From the date the Decision of European Union’s Council of Ministers on European Partnership had stepped into force (14 June 2004), the progress of the Republic of Serbia in the European integration process has been estimated on the basis of fulfillment of obligations contained in this document. Accordingly, the Action plan for harmonisation for the year 2005 includes the laws whose adoption is recommended by the European Partnership, the laws from the Action plan for 2004 which were not adopted and laws which are, according to the estimations of the line ministries, this year’s priorities in the process of harmonisation with the EU regulations.

In the year in which we are awaiting the Feasibility study and the initiation of negotiations on Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), the adoption of the Action plan for legal harmonisation for 2005 will be necessary for realising the European Partnership priority i.e. realising the Serbian Government’s Action plan for enforcing these priorities, as well as for fulfilling the obligations which will be assumed after the signing of the SAA.

The Action plan for harmonisation of legislation for the year 2005 contains a table with 41 laws which are to be adopted, the explanation of the need for their drafting, the list of ministries competent for their adoption, time frame in which the Government shall establish the law proposals, as well as the persons directly responsible for drafting of particular laws.

Being a professional service of the Government of Serbia for coordination of preparations for EU accession, the European Integration Office will act as initiator of the Action Plan drafting. The Office will inform the Government quarterly on the progress of this plan’s implementation.