1. “Participation in the European Community
Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity
PROGRESS”
INT MARKT 31052
Organised in co-operation with:
The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
&
The Ministry of Economy and Regional Development,
Serbia
Venue:
Holiday Inn Beograd ****
74 Spanskih boraca
CS 11070 - Belgrade
Telephone : +381-11- 3100000
Fax : +381-11-3100100
Belgrade, Serbia
14-15 October, 2008
For more information on TAIEX assistance and to download presentations of this
event, please go to: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/taiex.

2. Aim of the meeting:
Serbia's participation in PROGRESS – EC Programme for Employment and
Social Solidarity – is seen by the Serbian Government as one of the key
preparatory activities for the participation in EU initiatives in the field of social
policy and employment open for member states, such as in those financed by the
European Social Fund and EQUAL. It is also expected to significantly contribute
to the preparation for participation in the 4th IPA (Financial Instrument of Pre-
accession Assistance) component Human Resources Development. Therefore,
the seminar in Belgrade would represent an important way of supporting all
stakeholders in Serbia in the process of their prospective participation in the
Programme. Having in mind that the previous seminar on PROGRESS held in
Belgrade in November 2007 gathered around 50 participants and that the interest
of potential beneficiaries of the Programme has significantly increased since, it is
estimated that the workshop would attend at least 100 representatives of national
authorities, social partners, NGOs, educational and research institutions, etc. All
the problems, open issues, difficulties, possibilities, challenges and other aspects
could be discussed directly with experts from the European Commission and with
national coordinators in Serbia, but primarily with the beneficiary organizations
from the EU which have significant experience in project management and are
already implementing projects within the framework of PROGRESS. The event
would be opened by Serbian high officials, who also participated in the press
conference held by Mr. Vladimir Spidla, EU Commissioner for employment,
social affairs and equal opportunities, on the occasion of his visit to Belgrade in
October 2007, when Serbia’s participation in PROGRESS was announced
publicly for the first time.

3. Day I: Tuesday 14 October, 2008
Chair: Ms. Miona Popovic, Ministry of Economy and Regional
Development
8:30 - 9:30 Registration
9:30 - 10:00 Opening Speech
Mr. Rasim Ljajic, Minister of Labour and Social Policy of the
Republic of Serbia (tentatively confirmed)
Ms Vesna Kovac, State Secretary, Ministry of Economy and
Regional Development (tentatively confirmed)
10:00 - 11:00 Decision No 1672/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing a Community
Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity —
PROGRESS
Ms Flaminia Bussacchini, Deputy Head of Unit, Unit 01 –
General Coordination and Interinstitutional Relations,
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal
Opportunities
(confirmed)
11:00 - 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 - 12:00 Participation of the Republic of Serbia in the EC Programme
PROGRESS
Mr. Ivan Sekulovic, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of
Serbia; Member of the PROGRESS Committee
(confirmed)
12:00 – 13:00 Case study: Project within PROGRESS component Employment
Mr. Peter Oberbichler, Public Employment Service, Austria
(confirmed)
13:00 – 14:30 Lunch Break
14:30 – 15:30 Case study: Project within PROGRESS component Working
Conditions
Mr. Palle Banke, Teknological Institute, Denmark
(confirmed)

4. 15:30 - 16:30 Q&A
Day II: Wednesday 15 October, 2008
Chair: Ms. Dragana Radovanovic, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
8:30 - 9:30 Registration
9:30 - 10:30 Case study: Project within PROGRESS component Non
discrimination & Diversity
Ms. Sinikka Keskinen, Ministry of the Interior, Finland
(confirmed)
10:30 - 11:15 Case study: Anti-Discrimination Project (Serbian experiences in
the preparation of project proposals within the framework of
PROGRESS)
Mr. Sasa Gajin, Center for Advanced Legal Studies, Belgrade
(confirmed)
11:15 - 11:45 Coffee break
11:45 - 12:45 Case study: Project within PROGRESS component Social
Protection and Social Inclusion
Ms. Kapka Panayotova, European Network of Independent
Living, Bulgaria
(confirmed)
12:45 - 13:30 Case study: Gender Equality Project (Serbian experiences in the
preparation of project proposals within the framework of
PROGRESS)
Ms. Natalija Micunovic, director
Gender Equality Directorate – Ministry of Labour and Social
Policy of Serbia
(confirmed)
13:30 - 15:00 Lunch break

5. 15:00 - 15:45 EU Social Networks
Ms. Kapka Panayotova, European Network of Independent
Living, Bulgaria
(confirmed)
15:45 – 16:30 Case study: Valencia's experiences from the participation in EU
funds: Migrants and innovative approaches.
Mr Miguel Mares, Valencia Regional Office, Spain
(confirmed)
16:30 - 17:00 Q & A and end of workshop
This meeting is being organised by the
Technical Assistance Information Exchange Instrument
of the European Commission
CHAR 03/149, B - 1049 Brussels
Telephone: +32-2-296 73 07, Fax: +32-2-296 76 94
Web site http://taiex.ec.europa.eu/