Partners

Activities

• Presentation of the Study in Brusels, 07.12.2005. >>
  • Photos from the presentation >>
• Press conference in Belgrade, 17.12.2005. >>
  • Photos from the press conference >>
• Press conference in Pristina, 19.12.2005. >>

Publication

Free Movement for People and Goods in Kosovo, Serbia and EU

European Movement in Serbia (EMinS) from Belgrade and the Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Development (KIPRED) from Pristina are conducting joint research project "Free movement of people and goods in Kosovo, Serbia and EU" between May 2005 and March 2006. The project is supported and coordinated by Freedom House Regional and Serbia programs and is realized in cooperation with the regional advisory organization, the Center for Liberal Strategies from Sofia, Bulgaria. The idea for the project derives from the concept and activities of the Civic Dialogue whose Board is actively engaged in several stages of the project implementation.

Aiming to investigate the problems common to the citizens of both Serbia and Kosovo regardless of sometimes biased political questions, EMinS and KIPRED decided to use local capacities to explore the freedom of movement of people and goods in Kosovo and Serbia. The research is conducted according to agreed methodology and it includes a variety of methodological tools. Regarding freedom of movement - extensive public opinion survey on the people's perceptions regarding free movement, with special focus on three groups: experts, students, businessmen has been conducted, and supplemented with legal review of the existing regulations. Research of the trade relations includes analysis of the trade flows between Kosovo and Serbia by comparison of official data sets, examination of the legal regulations and existing impediments for the improvement of the trade relations as well as the case study research of the Southwestern, Sandzak producers/transporters perceptions about the existing impediments and restrictions to trade between Kosovo and Serbia.

Some of the data sets will be for the first time compared and correlated thus enabling interesting conclusions and practical recommendations for more liberal trade and genuine free movement.

The ultimate presumption is that the free movement of people between Kosovo and Serbia on the one hand, and between the region and EU on the other hand as well as enhanced trade relations could lead towards better understanding and reconciliation and faster integration of the region into European structures.

A policy paper "A Joint European Vision: Free Mobility for People and Goods in Kosovo and Serbia" with research results and recommendations will be published, advocated and presented to the domestic and international stakeholders. It will also be available to the wider public in Serbian, English and Albanian language.