Through the development of a modern, sustainable, efficient, interoperable and integrated transport network, a sound transport policy can promote closer co-operation with neighbouring economies and be a key driver of competitiveness, both for the economy as well as for the region. The first sub-dimension, planning and management, measures the extent to which an orderly, coherent, consistent and transparent process is in place for developing transport policy and implementing infrastructure projects. The second sub-dimension, regulation and connectivity, determines how well transport modes and networks are regulated and operated, as well as how they are leveraged to promote regional connectivity. The third sub-dimension, sustainability, measures progress towards resource efficiency, environmental protection, reducing health impacts and increasing safety and social inclusion.
Western Balkans Competitiveness Outlook 2024: Serbia
12. Transport policy
Abstract
Key findings
While Serbia performs above the regional average in all areas covered by the assessment, delays in the adoption of a strategic framework for transport policy and the lack of a policy framework to support multimodal transport and smart transport led to a slight decrease in overall performance compared to the last cycle (Table 12.1). However, since the last assessment, Serbia has made important improvements in aligning with the EU acquis across all transport modes. Implementation of policies promoting environmentally sustainable transport has also improved Serbia’s performance in this area.
Table 12.1. Serbia’s scores for transport policy
|
Dimension |
Sub-dimension |
2018 score |
2021 score |
2024 score |
2024 WB6 average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Transport |
11.1: Planning and management |
3.3 |
2.6 |
||
|
11.2: Regulation and connectivity |
2.3 |
1.9 |
|||
|
11.3: Sustainability |
2.8 |
2.1 |
|||
|
Serbia’s overall score |
2.6 |
3.0 |
2.8 |
2.2 |
|
The key findings are:
Serbia’s public spending on road infrastructure increased significantly, by 82% from 2019 to 2022. Infrastructure spending for road and rail, at 1.76% and 0.87% of GDP, respectively surpassed EU (0.59% and 0.3%) and OECD area (0.57% and 0.3%) average levels in 2022, translating an important dynamic of investments into new infrastructure.
Maintenance spending for rail infrastructure increased considerably (82%) between 2019 and 2022. However, maintenance spending for road infrastructure, at 0.1% of GDP, remains below the EU (0.27%) and OECD area (0.28%) averages, indicating room for improvement in asset management systems for roads.
Serbia has the most open and competitive railway market in the Western Balkans, with around a quarter of the market share belonging to private operators. Recent amendments to the Railway Law and Railway Interoperability Law further align with key EU acquis. Driven by the modernisation of infrastructure, rail network utilisation by passengers increased by 136% from 2019 to 2022 and by 54% for freight.
While no dedicated policy framework exists to support the development of combined transport, Serbia has invested in the development of the Batajnica intermodal terminal, which could become a key intermodal hub. Despite completion, the terminal is not yet operational, posing a delay in drawing from its potential to increase combined transport capacities.
Serbia has taken notable steps towards an environmentally sustainable transport system, enacting legislation to address climate change, releasing a green bond, and offering subsidies for electric and hybrid vehicles. However, there is a need to formulate a detailed and more comprehensive plan that integrates environmental considerations seamlessly into the transport strategic framework.
Further efforts need to be taken to improve road safety, as Serbia’s road fatality rate, at 82 fatalities per million inhabitants, was almost double the EU average (46) in 2022. To address this, Serbia has adopted a new Road Safety Strategy 2023-30 and has implemented various measures, such as collecting road safety key performance indicators (KPIs), aligning national road safety data with EU standards, and conducting interactive workshops for elementary school students.
State of play and key developments
Sub-dimension 11.1: Planning and management
Serbia’s Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure is currently developing its National Transport Strategy 2023-30 with support from the Western Balkans Trade and Transport Facilitation Project.1 The strategy is expected to outline the vision of transport for the economy and plan priority reforms for the transport sector. However, the strategy’s development and adoption have encountered significant delays, as its initial development was announced in 2020, and the initial implementation period was planned to start in 2022. Stakeholders have also raised concerns over a lack of public involvement and consultations in the strategy’s development.
