NEWS

• December 11, 2024
  
  AMENDMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGREEMENT AND NEW AGREEMENT ON REIMBURSEMENT OF COSTS FOR BENEFITS IN KIND WITH THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA
  
  In Belgrade, on December 10, 2024, meeting were held between representatives of the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs of the Republic of Serbia and the Institute for Social Insurance of the Republic of Serbia with representatives of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection of the Republic of Austria and the Umbrella Organisation of Austrian Social Security Institutions. The delegation of the Republic of Serbia was led by Đorđe Todorov, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, and the delegation of the Republic of Austria was led by Manfred Pöltl, Head of Unit for international social insurance in the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection of the Republic of Austria. The meeting were also attended by H.E. Christian Ebner, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Serbia, with his associates.
  
  The documents signed at the meeting will enable the costs of health care provided to be expressed in real amounts for all categories of insured persons and the establishment of electronic exchange of data on health care costs between the competent institutions of the two sides.
  
  The meeting discussed and agreed on activities to be undertaken in the coming period, which aim to strengthen the previously very successful cooperation between the social security institutions of the two countries.
  
• December 4, 2024
  
  ELECTRONIC DATA EXCHANGE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA/REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA – MEETING OF THE STEERING GROUP
  
  On December 3, 2024, a meeting of the Steering Group was held in Belgrade/Vienna within the Project for the Establishment of Electronic Data Exchange - EDAS in the process for implementation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Austria on Social Security.
  
  The meeting, which was held through a video conference, was attended by representatives of the Institute for Social Insurance, the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance, the Republic Fund for Health Insurance, the Social Insurance Fund for Military Personnel, and representatives of the Dachverband der österreichischen Sozialversicherung..
  
  At the meeting, the coordinators of the working groups formed within the EDAS project submitted reports on the activities of working groups from the previous Steering Group meeting to the present. The activities that will be carried out in the coming period and the timeframe for their implementation were agreed upon.
  
• December 2, 2024
  
  EVALUATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING DAYS SERBIA-AUSTRIA
  
  In Vienna, on November 28 and 29, 2024, a meeting between the Institute for Social Insurance, the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance and the Institute for Pension Insurance of Austria was held, at which the results of the International Consulting Days held between the competent institutions for pension and disability insurance of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Austria in the period from 2019 to 2024 have been evaluated, and dates and places for holding the Consulting Days in 2025 and 2026 have been agreed. It was also decided that starting from 2025, the exchange of experts in the field of pension and disability insurance between Serbia and Austria should be organized again.
  
  At the same time, at the meeting information about the latest changes in legislation in the area of pension and disability insurance in both States, was exchanged.
  
• December 2, 2024
  
  INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING DAYS, SERBIA-CROATIA
  
  International Consulting Days between the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance and the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute will be held on December 11 and 12, 2024, in Zagreb. On that occasion, the experts of the pension insurance institutions of both countries, in direct contact and discussion, will provide appropriate expert assistance and advice to interested persons regarding the exercise of rights from pension and disability insurance, based on the work and periods of insurance completed in the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Croatia.
  
  Persons interested in coming to the consulting days in Zagreb should register their arrival following the instructions given in the poster attached.
  
  Poster, Zagreb
  
• November 12, 2024
  
  MEETING BETWEEN THE LIAISON BODIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
  
  In Bonn, in the period from 7-8. November 2024, meeting between the liaison bodies of the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Germany were held, which was attended by representatives of the Institute for Social Insurance, the Republic Fund for Health Insurance and the Social Insurance Fund for Military Personnel, and on the German side representatives of the German liaison body GKV-Spitzenverband, Deutsche Verbindungsstelle Krankenversicherung - Ausland (DVKA).
  
  At the meeting, issues related to the implementation of the Agreement between the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Federal Republic of Germany on social security, in the field of health insurance, were discussed, with special reference to the implementation of electronic data exchange between the competent institutions of the two countries, as well as possibilities for the introduction of bilingual forms that would be valid without stamp and signature.
  
  Special focuse was on open issues related to the reimbursement of cost of provided health care and improvement in communication between the institutions of the two countries, with the aim of increasing efficiency in the procedures for the implementation of the Agreement. In this regard, special Working Group was formed for operating on open issues of reimbursement of cost from previous years, and all in order to resolve disputed reimbursement periods and for reaching an agreement on the settlement of mutual undisputed claims by the next meeting of the liaison bodies.
  
• October 25, 2024
  
  NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE CONCLUSION OF AN AGREEMENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY WITH ALBANIA
  
  In Belgrade, in the period from October 22 to 24, 2024, negotiations between the competent ministries, liaison bodies and insurance institutions of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Albania for the conclusion of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Albania on social security were held. The delegation of the Republic of Serbia was led by Bojana Milenović, Acting Assistant Minister for Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, and the delegation of the Republic of Albania was led by Jordjeta Marko, Acting Director of policy of social insurance at the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation. It was the third meeting of the two delegations where the text of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Albania on social security was fully agreed upon. The text of the Administrative Agreement for the implementation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Albania on social security was also agreed upon and initialed.
  
  It was agreed that the liaison bodies of the two countries will meet as soon as possible and determine the bilingual forms necessary for the implementation of the Agreement and the Administrative Agreement, as well as to harmonize the text of the Agreement on reimbursement of costs for benefits in kind.
  
• October 23, 2024
  
  AGREEMENT ON REGULAR EXCHANGE OF DATA BETWEEN THE PENSION INSURANCE INSTITUTIONS OF SERBIA AND AUSTRIA WAS SIGNED
  
  In implementation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Austria on social security between pension and disability insurance institutions, the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of the Republic of Serbia and the Institute for Pension Insurance of the Republic of Austria (Pensionsversicherung Österreich), an Agreement on the regular exchange of data on the amounts of pensions and data was signed on the fact of the death of the pension beneficiary between the Republic PIO Fund and the Austrian mandatory pension insurance institution, with accompanying acts.
  
  The agreement was signed, on the Serbian side, by Mr. Relja Ognjenović, director of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance, and on the Austrian side, the signatories were Mr. Winfried Pinggera, Director General of the Institute for Pension Insurance of Austria and Mr. Peter Schleinbach, President of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Pension Insurance Austria.
  
  The signing was also attended by His Excellency the Ambassador of Austria to Serbia, Christian Ebner, Attaché for Social Affairs at the Embassy of Austria in Serbia, Manuel Aigner, as well as State Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, Mile Rosić, and acting director of the Institute for Social Insurance of the Republic of Serbia, Zoran Panović, with colleagues.
  
  The agreement will enable the regular exchange of data on the fact of the death of a pensioner between institutions in the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Austria, which will facilitate the unhindered use of their entitlements by the pensioners, without the obligation to submit a Life Certificate once a year.
  
  In addition, the pension and disability insurance institutions of the two countries will regularly exchange data on pension amounts, which has an impact on the realization and use of pension and disability insurance rights.
  
• October 18, 2024
  
  13. EUROPEAN COLLOQUIUM
  
  In Berlin, on October 15 and 16, 2024, the 13th European Colloquium in the field of social insurance was held, which is traditionally held every two years in the organization of the German Federal Pension Insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund).
  
  The theme of this year's colloquium is "Digitalization in Social Security: Future Prospects for Europe", where the current challenges faced by social security institutions in Europe, the benefits provided by electronic data exchange, as well as ways to establish digital coordination of competent authorities and institutions were discussed.
  
  The Colloquium was opened by the State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany. At the colloquium, 15 lectures were held over the course of two days, which were dedicated to the digitization established so far within the electronic exchange of data between the member states of the European Union, the European Economic Area, as well as in Switzerland and Great Britain. Within the European system "Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information" (EESSI), in which over 2700 institutions are involved, over 100 million messages have been exchanged so far.
  
  A new EU pilot project "Digital Credentials for European Union" (DC4EU) - led by the German Federal Pension Insurance - has been introduced. The project is based on experiences in the application of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and the Certificate of Applicable Legislation (certificate A1), which are used in the European Union, and whose digitization would allow them to be stored in an "electronic wallet" together with a secure electronic identity.
  
  A mobile application „VIVESS App“ developed by a pension insurance institution from Spain was also presented, which allows pensioners from Spain to easily, quickly, simply and safely provide proof of life and continue to use their benefits in any part of the world.
  
