USAID Business Enabling Project USAID-SEIO Consultative Monitoring under USAID Assistance Agreement: 169-AA-10-EG/001 Susan Kutor, USAID/Serbia Economic Growth Office Director February 28, 2012

USAID Business Enabling Project SEIO Aid coordination sector: Private Sector Development; Public Administration Budget and Duration Total Life of Project funding: $16.7 million January 2011 – December 2015 Implementing Partner Cardno Emerging Markets Chief of Party Joe Lowther ObjectiveA More Competitive Market Economy Agreement169-AA-10-EG/001 ComponentsBusiness Regulation and Economic Governance Macroeconomic Policy and Public Financial Management Financial Market Development USAID Business Enabling Project 2

CONSULATIVE PROCESS TO DATE Spring Consultations with GoS counterparts helped to develop and reach agreement on Year One work plan priorities February 2012 –BEP held two-day retreat with GoS counterparts to discuss Year Two work plan in depth Date of USAID-GoS work plan reviews: Last review: May 2011 Next review: February 2012 USAID Business Enabling Project 3

STATE OF IMPLEMENTATION Inspections Reform – A series of roundtables and outreach led to the establishment of a GoS inter-ministerial Inspections Reform Coordination Body, and development of an inspections reform strategy is underway. Access to Finance – A series of roundtables and outreach has been completed; compilation into detailed issues paper and recommendations for reforms to be completed in Spring 2012 Quasi-fiscal Charges – USAID is conducting a study of quasi- fiscal charges that will quantify the quasi fiscal charges imposed on business, and will provide recommendations and guidelines for reform. 4

STATE OF IMPLEMENTATION (continued) Construction Permits – A study and stakeholders dialogue on the main constraints is ongoing, with the study to be completed in March This study will provide guidelines and an action plan for reform. Enforcement of Judgments – Out of 19 bylaws need to implement new law, 4 were developed and adopted; 7 were developed and are ready to be adopted; 8 need to be developed. Data Gathering: A representative Business Survey of 1000 Serbian-owned businesses identified issues, established baseline and dialogue. A Standard Cost Model quantified the cost of inefficient administrative procedures, helping to establish reform priorities 5

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM GOS PARTNERS FOR YEAR ONE The GoS Coordination Body for Inspections Reform was formed. 11 Bylaws for the new Law on Enforcement were developed; 4 adopted. A GoS Decree on conversion of usage rights to ownership rights was enacted, positively affecting the construction business. All of the bylaws for the Capital Markets Law were adopted. The Fiscal Council was established and operating in accordance with the law; has informed budget decisions. 6

INDICATORS – BUSINESS ENABLING ENVIRONMENT IMPROVED Decrease in the “Burden of Government Regulations” – World Economic Forum - May  Number of Commerce Laws and Regulations Simplified and Implemented in Accordance with International Standards bylaws/amendments adopted in Year One  Decrease in costs for businesses to comply with the regulatory framework – baseline established through Standard Cost Model USAID Business Enabling Project 7

INDICATORS – MACROECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IMPROVED  Increase in Foreign Direct Investment  Improvements in the Open Budget Index (“OBI”) Score as reported by the International Budget Partnership – Every 3 years  Improved score in WEF GCI Financial Market Development indicator – September  Improved Government Budget Balance as percentage of GDP – April  Increased credit to private sector as a percentage of GDP – end of project USAID Business Enabling Project 8

OBSTACLES AND PROPOSED SOLUTIONS Issue 1: The Ministry of Justice is insufficiently focused on proper implementation of the Law on Enforcement of Judgments. Bylaws and system still not in place. Risk: The Ministry is not ready for implementation of the law by May 2012, particularly fielding and supervising the new Professional Enforcement Officers, and the law is not successfully implemented. Solution: Ministry of Justice needs to appoints a project leader with the authority and time to manage implementation. USAID will transition work on enforcement of judgments to the upcoming GIZ project. 9

OBSTACLES AND PROPOSED SOLUTIONS Issue 2: USAID has not been able to provide critical assistance in performance-based budgeting as envisioned due to lack of receptivity on the part of the Budget Department of the Ministry of Finance. Risk: The lack of performance-based budgeting perpetuates the current practice of basing the budget on short-term considerations and political expediencies. Solution: The GoS provides direction to the Budget Department of the Ministry of Finance to implement performance-based budgeting. 10

Discussion 11