While the strategy is still under development, Serbia has passed amendments to several laws since the last assessment to support the efficient implementation of planned measures. These include:
the Law on the Fees for the Use of Public Goods, amended in 2023,
the Law on Planning and Construction, amended in 2023,
the Law Confirming the Agreement on the Maintenance of Interstate Roads and Bridges between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, adopted in 2021,
the Law on the Protection of Nature, amended in 2021.
Additionally, as part of the strategy, Serbia created a National Transport Model with demand forecasts to establish a demand-supply model for inter-city road, rail, and inland waterway networks for passenger and freight traffic. This model aims to assess future bottlenecks in the inter-city network of motorways/national-level roads, rail links and terminals, waterway sections and river ports and presents an important step towards increasingly data-driven policy planning.
Building on the progress that was reported during the previous assessment,2 some updates have been made regarding the transport project selection in Serbia. In 2023, Serbia adopted the Regulation on Capital Projects, which provides more detailed guidance on the content, preparation method, assessment procedures, readiness evaluation, and selection criteria for capital projects. It also includes provisions for monitoring implementation, performance reporting, and comprehensive evaluation of both positive and negative impacts of capital projects. The overarching goal is to facilitate public funds' effective and efficient management (Ministry of Finance, 2023[1]). National Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) guidelines, tailored to Serbia’s context and needs and providing the appropriate discount rates and benchmarks, exist only for road transport, and these have not been updated since 2010. Serbia is implementing CBA for other transport modes according to international and European guidelines.
For implementation and procurement, the Public Procurement Law of 2019 permits alternative procurement procedures for designated project categories outlined in the implementation strategy. These categories include projects financed through contracts resulting from international co-operation and projects funded by international organisations. An ongoing challenge is ensuring the consistency of checks for compliance with criteria for public financial management and transparency for all projects, as a significant share of projects is implemented through special procedures that allow them to bypass these checks.
In 2023, Serbia adopted amendments to the Public Procurement Law, marking significant changes in the procurement landscape. The main revisions include a shift in the critical criterion for selecting certain services/goods, prioritising quality over price. Additionally, the amendments introduce principles of environmental protection into the public procurement awarding process, emphasising criteria such as the product's lifespan, maintenance costs, water and electricity consumption, and the recyclability of materials. Notably, the legal framework now specifies the initiation of misdemeanour proceedings in unlawful expenditure of public procurement funds. These adjustments aim to enhance the effectiveness and integrity of the public procurement system, aligning it more closely with contemporary considerations such as quality standards and environmental sustainability. These amendments came into force in January 2024.
Serbia made efforts to establish a road asset management system during the assessment period. The Public Enterprise "Roads of Serbia" (PERS) has outlined a project in its annual business programme3 for 2023 aimed at updating and expanding the databases of the current state road network. This initiative includes technical support for programme analysis to lay the groundwork for a multi-year maintenance plan. The Service Level Agreement (SLA) contract between PERS and the government of Serbia, which will ensure funds for implementing the Performance-Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC), was signed in December 2023. Within the Annual Business Programme for 2023, PERS has allocated financial resources to operate the Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety (RAMS) unit. The RAMS unit's primary responsibility is to formulate a multi-year maintenance plan for the road network.
With assistance from the World Bank, Serbia is persisting in its efforts to establish a rail infrastructure asset management system (RIAMS) (World Bank, 2021[2]). The comprehensive project aims to offer a foundation and direction for measures related to railway safety management systems, rail asset management systems, resilience, and the adoption of technology in the railway sector.
Sub-dimension 11.2: Regulation and connectivity
Serbia has advanced in updating and aligning its rail regulations more closely with the EU’s Rail Action Plan’s fourth package. Serbia regularly updates and publishes its railway network statement and has completed the overhaul of its institutional framework, with the Directorate of Railways being a self-governing body. It is a state authority of the Republic of Serbia whose main activities are related to the regulation of the railway service market, regulation of safety and interoperability of railway traffic, passenger rights, and operation of cableways and specific traction installations. The rail market has been fully open for a few years, and more than ten private railway companies are operational. Four new private freight companies have started operations since the last assessment. Collectively, all the private operators hold a 25% market share (Transport Community, 2023[3]). This represents the highest count of private operators in the region and could serve as a noteworthy regional example of an open and competitive rail market.
