On 26 November 2021, the Serbian Parliament adopted amendments to the Law on Employees in Autonomous Provinces and Local Self-governments (Official Gazette 114/2021). This marks a landmark in human resource management reform at local government level, since the amendments introduce a competency-based system for local government employees as of 2022.

The Centre of Expertise for Good Governance played a central role in this reform, supporting the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-government since 2019 in designing and developing the competencies system for local government employees in the framework of the Programme “Human Resource Management in Local Self-Government – Phase 2”.

In particular, the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance worked closely with the Special Working Group responsible for designing behavioural and functional competencies for local government employees. In addition, the Centre helped design the Roadmap for a phased introduction of the competencies system at the local level, and provided inputs to the legal amendments as well as support in drafting the new decree on competencies. Finally, the Programme also advised on the design of training programmes which will be provided to local self-governments in order to help them meet the obligations arising from the new legal framework. Numerous focus groups and other events with local self-government representatives were organised to raise awareness on the upcoming changes. In 2022, the Programme will additionally support local self-governments in implementing the competencies framework through model tools, guidelines and comprehensive trainings.

The Programme “Human Resource Management in Local Self-Government – Phase 2” is jointly funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities.