EU Support for Territorial Development of Local Governments in Srem

Sremska Mitrovica hosted a meeting of municipalities and cities from the Srem region, along with the Regional Development Agency Srem (RDA Srem), representatives of the EU Delegation, the Ministry of European Integration, the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM), and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The event focused on presenting the “EU Support for Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA” programme. This initiative, financed by the European Union with €15 million through the IPA III support programme, aims to modernise local governments in Serbia by implementing European models for integrated territorial development. The programme will be implemented from January 2025 to January 2029.

The EU INTEGRA programme is part of a broader European Union strategy aimed at strengthening the capacities of local governments and enhancing inter-municipal cooperation in Serbia. Nicola Bertolini, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Serbia, emphasised on this occasion:

„The European Union strongly supports the development of local governments in Serbia, which are crucial for improving citizens' quality of life and ensuring sustainable economic growth. Through regional cooperation and territorial development strategies, we enable better project planning and implementation that benefit communities. Programs like EU INTEGRA help reduce regional disparities, create jobs, and attract investments, strengthening local economies. The EU remains committed to empowering local governments as the foundation for Serbia's long-term and balanced development.”

At the national level, the key institution responsible for the program is the Ministry of European Integration, while its implementation is carried out by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and UNOPS through two interconnected projects.

“The Ministry of European Integration, as the institution responsible for coordinating development assistance in Serbia, plays an active role in both the design and implementation of projects focused on local development. Given the importance of this issue, we have set high expectations for the EU INTEGRA Programme, recognizing its potential impact. This is also an opportunity to highlight that SCTM, together with UNOPS, was selected as a key partner in this programme due to its proven expertise, efficiency, and commitment to transparency in previous project implementations”, stated Luka Pivljanin, Senior Advisor at Ministry of European Integration.

One segment of the EU INTEGRA programme, implemented by SCTM, focuses on modernising and strengthening local governments and regional development agencies for the implementation of development projects based on territorial strategies Within the SCTM project, a grant scheme of 10.14 million euros is allocated to finance local and regional initiatives. The project includes financial and technical support to local self-governments, aiming to empower them in implementing sustainable projects that improve citizens' quality of life and contribute to long-term development through integration with local planning and budgetary systems.

Through its cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration and UNOPS, the European Union has piloted an integrated approach to development in several regions of Serbia, tailoring it to local characteristics. Within the EU INTEGRA programme component implemented by UNOPS, this initiative is expanding to Vojvodina, where local governments and regional development agencies will receive expert and technical support for the development of territorial strategies as a foundation for achieving sustainable development and implementing concrete projects.

Building on past achievements – including 12 strategies and 18 projects worth nearly €13 million – UNOPS will continue to strengthen capacities at all levels of territorial development management.

The meeting reaffirmed the importance of inter-municipal cooperation within the territorial development approach, as well as the need for strategic planning to enable local governments to enhance their capacities and implement projects that will contribute to the modernization and increased efficiency of local institutions. Participants highlighted that a coordinated effort among all stakeholders at the national and local levels is essential for maximizing the opportunities provided by the EU INTEGRA programme.