Serbia has more closely aligned its legislation with the interoperability and safety regulations of the EU acquis, achieved through the amendments to the Railway Law and the Railway Interoperability laws in 2023 (European Commission, 2023[4]). In 2022, Serbia achieved notable success by inaugurating the railway line between Belgrade and Novi Sad, allowing for a maximum travel speed of 200 km/h (kilometres per hour). This marks the first route in the Western Balkans with a design speed exceeding 120 km/h and incorporates the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS). Work is in progress on the Novi Sad-Subotica section, with construction expected to conclude by the end of 2024 or early 2025 (See News, 2024[5]). This is part of the project of building a high-speed rail connection between Belgrade and Budapest by the end of 2026, which would greatly improve Serbia’s rail connectivity with Central Europe. However, the project recently encountered challenges related to implementing a security system in line with EU standards, as well as rising project costs, casting doubts on its timely realisation.4 Plans for constructing a centralised operational centre for railway traffic management across Serbia's railway network are well developed and ready for implementation (Transport Community, 2023[3]).
Serbia’s rail network utilisation is presented in Table 12.2. A significant upward trend has been noticed in passenger railway transport: network utilisation is up by 136% but still low compared to the EU average. Similarly, in freight transport the network utilisation has increased during the period 2019-22 but remains lower than the EU average, reflecting the need for a more efficient use of resources and infrastructure for transporting goods. It also indicates the need for continued investments in upgrading and modernising railway infrastructure to better align with EU standards and improve the competitiveness of rail for freight transport.
Table 12.2. Trends in rail network utilisation in Serbia (2019-22)
|
Change 2019-22 (in%) |
2022 |
EU average (2021) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Passenger (passenger-kilometres/km of track) |
136 |
0.13 |
0.99 |
|
Freight (tonne-kilometres/km of track) |
54 |
0.83 |
2.02 |
Sources: European Commission (2023[6]); information was provided by the Serbian government for the Competitiveness Outlook assessment.
Serbia has taken steps to reform road transport regulations since the last CO assessment, mainly by establishing the road asset management system and deploying intelligent transport systems (ITS) on its road network. The initial version of the ITS Strategy was projected to be finalised by the end of 2023 but is currently pending. However, the construction phase of the regional ITS centre in Niš is complete. Equipment procurement and installation have been finalised, and staff relocation and training commenced in April 2023 (Transport Community, 2023[3]). Public procurement for additional equipment is in progress. In March 2023, a memorandum of understanding on the interoperability of electronic toll collection was signed between Serbia and North Macedonia. The Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system's interoperability between the two economies came into effect in July 2023 (Transport Community, 2023[7]), enabling citizens from both Serbia and North Macedonia to use a unified tag device. The system’s interoperability is planned to be extended to Montenegro, Croatia and Greece, and similar co-operation is planned with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania in the future, which would facilitate travel by road throughout the region.
Serbia has a good level of alignment with the EU acquis on aviation and has continued with further regulatory reforms. Namely, Serbia had already completed the transposition and the local implementation of Single European Sky II (SES II) provisions on air traffic. Building on this, during this assessment cycle, Serbia implemented multiple regulations concerning aerodrome certificates, air traffic control, alerts, flight information services, air operations, and civil aviation security standards. Notably, Serbia is nearing completion of all obligations outlined in the initial transitional period of the European Common Aviation Area Agreement (European Commission, 2023[8]).
During the last assessment, Serbia’s waterborne transport legislation had already achieved a high level of alignment with the EU acquis. Since then, Serbia has effectively adopted the directive on recognising professional qualifications in inland navigation in 2022 (Transport Community, 2023[3]). Furthermore, Serbia approved Protocol '88 to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention) by adopting the required legislation.5 Implementing Vessel Traffic Services6 (VTS) commenced in May 2023, with plans to enter the testing phase (Transport Community, 2023[3]). Serbia has also outlined plans to implement Regulation 2015/757 by 2026, which focuses on overseeing, reporting, and verifying carbon dioxide emissions in maritime transport (Balkan Green Energy News, 2023[9]).
