The two-years twinning project worth 1,75 million of euros for strengthening the administrative and performance capacity of the Ministry of Transport and transport institutions, financed by European Union from IPA fond officially has started today.

Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, as a driving force for reform process in the field of transport and the main beneficiary of this project, will enhance its capacity in the strategic planning development of transport, as well as in all transport modes in accordance with the European integration policy and economic development of Serbia, in establishing the Safety Management System within the Serbian railway, in harmonization of national legislation with the Acquis Communautaire in the field of transport, and also in strengthening of capacities for task performance resulted from the harmonization with legal and institutional framework of the European Union. Other institutions in charge of policy implementation, development and maintenance of the transportation system in the Republic of Serbia are participating in the project as well.

Striving for the full membership in the European Union it is necessary for Serbia to harmonize its national laws, regulations and procedures with the Acquis Communautaire. Harmonization often generates new tasks of state administration and administrative framework changes, i.e. the creation of new forms of organization within the state administration. The overall objective of this two-year project is improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the Serbian transport, assisting its integration within the European system and achieving the goals of development and sustainability in this sector. This project will have a positive impact on the people of Serbia through the promotion of safety of the transport network in Serbia.

The project consists of the following components:
– Improving the organizational structure of the Ministry and selected institutions in charge of transport in terms of professional capacities for task performiance resulted from the harmonization of legislation in the field of transport;
– Enhancing the legislative framework in the field of transport in accordance with National Programme for Adoption of the Acquis(2014-2018) and the EU legislation:
– Improving the strategic framework for the period 2015-2025 in the field of transport;
– Establishing the Safety Management System within the railway infrastructure manager, as well as the system for verification to the Directorate for Railways;
– Improving the professional capacity of civil servants for performing the tasks resulting from the European integration process.

The project will be conducted in cooperation with France, Finland and Lithuania, the EU member states making a consortium partners in this twinning project.. Experience of all three member states that joined European Union at different periods of time will help Serbia to apply the experience in its own EU joining process in the best possible way.

This is the first project to be implemented in a decentralized system of management of EU funds, and for which the Contract was signed by the Ministry of Finance (Department for contracting and financing of EU funded Programs) on behalf of the Republic of Serbia instead of the EU Delegation to Serbia, the signatory in the previous EU assistance programmes. The meeting was held on 27 May 2015 in the Club of Members of Parliament and it was opened by State Secretary in the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Mr. Dejan Trifunović. Honorary guests and speakers were Deputy Head of EU Delegation to Serbia, Mr. Oskar Benedikt, Ambassador of France in Belgrade, H.E. Christine Moro, and Ambassador of Finland in Serbia, H.E. Pekka Orpana and Mrs. Nataša Šimšić, the Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Finance.