  The colloquium was an opportunity for participants of social security institutions from 29 countries to share their experiences and jointly consider the impact of new trends, such as the possibility of using artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of social security.
  
• October 17, 2024
  
  AGREEMENT ON ELECTRONIC DATA EXCHANGE, SERBIA-BULGARIA
  
  To effectively implement the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Bulgaria on Social Security, the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance and the National Social Security Institute of Bulgaria concluded on October 15, 2024, in Belgrade, the Agreement on electronic data exchange in the field of pension and disability insurance and Technical Protocol on Electronic Data Exchange. The Agreement was signed by the Director of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance, Relja Ognjenović, and the Deputy Director of the National Social Security Institute of Bulgaria, Vesela Karaivanova-Nacheva.
  
  This Agreement and Technical Protocol regulates the electronic exchange of data in the field of pension and disability insurance of importance for the Implementation of the Agreement, especially the method of exchange, the volume, and type of data exchanged, data management, the method of data collection, the process of data protection, as well as the responsibility for violation of the provisions of this agreement. The purpose of the signed documents is to reduce administrative costs, prevent unjustified payments of pensions and other benefits in the field of pension and disability insurance, and control data that is the subject of exchange.
  
• October 4, 2024
  
  INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING DAYS, SERBIA-GERMANY
  
  International consulting days between the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance and the German pension competent institution (Deutsche Rentenversicherung), will be held on October 15, 2024, in Požarevac, and on 16 and 17 October 2024 in Belgrade. On that occasion, the experts of the pension insurance institutions of both countries, in direct contact and discussion, will provide free legal assistance to persons who exercise their rights from pension and disability insurance through the implementation of the Agreement between the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia and the Federal Republic of Germany on social security.
  
  Professional assistance is free and is organized every year in Germany in March and in Serbia in September, in different cities, to inform interested persons about the conditions for exercising the rights from pension insurance, about the amount and payment of benefits, about the completed periods of insurance, about the status of the claims they submitted, as well as about other issues in this area.
  
  All interested persons must report their arrival on the consulting days in Požarevac, i.e. Belgrade, and make an appointment following the instructions listed in the attached poster.
  
  Poster
  
• September 27, 2024
  
  MEETING BETWEEN THE LIAISON BODIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
  
  In Belgrade/Bonn, on September 27, 2024, meeting between the liaison bodies of the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Germany were held via video conference, which was attended by representatives of the Institute for Social Insurance, the Republic Fund for Health Insurance and the Social Insurance Fund for Military Personnel, and on the German side representatives of the German liaison body GKV-Spitzenverband, Deutsche Verbindungsstelle Krankenversicherung - Ausland (DVKA).
  
  At the meeting, issues related to the implementation of the Agreement between the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Federal Republic of Germany on social security, in the field of health insurance, were discussed, with special reference to the implementation of electronic data exchange between the competent institutions of the two countries.
  
• September 12, 2024
  
  MEETING BETWEEN THE LIAISON BODIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA - ELECTRONIC DATA EXCHANGE IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL INSURANCE (EDAS PROJECT)
  
  A meeting took place in Vienna on September 11, 2024, between the Serbian and Austrian liaison bodies as part of the EDAS (Electronic Data Exchange Austria Serbia) project. The meeting aimed to set up electronic data exchange between the two countries in the field of pension and disability insurance. The Working Group for Pension and Disability Insurance discussed various issues related to this exchange.
  
  Representatives from the Institute for Social Insurance and the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance attended from Serbia. On the Austrian side, the meeting was attended by the Federation of Social Insurances (DVSV), the Pension Insurance Institution (PVA), and the Social Security Service for Entrepreneurs (SVS). During the meeting, the participants focused on defining the content of electronic documents for a pilot project in pension and disability insurance. Additionally, they agreed on subsequent business processes to ensure a more efficient implementation of the Agreement on Social Security.
  
• September 3, 2024
  
  MEETING WITH THE LIAISON BODY OF AZERBAIJAN
  
  On September 3rd, 2024, the liaison bodies of the Republic of Serbia and Azerbaijan met via video conference in Belgrade/Baku. At the meeting it was discussed about the content of bilingual forms related to pension and disability insurance and the bilingual form for applicable legislation.
  
