The Republic of Serbia began receiving international assistance to a greater extent since 2001, in order to more efficiently implement comprehensive social, political and economic reforms. In the first period (until 2002), the donor support consisted mainly of humanitarian assistance aimed at meeting the urgent social needs of the population and addressing immediate needs - providing support to the import of electricity and the recovery of national energy systems, providing the missing drugs, and solving the refugee issues.
Following the Thessaloniki Summit of the Heads of State or Government of the EU Member States and Candidate Countries, which was held in June 2003, at which the EU confirmed its unequivocal support to the European future of the Western Balkan countries, the donor support has gradually been increasingly directed towards supporting the structural reforms, as a response to the challenges that accompany the process of European integration.
Based on the concluded bilateral and multilateral International Framework Agreements on development cooperation and Agreements on the implementation of various instruments and programmes financed from international development assistance funds, the Republic of Serbia has funds available from various international funds with which the implementation of strategic reforms in the process of Serbia's accession to the EU and its socio-economic development are financed.
The international development assistance to the Republic of Serbia includes the support by bilateral and multilateral development partners, including the financial support of international financial institutions, and is provided either in the form of grants (including humanitarian aid) or as concessional loans, which are granted under significantly better conditions than those dictated by the market.
The Donor community in the Republic of Serbia consists of over 30 bilateral donors/development partners, multilateral organizations and international financial institutions.
The European Union has been the leading donor of grants to the Republic of Serbia for the past 25 years.
The Ministry of European Integration carries out state administration and related tasks related to planning and programming, monitoring and reporting on the process of accession to the European Union. The activities of the Ministry include coordination, establishment and development of systems for the use of EU funds, definition of financial objectives and priorities, coordination of the programming of IPA funds, monitoring the implementation of programmes funded by the European Union and other donors' assistance in the Republic of Serbia; managing the operating structure for the European Territorial Cooperation Programmes; monitoring how ministries and other institutions are fulfilling their obligations related to EU accession and informing the public about EU accession and the use of international development assistance, including IPA funds.
