Promotion of rights and representation of workers in informal economy in the Republic of Serbia

On 7 and 8 May 2009 the UGS Nezavisnost and the CATUS organised national workshop on the issues of informal economy in Serbia, as part of the FNV CEE-NIS project.The main topics of the workshop referred to the undeclared work in the European Union and the Republic of Serbia are the impact of active labour market measures on reducing of the volume undeclared work in the Republic of Serbia and the cooperation of unions and NGOs in the fight against undeclared work.

In the work of workshop 20 the representatives of the Government of the Republic of Serbia (Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Labour Inspectorate and Social and Economic Council of the Republic of Serbia), Serbian Association of Employers, trade unions and NGOs, were taking a part.

After the introductory presentations and discussions, the following conclusions, were adopted:

 The successful conduct of the action in the field of combating of the informal economy is required coordinated action all social partners and civil society. In this regard, cooperation with NGOs in the future
period must be intensified (ASTRA, Felicitas and the other organizations that deal with these problems) and the special attention must be to young people and women, as well as those persons who
work at home (undeclared).

 It is necessary, modifying the regulations, ensure that
concluded the Labour contracts registered with the competent Public Authorities (organizational unit of the National Employment Service, the Fund for Pensions and Disability Insurance) in order to prevent abuses that exist in practice, and that is case with avoidance of the employment contract, or with their date back. Thus, employees can begin working before the employer does not fulfill its legal obligations regarding the application of the compulsory social insurance.

 Organize a unique information system, with a list of all employers who employed workers without labour contract, "in grey economy", in order to prevent such employers to obtain funding from state funds (loans of the Development Fund, NES funding, etc.). In this way, employers who are able to receive certain funds from the state, incentives to not make such abuses.

 In the practical activities of an inspection bodies, on the level of the Republic of Serbia, provide more, better and efficient coordination, which would be made the inspection efficient.

 The proposal to establish on the level of the Republic of Serbia special service (center / institute) who will, in cooperation with NES and other relevant state authorities solve many of the problems of workers in the informal sector and this proposal will be shaped in the next month and presented at the next meeting in the framework of this Project.

Belgrade, 08 May 2010

Mr Sanja Paunovic, CATUS dr Zoran Ristić, TUC „Nezavisnost“