• 2014-04-28
• |  Novi Sad

Round Table Discussion: The Issues of the Informal Economy and Undeclared (informal) Work

This round table, devoted to the "Invisible Worker" project, was jointly organised by the Secretariat for the Economy and the "Artesa" Association of Women Entrepreneurs, which is also its project manager. The project is financed by USAID through The Institute for Sustainable Communities and the Centre for Democracy Foundation...

Novi Sad, 28th April, 2014 – During the Round Table Discussion entitled "Who is the Invisible Worker?"  Mr. Miroslav Vasin, the Provincial Secretary for the Economy, Employment and Gender Equality revealed the strategic directions the Secretariat is actively implementing with regards to economic and employment development, making reference to the issues of undeclared work and to the aspects which have caused more and more companies and employees to operate within the informal economy. This round table, devoted to the "Invisible Worker" project, was jointly organised by the Secretariat for the Economy and the "Artesa" Association of Women Entrepreneurs, which is also its project manager. The project is financed by USAID through The Institute for Sustainable Communities and the Centre for Democracy Foundation. The project’s slogan is "the same job, the same rights, the same responsibilities" which aims to draw attention to the fact that the informal economy comprises one-third of the Republic of Serbia’s GDP. 

The fact that approximately 30% of Serbia’s GDP (according to estimates made in 2013) is producted without supervision within the informal economy, bringing into question whether or not life and health have the same values in informal and formal economic zones. Today’s discussion indicated the specifisity of the informal economic sector, risks were identified regarding Occupational H&S for individuals employed in this sector, the regulatory frameworks regarding supervision and inspection operations in this sector were highlighted as were the challenges faced by field supervisors. 

"Today is the right time to approach the public with this topic because today is World Occupational H&S Day. We are marking this day with a discussion on the worker who is invisible to the institution, whose status and place are not established", said the project’s author, Ms. Svetlana Kozic , adding that the Provincial Secretariat for the Economy, Employment and Gender Equality is the ideal spokesperson for the topic being discussed. 

The Provincial Secretary, Mr. Miroslav Vasin , viewing the economic situation from the Secretariat’s perspective in relation to the informal economy and undeclared work, stated that the government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina has spent years trying to find a solution to this issue and that within the framework of the Economic, Entrepreneurial and Trade Improvement Programme, discover a strategic route dedicated exclusively to it. "Unfortunately, current proposals and requests put forth to the Serbian Social Council from the Provincial Social and Economic Council have not, as of yet receive an adequate response. We do not know whether or not the bigger issue is undeclared work and the existence of ’invisible’ workers who do not show up in any statistics and do not have workers’ rights; or the question of the informal economy, which I would call ’invisible’ operations, which we link to those locations where undeclared production takes place, production which stifles legitimate producers, choking competition. Competition is the most important precondition of healthy business operations, without which a strong economic system cannot exist. We have defined the consequences of this situation: the state remains deprived of its own revenues necessary for the regulation of general needs, thus depriving its citizens of the quality and scope of these needs; creating an illegal market which is ideal breading ground for corruption and criminal behaviour; destroying businesses which operate within the law with illegal competition; an informal economy, undeclared work and undeclared operations destroy the system for gathering statistics and statistical data is rendered unreliable", said Mr. Vasin adding that the Government of Vojvodina and the Provincial Social Economic Council both believe that the best way to fight this situation is by unconventional means; by stimulating conscientious businesses. 

Participants of the round table include Ms. Anita Beretić , the Provincial Assistant Secretary within the field of gender equality, presented a topic dedicated to informal entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs, Ms. Svetlana Kozić , author of the "Invisible Worker" project and president of the "Artesa" Association of Women Entrepreneurs, who presented a topic dedicated to the informal economy and economic development, as a complex network of interconnected economic and social factors; Ms. Nataša Nikolić from the Centre for Democracy Foundation who spoke about undeclared work, the lack of workers’ rights and the informal economy; Dr. Ljiljana Stojšić , Head of the Labour Inspection Department in the South Backa Administration who focused on the topic of Occupational H&S; and Mr. Goran Milić , president of the Independent Syndicate of Vojvodina who spoke about workers’ rights and the informal economy. 

The objective of the "Invisible Worker" project is to raise public awareness on the importance of obtaining workers’ rights for individuals hired by illegal (undeclared) companies. The project’s manager continues to, through the implementation of various activities; include a large number of organizations, institutions and other relevant participators throughout Vojvodina. 

Round Table Discussion: The Issues of the Informal Economy and Undeclared (informal) Work, Novi Sad, 28th April, 2014