At the ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of the Public Institution Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes of Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska (BiH), held on Friday, 17 October 2025, the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes received a Certificate of Appreciation for the successful cooperation to date.

The Certificate was received on behalf of the Agency by its Director, Dr Ivica Lazović, who also had the honour of addressing the participants at the opening of the event. In addition to the representatives of the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes, the event in Banja Luka was attended by representatives of the Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes of Montenegro, the Minister of Labour and Veterans and Disabled Protection of the Republic of Srpska, Mr Danijel Egić, the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Srpska, Mr Goran Selak, representatives of trade unions and employers, as well as numerous conciliators and arbitrators.

In his opening remarks, Dr Lazović emphasized the importance of continuous cooperation and exchange of experiences between the “sister” agencies from Serbia, the Republic of Srpska (BiH), and Montenegro. “Our institutions are organized according to the same model, with only minor differences in the regulatory framework, which means that the challenges we face are also similar,” he noted. “There is very close cooperation between our institutions on a daily basis, allowing us to learn from each other through consultations and the exchange of practices, and to perform our work in the most efficient way possible,” he added. Dr Lazović also underlined that networking of institutions dealing with the peaceful settlement of labour disputes at the Western Balkan and European levels is of great importance, reminding the audience of the experiences exchanged during this year’s international conferences held in Geneva and Leuven.

The event continued with a roundtable discussion attended by the Agency’s Director, Dr Ivica Lazović, Agency Advisors Mr Miloš Prokić and Ms Jelena Golubović, representatives of the agencies from Montenegro and the Republic of Srpska (BiH), representatives of the relevant ministry, employers, trade unions, and conciliators and arbitrators from the Republic of Srpska (BiH). The participants discussed current challenges in implementing the mechanisms of peaceful settlement of labour disputes, exchanged practical experiences, and agreed on recommendations for further improvement.

The Republic Agency for Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes participated in the XXVII International Scientific and Professional Conference of the Association for Labour Law and Social Security of the Republic of Serbia, held from 8 to 11 October 2025 at Zlatibor.

This year’s Conference brought together numerous distinguished experts in the field of labour law and social security from Serbia and the region, representatives of state institutions, trade unions, employers, academia, and international organizations, to discuss the topic “Labour Law in New Circumstances: Challenges and Solutions.”

At the ceremonial opening, the Director of the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes, Dr Ivica Lazović, welcomed the participants and expressed his satisfaction with the continuously growing number of attendees each year. In his opening remarks, he emphasized that changes in labour relations are both inevitable and constant, while the individual worker remains the one most exposed to pressure and challenges.

In addition to Dr Lazović, the participants were also addressed by Professor Dr Bojan Urdarević, President of the Association for Labour Law and Social Security, Professor Dr Živko Kulić, conciliator and arbitrator of the Agency, and Dr Jovan Protić, National Coordinator of the International Labour Organization in Belgrade.

In the working part of the Conference, Dr Ivica Lazović presented a paper titled “Transnationalization of Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes – a Challenge for the Future,” highlighting the importance of cross-border cooperation between institutions dealing with alternative labour dispute resolution, as well as the need to improve these practices in line with European standards and new conditions in which labour relations are developing.

The Agency also actively participated in a roundtable discussion entitled “Resolution of Individual and Collective Labour Disputes,” which brought together judges, professors, conciliators, and arbitrators to address current challenges in practice and propose improvements to peaceful dispute resolution procedures.

During the panel “The State of Social Dialogue and Collective Bargaining in Serbia,” the Agency’s Director, Dr Ivica Lazović, emphasized the need to strengthen social dialogue, stressing that social partners must actively cooperate and that the Agency is always ready to provide expert support. At the panel “Labour Legislation in the Function of Sustainable Business and Economic Growth,” which gathered representatives of employers and the Agency, Dr Lazović spoke about the necessity for the private sector to increasingly resort to peaceful methods of resolving labour disputes.

Throughout the three-day Conference, numerous topics of importance for labour legislation were discussed — from the new Labour Law and the state of social dialogue in Serbia to challenges in exercising the right to strike, the status of freelancers, flexible forms of work, workers’ rights on digital platforms, and the impact of artificial intelligence on labour relations.

It was concluded that such gatherings are of exceptional importance for the exchange of knowledge and experience and for creating an environment in which labour law reforms will be based on a balance between economic efficiency and social justice.

The Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes of Montenegro marked its 15th anniversary with a ceremony held on 1 October 2025 in Podgorica, attended by guests from the region, representatives of institutions, social partners, as well as conciliators and arbitrators.

