Country report, gender equality. How are EU rules transposed into national law?: Serbia 2020

The Republic of Serbia is a constitutional, multi-party, parliamentary democracy. Its history is that of a federal unit within a federal state – the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). After the dissolution of the SFRY in the 1990s, it was again structured as a federal state with two federal units, and known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). From 2003 to 2006, Serbia was part of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, into which the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had been transformed. On 5 June 2006, the National Assembly of Serbia declared Serbia the successor to the State Union, following the decision of the Parliament of Montenegro who declared Montenegro independent. It finally became a single state, which means that the legal competence for anti-discrimination law is directly applicable in all parts of the State. Specific activities within the rights and responsibilities of the Republic and autonomous provinces may be delegated to the local self-government. Within the original scope of responsibilities, the local self-government unit passes regulations independently, in accordance with its rights and responsibilities determined by the Constitution. The state authorities, the authorities of the autonomous provinces, the authorities of self-government units, and organisations entrusted with the exercise of public powers, are all obliged to monitor the accomplishment of gender-based equality. Serbia’s court system includes courts of general jurisdiction and specialised courts. General jurisdiction courts include the basic courts, the higher courts, the courts of appeal, and the Supreme Court of Cassation. The specialised courts include the Administrative Court, the commercial courts, the Commercial Appellate Court, the misdemeanour courts and the Misdemeanour Appellate Court.