The Aids to Navigation (ATONs) project, initiated in July 2023, successfully covered the Danube River with buoys, offering real-time information to navigators. The project's second phase, focusing on applying ATONs in the Sava River, is expected to conclude within 2024 (IRD Engineering, 2023[10]). The inaugural phase of the "FAIRway works" project, dedicated to upgrading the Iron Gate II locks, also began in July 2023. This encompasses significant modifications to mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical components, with a scheduled completion period of one year, and will remove bottlenecks to navigation along the Serbian sections of the Danube (European IWT Platform, 2023[11]).
Investment in road infrastructure is considerably higher in the 2022 period than for rail and inland waterways transport (Table 12.3) due to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation projects. This investment even surpasses the EU and OECD average regarding the share of GDP spent on road infrastructure in 2022. Similarly, the investment in rail transport in 2022 surpasses the EU and OECD average for the share of GDP spent, even though it has decreased during the period by 11%. Investment in inland waterways transport has also increased during the period and remains higher than the EU and OECD area average in 2022. Meanwhile, maintenance of road, rail and inland waterways infrastructure has increased, with rail transport the highest increase at 82%. Except for road infrastructure, rail and inland waterways infrastructure maintenance is above the EU and OECD area average. This reflects that Serbia has prioritised investment in road infrastructure, with considerable spending exceeding both EU and OECD area averages.
Table 12.3. Trends in transport infrastructure investments and maintenance, Serbia (2019-22)
|
Investment |
Maintenance |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Change 2019-22 (in %) |
Value in 2022 (million EUR) |
% of GDP (2022) |
OECD average - % of GDP (2021) |
EU average - % of GDP (2021) |
Change 2019-22 (in %) |
Value in 2022 (million EUR) |
% of GDP (2022) |
OECD average - % of GDP (2021) |
EU average - % of GDP (2021) |
|
|
Road infrastructure |
82 |
1060.9 |
1.76 |
0.57 |
0.59 |
18 |
6.3 |
0.1 |
0.27 |
0.28 |
|
Rail infrastructure |
-11 |
525.0 |
0.87 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
82 |
43.6 |
0.4 |
0.17 |
0.18 |
|
Inland waterways infrastructure |
12 |
55.2 |
0.09 |
0.02 |
0.02 |
30 |
3.6 |
0.1 |
0.04 |
0.04 |
Note: OECD and EU averages represent the average value for the economies with available data.
Source: ITF (2024[12]).
Since the last CO assessment, there has been good co-operation with several neighbouring economies to enhance regional connectivity. Serbia has been negotiating with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia for agreements regulating rail border control and procedures in railway traffic. The processes experienced a slowdown but have picked up again in the past few months and are progressing well. Serbia and Hungary signed an agreement in July 2022 to amend the Agreement on border control for road, rail, and water traffic. The primary focus of the Agreement is to facilitate effective traffic and border crossing procedures along the alternate Subotica-Horgos-Reske route, with a suspension of railway traffic on the Subotica-Kelebia route (Government of Serbia, 2022[13]).
The upgraded road border control post (BCP) Kotroman in Serbia on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina officially opened on 27 June 2022 (Transport Community, 2022[14]). The improvements aim to enhance passenger travel quality and working conditions for customs officers and border police. BCP Kotroman now complies with high standards, including three traffic lanes each for entry and exit and control booths, and is expected to improve freight traffic with a dedicated cargo terminal. Works at road BCP Gostun between Serbia and Montenegro were also completed in March 2023 (Transport Community, 2023[3]). The project involved constructing seven entry and exit lanes and necessary facilities for the smooth operation of border services. The reconstruction project for road BCP Backi Breg-Hercegszanto between Serbia and Hungary is ongoing, part of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA)-Interreg Programme of Cross-Border Cooperation Hungary-Serbia 2021-24. The project is anticipated to ease the load on the primary BCPs between Serbia and Hungary (Keep.Eu, 2022[15]).