  The purpose of the meeting was to finally determine the content of the forms and create conditions for the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan on social security.
  
• July 24, 2024
  
  SIGNING OF THE ANNEX TO ТHE AGREEMENT ON MEDICAL REHABILITATION OF AUSTRIAN INSURED PERSONS AND BENEFICIARIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
  
  In Belgrade, on July 23, 2024, the Annex to the Agreement between the Special Hospital for Rehabilitation Banja Koviljača and the Institute for Pension Insurance of Austria, which regulates the continuation of cooperation in providing medical rehabilitation to Austrian insured persons, i.e. beneficiaries of the right to pension in the RH center Banja Koviljača, for the field of musculoskeletal system and rheumatology, for an indefinite period, was signed.
  
  The signing of the Annex to the contract is the result of a three-year cooperation between the Austrian pension fund and the RH centar Banja Koviljača and a successfully implemented pilot program in the period 2021-2024.
  
  On behalf of Special Hospital Banja Koviljača, the contract was signed by Acting Director Primarius Dr. Aleksandar Jokic, and on behalf the Austrian side Dr. Winfried Pinggera, General Director of Institute for Pension Insurance of Austria.
  
  The contract was signed in the presence of the Minister of Health, Dr. Zlatibor Lončar, State Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, Đorđe Todorov, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria in the Republic of Serbia, Christian Ebner, Attaché for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection in the Ambassy of the Republic of Austria in the Republic of Serbia, Manuel Aigner, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in Montenegro, Nebojša Rodić, Director of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance Relja Ognjenović, Acting Director of the Institute for Social Insurance, Zoran Panović, and others.
  
• JuNe 17, 2024
  
  14TH MEETING OF DIRECTORS OF THE FUNDS/ INSTITUTIONS FOR PENSION AND DISABILITY INSURANCE OF THE STATES OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA HELD
  
  In Teslić, Banja Vrućica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on June 11 and 12, 2024, the 14th meeting of directors of funds/institutions for pension and disability insurance of countries created on the territory of the former SFRY was held, with the participation of representatives of the funds of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina - the Federation BiH and Republika Srpska, Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro. The meeting was hosted by the Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Republika Srpska. Representatives of the Institute for Pension Insurance of Austria and the Attaché for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection of the Republic of Austria at the Embassy of Austria in Belgrade also attended the meetings as guests.
  
  At the 14th meeting, information was exchanged on changes in state legislation since previous meetings, statistical data in the field of pension and disability insurance was exchanged, and as the main topic of the meeting, the issue of electronic exchange of documents between competent pension insurance institution - the need and possibilities of paperless communication and business in the modern world, was considered.
  
  Representatives of the Institute for Social Insurance and the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance attended the meetings on behalf of the Republic of Serbia.
  
• JuNe 17, 2024
  
  MEETING BETWEEN THE LIAISON BODIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA - ELECTRONIC DATA EXCHANGE IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL INSURANCE (EDAS PROJECT)
  
  In Vienna, in the period from June 5 to 7, 2024, several meetings were held between the liaison body of the Republic of Serbia and the liaison body of the Republic of Austria, within the EDAS (Electronic Data Exchange Austria Serbia) project regarding the establishment of electronic data exchange in the field of social security between the competent institutions of the two countries.
  
  The meetings were attended by the representatives of the Institute for Social Insurance, the Republic Fund for Health Insurance, the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance, and the Social Insurance Fund for Military Personnel, from the Serbian side, and from the Austrian side by representatives of the Federation of Social Insurances (DVSV), the Pension Insurance Institution (PVA), the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK), the Social Security Service for Entrepreneurs (SVS), Insurance Institution for Public Service - Employees, Railways & Mining Industry (BVAEB) and Austrian Workers‘ Compensation Board (AUVA).
  
  At the meeting of the Steering Group, the text of the Agreement on Reimbursement of Costs for Benefits in Kind was initialed, which regulates the procedure for calculating health care costs, and which will be applied after the establishment of reporting health care costs in actual amounts, on both sides. A framework plan of activities and implementation of corresponding business processes in 2024 and 2025 was agreed upon.
  
