On Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 10:00 am, US Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick and the Serbian Minister of Justice Snezana Malovic will jointly open the “Draft Law on Enforcement Procedure: Key Changes” Conference.

The conference is being organized by the Ministry of Justice together with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

This conference will present key proposed changes in enforcement legislation, allowing an opportunity for constructive public discussion leading to refinement of the proposed draft.

An effective system of enforcement gives the law its full force and effect. Failure to provide an effective system of enforcement renders the entire legal process ineffectual; all the time and resources expended in obtaining a legal decision are lost without the means to compel compliance with that decision.

Recent rulings from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg have shown that an inability to provide such a system will in itself result in liabilities directly against Serbia, impacting the budget and the country’s standing as a safe place to do business.

Just as importantly, potential investors, both foreign and domestic, will not invest their money unless they know that the basic legal safeguards are in place to ensure they can do business in Serbia.

Over the past year, the Ministry of Justice’s Law Drafting Committee, with technical assistance provided by USAID, has proposed significant reforms to the current enforcement law, including the introduction of a system of professional enforcement.

The draft law being presented for consideration comes as the result of the work and research of more than 35 experts from the fields of law, business and banking and incorporates European best practices to provide concrete solutions to systematic enforcement problems.

Successful cooperation on enforcement system reform demonstrates our mutual commitment to assistance programs to help Serbia develop modern laws and regulations, consistent with both international and EU standards, which are the foundational building blocks for economic growth and the prosperity of the Serbian people.

Over the past several years, the United States, through USAID, has been working hand-in-hand with the Serbian Government to strengthen the foundations of the Serbian economy and to create a more conducive investment climate.