Serbia

Serbia participates in the Berlin process for the Western Balkans, highlighting digital connectivity as one of the areas of cooperation under the ‘connectivity agenda.’ One key initiative from the perspective of IG within the Berlin process is the establishment of the EU’s Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans, focused on promoting digital connectivity and infrastructure development in the region, including expanding broadband access, improving digital literacy, and supporting digital entrepreneurship and innovation. In addition, the initiative has supported the establishment of a regional cybersecurity platform to enhance cooperation on cybersecurity issues and promote the development of cyber resilience in the WB. Other digital aspects of the Berlin Process include support for developing e-government and digital public services, and efforts to promote digital skills development and training.

Serbian stakeholders are active participants in various internet governance forums and initiatives at the regional and global levels. Serbian stakeholders participate in the annual South Eastern European Dialogue on Internet Governance (SEE+) and Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) events, which bring together stakeholders from the region to discuss digital policy-related issues and challenges. At the global level, Serbia is a member of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

Serbia also has a national internet governance initiative called Serbian IGF, which was established as a bottom-up, multistakeholder platform for discussing internet-related public policy issues in Serbia.

The first national IGF Serbia was held in May 2022 in Belgrade. However, this is not the first time that a multistakeholder dialogue on IG issues has occurred in Serbia. The first meeting to focus on IG issues took place in 2009 in the form of panel debates. Between 2012 and 2014, an annual event, Serbian Internet Dialogue, was also held.

Serbia has adopted several digital strategies in recent years to guide its digital transformation process.

• Strategy for Development of Information Security 2019-2023 is a strategy that aims to improve the level of information security in Serbia and protect the rights and interests of citizens, businesses, and public administration in the digital environment. The strategy covers five areas: legal framework, institutional framework, capacity development, awareness raising, and international cooperation.
• Digital Skills Development Strategy (2020-2024): contribute to raising the quality of life of all citizens in a modern environment, as well as to greater employment, work efficiency and the overall economic growth of society. Strategic measures are aimed at improving digital competences in the education system, acquiring and developing basic and advanced digital skills for all citizens, raising digital skills in relation to the needs of the labor market and implementing programs intended for ICT experts to monitor development and progress in technology. This strategy has four key strategic objectives
  • Improving digital competencies in the education system.
  • Improving basic and advanced digital skills for all citizens.
  • Developing digital skills in relation to the needs of the labour market.
  • Lifelong learning of ICT professionals.

Serbia has taken several steps to enhance its cybersecurity capabilities and resilience in recent years. Some of these steps are:

• Establishing a National CERT of the Republic of Serbia – Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Postal Services in 2014 as the national authority for responding to cyber incidents and providing technical assistance to public institutions and critical infrastructure operators.
• Adopting a Law on Information Security in 2016 as the legal basis for regulating information security issues in Serbia. The law defines the roles and responsibilities of various actors in the information security system.
• Developing a National Cyber Security Strategy as a strategic document that defines the vision, goals, and priorities for improving cybersecurity in Serbia.
• Serbia has ratified CoE Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)

Serbia has adopted a Strategy for Development of Artificial Intelligence in Serbia for the Period 2020-2025 in 2020 as the first national strategy on AI in the region. The strategy was developed through a participatory and inclusive process involving various stakeholders from academia, industry, government, civil society, and international organizations. The strategy aims to position Serbia as a regional leader in AI research and development and to use AI as a driver of economic growth, social welfare, and democratic values.

As part of the strategy, Serbia has announced the establishment of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence Research and Development in Serbia which will deal with the research into AI applications in various fields. The aim of the institute’s work is to create future personnel and attract investments in the field of AI.
The Serbian AI Society exemplifies the MSH approach through its incorporation of actors from various sectors, including academia, civil society, computer science, the government, and private industry. The society’s initiatives centre on enhancing capacity, facilitating discussions, conducting research, promoting awareness, and facilitating ecosystem collaboration in the field of AI.