  Meetings of working groups were also held - the Working Group for Law, the Working Group for Information Technologies, the Working Group for Health insurance, occupational injury insurance and applicable legislation and the Working Group for Cost Reimbursement, which discussed the content of electronic documents and new business processes that should ensure more efficient implementation of the Agreement on Social Security.
  
• May 27, 2024
  
  CZECH SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION - PENSIONS ADJUSTMENT
  
  The Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ - Česká správa sociálního zabezpečení) submitted a notification regarding the pensions adjustment, according to which, starting from January 1, 2024, the basic amount of the pension has been increased by 360 CZK, so that it is now 4,400 CZK.
  
  In the case of pensions with an international element, which are paid in a proportional amount, the basic amount of the pension has been increased according to the proportion of Czech insurance periods to the total period of insurance in the Czech Republic and abroad.
  
  More information can be found at the Czech Social Security Administration website https://www.cssz.cz/web/cz/-/v-lednu-se-duchody-zvysi-o-360-kc-diky-pravidelne-valorizaci-nove-nekteri-klienti-obdrzi-valorizacni-oznameni-pouze-elektronicky
  
• May 17, 2024
  
  FEDERAL INSTITUTE FOR PENSION AND DISABILITY INSURANCE OF THE FEDERATION OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - PENSIONS ADJUSTMENT
  
  The Federal institute for pension and disability insurance has submitted a notification regarding the pensions adjustment, according to which, starting from January 1, 2024, the pensions in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been regularly adjusted in the amount of 6,55%.
  
  The adjustment was realized in the payment of pensions for April 2024, together with the difference for the first three months of 2024, while the adjustment is not applied to pensions to which the right was acquired in 2024.
  
• May 16, 2024
  
  CROATIAN PENSION INSURANCE INSTITUTE - Notification on adjustment of pensions
  
  The Croatian Pension Insurance Institute has submitted a notification regarding the adjustment of pensions, according to which, starting from January 1, 2024, pensions in the Republic of Croatia are regularly adjusted in the amount of 4,19%.
  
  The new current value of the pension for one personal point, for the purpose of determining the pension and adjusting pensions and other rights from the pension insurance as of January 1, 2024, is EUR 12,26. The adjusted pensions were paid in March 2024, together with the difference for January and February 2024.
  
  At the same time, according to the aforementioned notification, the lowest pension for each year of insurance period from January 1, 2024 is EUR 12.64.
  
• May 7, 2024
  
  INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING DAY, SERBIA- HUNGARY
  
  International Consulting Day between the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance and the Hungarian pension competent institution (Magyar Államkincstár) will be held on May 16, 2024, in Szeged. On this occasion, the experts of the pension insurance institutions of both countries, in direct contact and discussion, will provide appropriate professional assistance and advice to interested persons in connection with exercising rights from pension insurance, based on work and periods of insurance completed in the Republic of Serbia and Hungary.
  
  Professional assistance is free and it is a common practice to organize it every year in Serbia and Hungary in different cities to inform interested persons about the conditions for exercising the rights from pension insurance, about the amount and payments of benefits, about the completed periods of insurance, about the status of the claims they submitted, as well as about other issues in this area.
  
  Persons interested in coming to the consulting day in Szeged should register their arrival following the instructions given in the poster attached.
  
  Poster, Segedin
  
• April 26, 2024
  
  ZPIZ - Notification on adjustment of pensions and annual allowance to pension beneficiaries from the Republic of Slovenia
  
  The Institute for Pension and Disability Insurance of Slovenia has submitted a notification regarding the adjustment of pensions, according to which, starting from January 1, 2024, pensions in the Republic of Slovenia are regularly adjusted in the amount of 8,8%.
  
  According to the notification, in November and December 2023, Slovenian pension beneficiaries were paid a special allowance in the amount of 1.8% of the pension, and in December 2023, a winter allowance, which amounted to 40% of the paid annual allowance. Persons, who were recognized with the right to a pension with retroactive effect, but the pension payment did not start until December 2023, will receive the winter allowance in April 2024.
  
