in Serbia, one year after the Novi Sad tragedy | European Parliament
[5] New growth plan and Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, EESC.
[6] Potential challenges for the European single market arising from the future enlargement of the Union | EESC
[7] New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
[9] Regional Cooperation Council.
[10] Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum – WB6 CIF.
[11] Common Regional -Market Action Plan 2025-2028 (cefta.int).
[12] Enlargement Candidate Members’ Initiative, EESC.
[13] Communication on the European Democracy Shield | European Commission
[14] EU Strategy for Civil Society
[16] Statement calling for the safety of journalists in Serbia | EESC; Honoured to welcome the brave Serbian students; 19th meeting of the EU-Serbia Joint Consultative Committee | EESC ; Statement on the Right to Peaceful Assembly in Serbia | EESC.; Statement on Serbia | EESC; Serbia: The right to peaceful protest must be respected and any escalation prevented | EESC; 18th meeting of the EU-Serbia Joint Consultative Committee | EESC
[18] Serbia must halt crackdown on student movement, uphold human rights and academic freedom: UN experts | OHCHR
[19] Interim measure granted concerning Serbia – ECHR – ECHR / CEDH
[20] Serbia: the authorities should refrain from excessive use of force and arbitrary arrests – Commissioner for Human Rights
[21] Commission’s Rule of Law report on Serbia (europa.eu).
[22] CRTA :Majority for Elections, Majority for Change – CRTA
[23] Law on Special Procedures for the Realization of the International Specialized Exhibition EXPO BELGRADE 2027 (Official Gazette of the RS, No. 92/2023).
[24] Serbia: A Digital Prison: Surveillance and the suppression of civil society in Serbia: Executive Summary, Amnesty International.
[25] Serbia: over 30 journalists attacked in under two months, RSF urges EU to strongly condemn record wave of violence | RSF
[26] Report of the MFRR Mission in Serbia: Media Freedom in a State of Emergency
[27] At least 163 attacks by 22 individuals in October 2025 alone, according to Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation
[28] Council of Europe report: Threats to the Safety of Journalists in Serbia
[29] Pressure on Truthful Reporting: Decline in Media Freedom | Media Ownership Monitor
[30] Audio Recording Reveals United Group and Telekom Srbija CEOs Discussing Undermining Serbian Broadcaster | OCCRP
[31] Realistically set criteria agreed through social dialogue.
[32] Key components of sustainable quality work during and after recovery, EESC.
[33] https://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/uredba-odredjivanju-kriterijuma-dodelu-podsticaja-radi-privlacenja-ulaganja.html
European Movement in Serbia is part of the EESC Enlargement Candidates Initiative.
