Belgrade, March 3, 2015 – The USAID Business Enabling Project welcomes the Government of Serbia’s decision to formally adopt the Inspections Oversight Bill. Over the past four years, USAID has been cooperating with Government of Serbia, line Ministries and inspectorates and the business community to draft the bill. This law will establish modern inspections oversight standards and introduce global and European best practices in this field.

Unlike other countries with long-established market economies, Serbia has not yet undergone fundamental and thorough reform of inspections oversight. Inspections is a key link in the chain of protection that safeguards the market, labor rights, public health and safety, and a healthy environment.

“Serbia now has a modern law that is fully compliant with the modern notion of inspections oversight and the European Union’s acquis communautaire,” said Joe Lowther, USAID Business Enabling Project Chief of Party. The Inspections Oversight Law will create an environment that is more conducive to doing business and investing; ensure that members of the public and businesses are better protected; foster compliance; and substantially reduce the overall administrative and financial burden of inspections.”

The bill introduces a number of important improvements that will allow inspectors to better protect Serbian citizens. Inspectors will be able to be more proactive in preventing violations, will focus on the riskiest businesses and activities, and will be able to oversee unregistered businesses in all sectors. Inspectors will use a unified inspections information system (“e-Inspector”) and report to a coordinating body. All of these measures will substantially reduce the scope for discretion and non-compliance by inspectors; limit opportunities for corruption; address the shadow economy and other forms of abuse; and improve transparency of inspection activities.

Numerous public opinion surveys, studies, and analyses show that the general public and businesses have for years supported inspections reform and the enactment of an umbrella law to govern inspections oversight across all inspections bodies.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the Government of Serbia, in particular its Minister of State Administration and Local Government, Kori Udovički, for recognizing these long-standing calls to change the system and for implementing the necessary reforms efficiently,” said Mr Lowther.

The Serbian Parliament is expected to enact the Law on Inspections Oversight shortly.