  In 2024, Slovenian competent institution will again pay an annual allowance to pension beneficiaries residing in the Republic of Serbia (and other countries). For this purpose, Institute for Pension and Disability Insurance of the Republic of Slovenia will send a form to the beneficiaries who had a residence in the Republic of Serbia on January 1, 2024, with instructions how to fill out and return the form to the Slovenian competent institution. Information on the amount of foreign pension, the beneficiaries can submit online, to a specific web address or by using a special code that will be sent to him in the notification together with instructions and security PIN code.
  
  More detailed information on the annual allowance can be found on Slovenian competent institution website: https://www.zpiz.si/cms/content2019/letni-dodatek
  
• April 24, 2024
  
  MEETING BETWEEN LIAISON BODIES AND COMPETENT INSTITUTIONS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
  
  On April 22 and 23, 2024, in Belgrade, a meeting between the liaison bodies and competent institutions for health insurance of the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro was held regarding the implementation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro on Social Insurance, in the field of health insurance. At the same time, an agreement was reached regarding the method of settlement of health care costs for benefits in kind in the previous period. The two sides also discussed the issue of the exchange cost claim documents in electronic format. Contact persons were appointed on both sides who will propose further activities for the establishment of electronic exchange.
  
  Direct contact was established between the health insurance funds and it is agreed that cooperation started to exchange information regarding the innovations in the information system and regarding the way of contracting health care under national legislation, as well as regarding the way of financing health institutions. It was agreed that further cooperation on the topics discussed at the meeting, which are not related to the implementation of the International Agreement on Social Insurance, will continue through direct contact between the mandatory health insurance institutions.
  
• April 22, 2024
  
  REGIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY FORUM FOR EUROPE
  
  In Porto (Portugal), in the period from April 16 to 18, 2024, the Regional Social Security Forum for Europe was held, organized by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and with the support of the General Directorate for Social Security, the Social Security Institute and the Informatics Institute of Portugal. The forum was attended by representatives of international organizations (ILO - International Labor Organization, EC - European Commission), as well as 480 representatives of social security institutions from 46 member countries of the association.
  
  During three days, 10 plenary sessions and 12 parallel lecture-sessions were held at the forum, in which 106 lecturers, panelists and moderators participated. A wide range of topics from the field of social security were discussed, the most significant of which are innovations and changes in systems, digitization and artificial intelligence, safe and healthy working environment, workforce mobility, support for family and children, gender equality, sustainable financing of the social security system and projections of the future development, as well as numerous other topics. Representatives of the Institute for Social Insurance also attended the forum and took an active part.
  
  As part of a special part of the forum, the ISSA Good Practice Award ceremony for 2024 was held on the first day. Out of 119 social security organizations and institutions from Europe that applied for the award, ISSA awarded 48 awards for various achievements and improvements of national social security systems. The Institute for Social Insurance was awarded the Certificate of Merit for transparency in the application of international agreements on social insurance. The award was presented by the President of ISSA, Dr. Mohammed Azman, and on behalf of the Institute, the award was received by Acting Director Zoran Panović.
  
  On the second day of the forum, as part of parallel lectures, Aleksandra Hranjec, assistant director of the Institute, gave a presentation within the panel "Improving coverage and compliance for the international mobile population".
  
  The forum provided a unique platform for members to discuss key social security challenges, innovative solutions and define a strategy for shaping the future of social security in Europe.
  
• April 15, 2024
  
  NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE CONCLUSION OF AN AGREEMENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY WITH PORTUGAL
  
  In Lisbon, in the period from April 9th to 11th, 2024, negotiations between the competent ministries, liaison bodies and insurance institutions of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Portugal for the conclusion of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Portugal on social security were held. The delegation of the Republic of Serbia was led by Zoran Milošević, Acting Assistant Minister for Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, and the delegation of the Republic of Portugal was led by Antonio Santos Luiz, Director of the General directorate for social security. It was the third meeting of the two delegations where the text of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Portugal on social security was fully agreed upon. Two delegations initialed the text of the Agreement which contains provisions on pension and disability insurance, health insurance and health care, provisions on insurance on insurance for occupational injuries and occupational diseases, provisions on insurance for unemployment, as well as provisions on exercising rights in the field of family benefits (the right to child allowance).
  