During the ceremony, the Director of the Agency, Enesa Rastoder, presented plaques of appreciation to individuals who have contributed through their engagement to the improvement of the system of peaceful settlement of labour disputes in Montenegro.

One of the recipients of the award was Dr Ivica Lazović, Director of the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes, who on that occasion highlighted that peaceful settlement of labour disputes is gaining increasing importance globally. He emphasized that the countries of the former Yugoslavia share similar legal systems, practices, and challenges, which makes cooperation between Serbia, Montenegro, and the Republic of Srpska particularly valuable.

As part of this important event, the regular annual training for conciliators and arbitrators of Montenegro was also held. The lectures were delivered by Professor Dr Bojan Urdarević and Professor Dr Senad Jašarević, long-standing conciliators and arbitrators of the Republic Agency. They shared with their colleagues both academic and practical experiences in the field of labour disputes.

Director Dr Ivica Lazović also presented to the participants the conclusions from the Tripartite Technical Meeting “Access to Justice in Labour Matters: Prevention and Resolution of Labour Disputes”, held earlier this year in Geneva, which represents a milestone in international efforts aimed at preventing labour disputes.

The event reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation, given that the countries of the former Yugoslavia are linked by similar legal systems, practices, and challenges in their work. At the same time, it highlighted the importance of continuous education of conciliators and arbitrators as a prerequisite for further development of peaceful dispute resolution mechanisms, with the goal of strengthening social dialogue and ensuring stable labour relations.

With the conciliation of the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labor Disputes, the strike at Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services – SMATSA d.o.o. Belgrade was successfully brought to an end. The Agency had been informed by SMATSA that the Air Traffic Controllers’ Union had announced a strike, and given the nature of the employer’s activities, the procedure was, in accordance with the Law, initiated ex officio.

Miljko Valjarević was appointed as the acting conciliator. At the very first hearing, a Conciliation Board was formed, comprising representatives of both parties and the conciliator. Through a series of hearings, in an atmosphere of dialogue and with the support of the conciliator, the parties gradually narrowed their differences and reached a compromise solution. As a result, a Joint Recommendation was signed, specifying the ways in which the disputed issues would be resolved.

This case once again confirmed that proceedings before the Agency enable the quick, efficient, and institutional resolution of labor disputes, ensuring stability and the uninterrupted functioning of services of vital public interest.

Through the mediation of the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labor Disputes, a collective labor dispute at the frozen food company Frikom d.o.o. was successfully resolved. The dispute was initiated ex officio, in accordance with the Law, following the strike announcement by the Independent Trade Union of Frikom.

Bojana Stanić was appointed as the acting conciliator. At the very first hearing, she formed a Conciliation Board composed of representatives of both parties and the conciliator herself. A total of five hearings were held, during which the parties demonstrated a willingness to overcome their disagreements and bring their positions closer together.

The procedure was concluded with the signing of a Joint Recommendation on the peaceful settlement of the collective labor dispute, which set out in detail the ways in which the dispute would be resolved.

The employer and employees of Frikom d.o.o. thus provided an example of readiness for social dialogue, all with the aim of finding compromise solutions through the process of peaceful dispute resolution.

At the invitation of the European Commission, the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes participated in the conference titled “Mutual Learning on Preventive and Curative Mediation/Conciliation in Collective Labour Disputes: Exchange of National Practices and Reflections on a Transnational Dimension”, held on July 10–11, 2025, in Leuven, Belgium. This two-day seminar brought together representatives of relevant institutions from 17 European countries and is part of a series of events aimed at improving labour relations and social dialogue through mutual exchange of practices.

Participants had the opportunity to share experiences, knowledge, and challenges they face in collective dispute resolution through interactive presentations and workshops. The seminar explored approaches to peaceful labour dispute resolution in different countries, success factors, limitations and challenges in implementing conciliation and mediation, the skills and competencies of modern conciliators, as well as mechanisms for mediation at the transnational level. Special attention was given to the development of a virtual learning platform to support the further advancement of the practice.

It is of great importance for the Agency to have been recognised as an equal partner in this important topic and to be included in a joint dialogue with institutions that have a long-standing tradition in peaceful labour dispute resolution. During the conference, the Agency’s representatives actively participated in all working groups and discussions, sharing national specificities and practical experiences from Serbia.

This participation marks another step forward in strengthening the position of the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes on the European map of institutions that promote dialogue and the peaceful resolution of collective labour disputes.