This document provides an overview of social entrepreneurship in Serbia. It discusses how social entrepreneurship started in Serbia in response to economic and social challenges in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Key stakeholders currently working in this area include public institutions, international organizations, domestic non-profits, and businesses. These groups are working to establish a supportive legislative framework and partnerships to promote social inclusion through social enterprises and cooperatives. The document concludes with brief case studies of four social enterprises in Serbia.

1. Social entrepreneurship
new partnerships as a solution for
social inclusion of vulnerable
groups
Case: Serbia
Gordan Velev, Group 484

2. Content
In this presentation we will talk about:
1. Where and Why social entrepreneurship started in Serbia
2. When did it begin?
3. Who are the most important stakeholders currently?
4. How and what are they doing?
5. What is the current legislative framework?
6. Trough the case studies we will show what is the link
between social enterprises, social inclusion and
partnerships
Hopefully, it will take us 10 minutes 

3. Where and Why?
• Socialistic past of Serbia (part of ex-Yugoslavia)
• The period of disintegration of economical system and the
system of social policy (1989-2000)
• Weak communication between different institutions
(primarily employment sector, education and social policy)
• CSOs: development of civil society, anti-war
activities, development of democratic institutions and the like
– until 2000
• CSO as service providers: response to humanitarian crisis
• Non for profit sector agenda – driven by international donors
• Institutional framework: not-existing

4. When?
• In last 3-4 years both civil sector and the government started
thinking about integrated approach in the field of social
economy
• Increased interest in social economy (2006): Role of Social
Enterprises in Employment Generation in CEE and CIS –
National Study in Serbia, SeConS, UNDP, Belgrade, 2006
• The mapping showed that under the EMES criteria, there are
1158 possible social enterprises in Serbia

5. Who?
• Public institutions:
SIPRU Team (Cabinet of vise prime minister), Ministry for
economy and regional development, Ministry for Labor and
Social Policy, National employment service
• International agencies and foundations:
UNDP, IOM, ILO, UniCredit Foundation, ERSTE Foundation
• Domestic organizations and foundations:
European Movement, SMART Kolektiv, BCIF, IDC, Group
484, etc…
• Business sector:
NALED, Global Compact Forum, Business Leadership
Forum, Erste Bank, Chamber of Commerce Serbia, etc…
It is of enormous importance to have structured, continues efforts and
partnerships both between all the stakeholders and between and within the
governmental institutions

6. How and what?
• Public institutions:
Creation of legislative framework, establishment of financing
opportunities, outsourcing of services, PPP
• International agencies and foundations:
Support of pilot projects, advocacy, policy
• Domestic organizations and foundations:
Implementation of projects, advocacy, policy, establishment of
networks, promotion of the concept
• Business sector:
Enrolment of SE in the distribution chains, CSR, PPP
Key words: legislative framework, public private partnerships, social economy, social
enterprises, fund for development of social enterprises

7. Legislative framework
• No specific Law covering the field of social economy
• Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of People with
Disabilities, May 13th 2009: The term “social enterprises” used for the first time in
Serbian legislative system (article 45), “social enterprise is a business association
established for providing services directed towards fulfilling the needs of people
with disabilities, and which employ at least one person with disability”.
• Draft Law on Social Protection, to be adopted in 2011: private sector providers in
the field of social welfare (transformation of CSOs working in the field of service
provision).
• Draft Law on medical protection and the strategy for primary medical protection:
(Much greater scale of prevention opens room for economic involvement)
• New Law on Civic Association from 2009 - providing (very limited) opportunity for
CSOs to engage in economic activities.
• Draft Law on Cooperatives, to be adopted at beginning of 2011 (old one is from
1996): unofficial information - concept “social cooperatives” included in the text.
• Draft Law on Microfinance: currently under discussion, expected to be adopted by
the end of 2010.

8. Good practices: Association of
paraplegic and quadriplegic

9. Good practices: Eco-social
cooperative Eco-Bag

10. Good practices: Production shop
Bioideja

11. Good practices: Association for support of
disabled children Our Home

12. Thank you for
your attention!!!
gordan.velev@grupa484.org.rs
www.grupa484.org.rs