Public procurement workshops under the grant scheme of the “EU Support to Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA” Programme were held on 20 and 21 July 2026 at the SKIP Centres in Belgrade and Niš. The EU INTEGRA Programme is funded by the European Union with EUR 15 million and implemented by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration of the Republic of Serbia. Organised by SCTM within the framework of the Programme, the workshops brought together participants from Kruševac, Užice, Pirot, Niš, Merošina, Svrljig, Babušnica, Dimitrovgrad, Gadžin Han, Bela Palanka, Čajetina, Bajina Bašta and Belgrade.
The workshops were organised as a continuation of the support provided to grant beneficiaries following the introductory project implementation training sessions. Their objective was to equip participants with practical knowledge for planning and conducting public procurement procedures in line with the Programme rules, PRAG procedures and the applicable national legislation.
During the one-day workshops, participants gained an overview of the legal framework governing public procurement under EU-funded grants, the key principles of Annex IV to the Grant Contract, procurement planning and preparation, tender documentation, procurement procedures, bid evaluation and contract management. Particular attention was given to the most common challenges and irregularities encountered in practice, through practical examples, checklists and recommendations for the successful implementation of public procurement procedures.
The workshops were delivered by Denis Slatina and Vladimir Ilić, EU INTEGRA Programme public procurement experts, who guided participants through practical case studies, analysed the most common implementation challenges and discussed the key steps for planning and conducting public procurement procedures within grant-funded projects.
Strengthening the capacities of grant beneficiaries is an important component of the support provided by the EU INTEGRA Programme to local self-governments and partner organisations. Through workshops, mentoring and other capacity-building activities, the Programme equips beneficiaries with the knowledge and practical tools needed to apply European Union rules effectively and to implement EU-funded projects successfully.
