07. 03. 2025.

The Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes marked 20 years of successful work at the international conference “Access to Justice in Labour Matters for All: Prevention and Resolution of Labour Disputes,” held on March 4, 2025, at the Metropol Hotel in Belgrade. The conference was organized with the support of the International Labour Organization and its projects aimed at strengthening social dialogue and labour justice in Serbia and the region.

This significant event brought together experts in labour law, social dialogue, and conciliation, as well as representatives of social partners and institutions, who joined the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes in celebrating two decades of the institution’s work.

The conference was officially opened by the Director of the Agency, Dr. Ivica Lazović, who spoke about the achievements and vision for the Agency’s further development. Participants were also welcomed by Ada Huibregtse, Chief Technical Advisor of the International Labour Organization, Zoran Martinović, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran, and Social Affairs, Duško Vuković, Vice President of the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia, Zoran Ilić, Deputy President of UGS “Nezavisnost,” and Vesna Kovačević Stanković from the Union of Employers of Serbia.

In the opening addresses, the significance of developing a system for peaceful labour dispute resolution was highlighted, along with its role in stabilizing labour relations, reducing court disputes, and strengthening social dialogue in Serbia.

A special part of the conference was dedicated to awarding recognitions to partners who have contributed to the development of mechanisms for peaceful labour dispute resolution in Serbia.

During panel discussions, participants had the opportunity to hear experiences and best practices from experts from European countries such as Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Bulgaria, Belgium, as well as from the Western Balkans. The panels offered comparisons of different models of peaceful labour dispute resolution, with a particular focus on the development of regional and European networks of institutions in this field.

Participants were also introduced to the International Labour Organization’s guidelines for improving access to justice in labour matters, which represent an important step in the continuous advancement of legal and institutional frameworks for resolving labour disputes.

The celebration of 20 years of the Agency’s work confirmed that peaceful labour dispute resolution is a key instrument for a stable and fair working environment and that the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes remains one of the key pillars of this process in Serbia.