There is no dedicated policy framework regarding combined transport in Serbia, but the economy consistently earmarks budgetary resources to support and encourage combined transport. The first modern intermodal terminal in Batajnica, near Belgrade, was finished in November 2022 (European Commission, 2023[4]). However, the terminal is not yet operational. Once operational, the terminal would boost railway transport, establish links with road networks, and enhance market competitiveness. The terminal is expected to increase Serbia's combined transport capacities eightfold.7
Sub-dimension 11.3: Sustainability
Serbia has taken steps to advance towards an environmentally sustainable transport system. The economy has implemented various measures to address the climate impact of the transport sector, including the enactment of legislation such as the Climate Change Law, the Law on Renewable Energy Sources and the Law on Energy Efficiency and Rational Use of Energy. Serbia continues to lead initiatives aimed at decarbonising road transport, standing as the sole WB6 economy to have released a green bond in 2021. The funds raised from this bond are primarily dedicated to transport projects that prioritise environmentally friendly modes such as railways and inland waterways. The issuance of the green bond facilitated the acquisition of three trains and the reconstruction of 79.4 kilometres of railway (Balkan Green Energy News, 2024[16]).
Owners of electric and hybrid vehicles are exempt from annual motor vehicle taxes and can benefit from toll discounts. In March 2020, a regulation was adopted to subsidise the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles. Subsidies are provided for various categories, including hybrid passenger vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and fully electric vehicles. Additionally, subsidies and incentives are extended to public transport and taxi fleet upgrades, specifying criteria such as fully electric, hybrid, or compressed natural gas drives or meeting at least EURO 6 engine standards for exhaust emissions. In 2023, a decree doubled the subsidies for acquiring new electric and hybrid vehicles. The total subsidies available now amount to approximately EUR 2.5 million, a significant increase from the previous year's allocation (Euractiv, 2023[17]). Amendments to the Law on Planning and Constructions, adopted in July 2023, introduced the obligation to install e-chargers at gas stations on highways. Progress has been reported on the deployment of e-charging stations on Serbia’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) highways, and tenders have been launched to further accelerate their deployment. A draft of the National Strategy for the Development of Cycling in the Republic of Serbia 2022-26 has been prepared to further support cycling as a means of green mobility.
Despite these encouraging measures, pending the adoption of the National Transport Strategy, Serbia is left without an overarching and co-ordinated policy framework to guide the decarbonisation of the transport sector. The draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) contains measures primarily focused on road transport, whose presence in the overall structure of the NECP remains marginal.
Serbia has continued efforts to improve road safety. Serbia has already implemented various actions outlined in the TCT Road Safety Action Plan. These measures include collecting road safety Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) per the EU methodology; aligning national road safety data with the EU Common Accident Data Set (CADaS) model; and enhancing collaboration among all pertinent stakeholders in road safety. Serbia has also commenced a new project called "Together and Safely through Childhood", featuring interactive workshops for elementary school students in the first to fourth grades to improve child safety in traffic.8
The Road Safety Strategy 2023-30 and its Action Plan 2023-25 were adopted in October 2023, and align with key international documents.9 The Law on Road Traffic Safety was amended in September 2023, introducing stricter penalties for road safety violations. The primary objective is to achieve a 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries by 2030 and adopt the Vision Zero approach (UNECE, 2023[18]). In 2023, the EU High-Level Group on Road Safety approved the TCT proposal, inviting Serbia to join the Community Database on Accidents on the Roads in Europe (CARE) (Transport Community, 2023[19]). As a result, Serbia became the first regional partner in the Western Balkans to participate in the European Union CARE expert group for traffic safety.
Despite an overall encouraging trend in 2012-22, the absolute number of road fatalities increased by 4% in the economy during 2019-22 (Table 12.4) and the number of fatalities per million inhabitants is nearly double the EU average. This indicates that Serbia is facing challenges in reducing road fatalities, as the absolute fatality increase was despite efforts to improve road safety. This necessitates further attention and measures to align with European standards.