  It was agreed that another round of negotiations will be held in the first half of 2025, where the provisions of the Administrative Arrangement for the implementation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Portugal on social security will be reviewed and harmonized.
  
• April 12, 2024
  
  INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING DAYS, SERBIA-AUSTRIA
  
  International consulting days between Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance and Institute for Pension Insurance of the Republic of Austria will be held on April 23, 2024, in Požarevac and on April 24, 2024, in Belgrade. On that occasion, the experts of the pension insurance institutions of both countries, in direct contact and discussion, will provide appropriate expert assistance and advice to interested persons regarding the exercise of rights from pension and disability insurance, based on the work and periods of insurance completed in the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Austria.
  
  Professional assistance is free and it is a common practice to organize it every year in Serbia in April and Austria in October in different cities with aim to inform interested persons about the conditions for exercising the rights from pension insurance, about the amount and payment of benefits, about the completed periods of insurance, about the status of the claims they submitted, as well as about other issues in this area.
  
  Persons interested in coming to the consulting days in Požarevac and Belgrade should register their arrival following the instructions given in the poster attached.
  
  Poster, Belgrade
  Poster, Požarevac
  
• March 19, 2024
  
  NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE CONCLUSION OF AN AGREEMENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY WITH ALBANIA
  
  In Tirana, in the period from March 12th to 14th, 2024, negotiations between the competent ministries, liaison bodies and insurance institutions of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Albania for the conclusion of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Albania on social security were held. The delegation of the Republic of Serbia was led by Zoran Milošević, Acting Assistant Minister for Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, and the delegation of the Republic of Albania was led by Olta Manjani, Deputy Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation. It was the second meeting of the two delegations where the text of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Albania on social security was fully agreed upon. Two delegations initialed the text of the Agreement which contains provisions on pension and disability insurance, health insurance and health care, as well as provisions on insurance for occupational injuries and occupational diseases.
  
  It was agreed that another round of negotiations will be held in the second half of 2024, where the provisions of the Administrative Agreement for the implementation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Albania on social security will be reviewed and harmonized.
  
• February 26, 2024
  
  ENTRY INTO FORCE OF PART OF THE LAW ON AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS OF THE COMPULSORY HEALTH INSURANCE ACT IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
  
  On January 1, 2024, a part of the Law on amendments and additions of the Compulsory Health Insurance Act of the Republic of Croatia ("Official Gazette" No. 33/23) entered into force, which introduces significant changes for persons that exercise the right to health care on the territory of the Republic of Croatia.
  
  Amendments and additions of the Compulsory Health Insurance Act of the Republic of Croatia, foresee an increase of the minimum and maximum amount of participation in health care costs for certain health services, which are borne by the insured persons (unless they belong to the category of insured persons that have additional health insurance).
  
  For all further information about the new method of calculation of the amount of participation in health care costs, as well as which health services it applies to, please visit the News section on the website of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (Please note that the news to which the link refers does not have an English version):
  
  https://hzzo.hr/novosti/dzo/novi-iznosi-sudjelovanja-u-troskovima-zdravstvene-zastite
• February 23, 2024
  
  FUND FOR PENSION AND DISABILITY INSURANCE OF THE REPUBLIKA SRPSKA - PENSIONS ADJUSTMENT
  
  The Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of the Republikа Srpskа submitted a notification regarding the pensions adjustment, according to which, based on the Decision on determining the percentage for of pensions adjustment, starting from January 1, 2024, the pensions have been adjusted in the amount of 9.2 %.
  
• January 26, 2024
  
  ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND AUSTRALIA ON SOCIAL SECURITY
  
  On February 1, 2024, the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and Australia on Social Security shall enter into force. The Agreement was signed in Belgrade, on January 20, 2023, and published in the “Official Gazette of Republic of Serbia - International Agreements”, No. 3/23.
  
  The Agreement covers the area of pension and disability insurance and it enables persons who worked in the Republic of Serbia and Australia to exercise their right to a pension by accumulating a period of insurance completed in both countries. The Agreement guarantees the payment of benefits to the beneficiaries in the territory of the contracting party where they live.
  
  At the same time, the Administrative Arrangement for the Implementation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and Australia on Social Security shall enter into force.