At the sitting held on 3 June, the European Integrations Committee considered in principle six bills from various fields currently in assembly procedure, whose adoption is a condition for Serbia’s accession to the European Union. The sitting was chaired by Laszlo Varga, Committee Chairman.

Elaborating the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Organisation and Jurisdiction of Government Authorities in Suppression of Organised Crime, the representative of the Ministry of Justice stressed that the changes are vital for its harmonisation with the new Law on Public Prosecution. The modifications put the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime in charge of prosecuting perpetrators of severe types of corruption as well, viz. receiving and giving bribe within official duty and abuse of office resulting in illegal proprietary profit of more than 50 million RSD.

Presenting the Bill amending and modifying the Law on the Market of Securities and Other Financial Instruments, the representative of the Ministry of Finance said that the modifications aim at harmonisation with European Union standards in the field, primarily concerning public offer and issuance of securities.

The representative of the Ministry of Finance emphasised the importance of passing the State Aid Control Bill which establishes a State Aid Control Commission. This Commission, as an independent body, shall control the expenditure of funds.

Elaborating the Bill on Compulsory Insurance in Traffic, the representative of the Ministry of Finance said that it envisages four types of compulsory insurance in traffic and the foundation of a guarantee fund. Among other things, the Bill raises the sums of compulsory insurance in traffic in line with the practice in EU countries. The representative of the Ministry of Trade and Services said that the Bill on Protection of Competition extends the authority of the Commission for Protection of Competition. In future, that body shall be able to pronounce sanctions liable to court review.

The Bill on Pipeline Transport of Gas and Liquid Hydrocarbons and Distribution of Gas Hydrocarbons regulates certain, primarily, technical issues of maintenance, safe usage and construction of the pipeline, said the representative of the Ministry of Energy and Mining.

The Committee members accepted all six Bills in principle, with two abstentions and two reserved opinions.

At the sitting, the Committee established the composition of the delegations to meet the delegation of the Spanish Parliament’s European Affairs Committee on 15 June and the Macedonian Parliament’s European Issues Committee on 18 June.