Table 12.4. Road safety trends in Serbia and the EU (2012-22)
Changes are expressed in percentage
|
2012-22 |
2019-22 |
2022 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Change in the number of road fatalities (SRB) |
-20 |
4 |
|
|
Change in the number of road fatalities (EU) |
-22 |
-9 |
|
|
Change in the number of fatalities per million inhabitants (SRB) |
8 |
82 |
|
|
Change in the number of fatalities per million inhabitants (EU) |
-10 |
46 |
Sources: EU data: European Commission (2023[8]).; Serbia data: information provided by the Serbian government for this assessment.
Overview of implementation of Competitiveness Outlook 2021 recommendations
Serbia has made progress in following up on the Recommendations of the Competitiveness Outlook 2021 assessment (Table 12.5). Efforts have been made to align with the EU acquis and update the policy framework. Collaborative efforts with neighbouring economies and the signing of agreements, such as the one with Hungary to improve traffic and border crossing procedures, indicate a commitment to keeping transport facilitation as a key priority. Serbia has also taken focused steps to address environmental challenges in the context of transportation. The legislative framework provides a foundation for these efforts. Meanwhile the practical steps taken – such as the issuance of a green bond in 2021 to fund environmentally friendly transport projects, and incentives for encouraging low carbon mobility – present tangible actions towards integrating environmental considerations into transport planning.
Table 12.5. Serbia’s progress on past recommendations for transport policy
|
Competitiveness Outlook 2021 recommendations |
Progress status |
Level of progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Enhance the implementation, monitoring and readjustment of the existing policy framework |
Serbia is developing its National Transport Strategy 2023‑30 and its ITS strategy for the same period, reflecting efforts to enhance the existing policy framework, but it has not yet been adopted. Amendments to various laws, including those related to planning and construction, interstate roads, and nature protection, highlight the commitment to updating and aligning policies with evolving needs. |
Moderate |
|
Update or renew outdated national cost-benefit analysis guidelines, covering all transport modes |
While amendments to laws related to public procurement and capital projects have been enacted, the CBA guidelines followed in the economy have not been updated. |
Limited |
|
Ensure road safety remains a key priority |
Serbia has adopted a new Road Safety Strategy 2023‑30, indicating a commitment to ensuring road safety remains a key priority. The strategy aligns with international documents and aims for a 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries by 2030, employing the Vision Zero approach. |
Strong |
|
Establish the basics of a transport asset management system in line with the national inventory system |
Efforts have been made to establish a road asset management system. PERS has outlined a project in its Annual Business Programme for 2023 for updating and expanding road network databases, laying the groundwork for a multi-year maintenance plan. Asset management systems for other transport modes are still lacking. |
Limited |
|
Keep transport facilitation as a key priority |
Serbia has prioritised transport facilitation and regional connectivity efforts by actively engaging in initiatives with neighbouring economies. These efforts include ongoing negotiations with Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Croatia to regulate rail border control and the signed Agreement with Hungary to improve overall traffic and border crossing procedures. |
Strong |
|
Develop an Integrated Environmental and Transport Action Plan |
Serbia has taken tangible steps to address environmental sustainability within the transport sector. While legislative efforts are commendable, more concrete actions and the formulation of a detailed plan that integrates environmental considerations seamlessly into transport strategies are needed. |
Moderate |
The way forward for transport policy
Given that some of the recommendations outlined in the previous assessment remain valid, despite progress on several key fronts, policy makers in Serbia could:
Renew domestic CBA guidelines for all transport modes. Serbia needs to update its CBA guidelines and accompanying technical instructions. The guidance should be updated regularly, at least every two years. Developing a benchmark for all technical and economic parameters is necessary to ensure consistency in the discount rates used for similar projects in the same economy, including the financial and economic discount rates in the state guidance documents. This benchmark should be consistently applied in project appraisal at the national level. By ensuring that CBA guidelines are up-to-date, Serbia can strengthen the evidence-based decision-making process, improve project prioritisation, and ultimately contribute to its transport infrastructure's successful and sustainable development.
Develop an Integrated Environment and Transport Action Plan. While progress is being made on tangible measures and legislative efforts to address environmental sustainability in transport, Serbia could also consider developing an Integrated Environment and Transport Action Plan. This plan needs to integrate existing indicators and develop additional ones by developing a comprehensive framework for improving environmental sustainability in the transport sector. Measures and indicators could also be included in the upcoming National Transport Strategy. The European Environmental Agency developed a good example of monitoring in the form of the Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism, which prescribes indicators for monitoring the relationship between transport and the environment in the EU. The TERM could work as a starting point for Serbia to assess and monitor policies related to sustainable transport.10
Enhance efforts to develop well-functioning combined transport. Combined transport is the most cost-efficient mode of transport, reducing environmental pollution and increasing cooperation between freight forwarding network companies. Achieving well-functioning logistical chains and establishing an international corridor approach and intermodal solutions could promote high competitiveness in Serbia’s transport market. Legislation should encompass clear guidelines and incentives for promoting combined transport, fostering collaboration between various transport modes and among different stakeholders, and establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework that can contribute to integrating modern technologies, ensuring a seamless and efficient combined transport network.
Continue efforts to develop asset management systems for all transport modes. To ensure a comprehensive and integrated approach to asset management across all transport modes, it is recommended that Serbia expand its focus beyond roads and develop asset management systems covering railways, waterways, and other modes. These should integrate modern technologies and data analytics to effectively monitor, maintain, and optimise the entire sector’s infrastructure. Such an expanded approach would enable Serbia to enhance its diverse transportation networks' longevity, efficiency and performance.
References
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[14] Transport Community (2022), Action Plans - and the EU Acquis Progress Report 2022 (November Issue), https://doi.org/10.1542/9781581105087-action.
[18] UNECE (2023), RSPR Policy Dialogue and How to Move Forward Road Safety System: Serbia’s National Road Safety Strategy 2023-2025, https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/SIII_Serbia%20RSS_MT.pdf.
[2] World Bank (2021), Serbia Railway Sector Modernisation, http://Available at: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/982541623826879519/pdf/Disclosable-Version-of-the-ISR-Serbia-Railway-Sector-Modernization-P170868-Sequence-No-01.pdf.
Notes
← 1. The Western Balkans Trade and Transport Facilitation Project is promoted by the World Bank. The development objective is to reduce trade costs and increase transport efficiency in Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. The project has four main components:
facilitate the movement of goods across the region,
enhance transport efficiency and predictability,
improve market access in services and foster regional investment,
support project implementation units and provide additional technical support.
← 2. Namely adoption of the Rulebook on the Management of Capital Projects in 2019 (Legal Information System Republic of Serbia, n.d.5).
← 3. Available at: https://www.putevi-srbije.rs/images/pdf/organi_upravljanja/2023-05-25-Program-poslovanja-JPPS-za-2023.pdf
← 4. For more information, see: https://www.constructionbriefing.com/news/budapest-belgrade-railway-hits-a-roadblock/8031849.article.
← 5. For more information, please see: Available at: https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/About/Conventions/StatusOfConventions/Status%202023.pdf
← 6. VTS involves the proactive surveillance and control of vessel movements within designated regions, commonly in busy harbours, ports, and other maritime zones with high traffic. The principal objective of VTS is to improve navigation safety and efficiency by providing up-to-the-minute information, effective communication, and the organisation of maritime traffic.
← 7. For more information, please see: https://www.euzatebe.rs/en/projects/construction-of-intermodal-terminal-in-batajnica
← 8. For more information, please see: https://prosveta.gov.rs/vesti/predstavljen-projekat-zajedno-i-bezbedno-kroz-detinjstvo/
← 9. Such as UN Resolution А/Res/74/299; the Global Plan for the Decade of Action 2021-30; the Stockholm Declaration; the EU Policy Framework for Road Safety 2021-30; and the Road Safety Action Plan for the Western Balkans.
← 10. For more information, please see: https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/transport/term.