Youth parliament

Youth parliament in the Republic of Serbia does not exist. 

Youth Council 

Structure and legal basis

The Youth Council (Savet za mlade) in the Republic of Serbia is established based on the Law on Youth (Zakon o mladima, 2011; amended in 2022). It is a governmental advisory body responsible for initiating and coordinating activities related to the development and implementation of youth policy and proposing measures for its improvement. The Government of the Republic of Serbia formally established the Youth Council in 2014, strengthening the monitoring and further development of national youth policy.

The Youth Council is composed of representatives of state administration bodies relevant to youth policy, the province of Vojvodina administrative body responsible for youth issues, youth organizations and associations, youth offices, a joint representative of national minority councils, and experts.

Composition 

The current convocation of Youth Council (from February 2024) consists of 45 members: 

• 22 representatives of state bodies, 
• 1 representative of the province of Vojvodina administrative body, 
• 1 representative of national minority councils, 
• 2 representatives of youth offices, 
• 1 independent expert and
• 18 youth representatives. 

Representatives of other public institutions and youth and for youth organisations (such as state secretaries, special adviser of the minister, additional representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Youth, National Youth Council of Serbia- KOMS, etc.) may attend Youth Council meetings.

Members are selected through a public call announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Youth, which also establishes a commission for the evaluation and selection of candidates.

Candidates for youth representative positions must be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of their mandate, be citizens of the Republic of Serbia, and not hold positions in political parties or public administration bodies that could result in a conflict of interest. They are required to have relevant experience in youth policy development, advocacy, or youth-related programmes and projects, as well as a demonstrated commitment to youth policy values and youth inclusion.

The Council is chaired by the Minister responsible for youth affairs.

Youth Council meetings are open to the public and held on a semi-annual basis. 

Role and responsibilities 

In line with the Law on Youth, the Youth Council serves as an advisory body that: 

• encourages and coordinates the development, implementation, and monitoring of youth policy at national and local levels;

• proposes measures to improve youth policy based on research and evidence;

• contributes to harmonisation and coordination of activities among ministries, public authorities, and other youth policy stakeholders.

Youth representatives within the Council ensure the representation of young people’s views, conduct consultations with young people, and place youth priorities on the agenda of decision-makers.

Funding 

The Youth Council is financed from the state budget.

Higher education student union(s) 

Structure 

Student Conference of Serbian Universities (SKONUS) is the highest representative body of students at Serbian universities, established by the Law on Higher Education (Zakon o visokom obrazovanju) and regulated by the Law on Student Organizing (Zakon o studentskom organizovanju). It was established for reaching mutual interests of students as partners in higher education process in Serbia, coordinating work and establishing a common policy of the Student Parliaments of Serbian Universities, and running operations stipulated by the law. SKONUS’s members are student representatives from all the Student Parliaments of the accredited universities in Serbia.

SKONUS has been a member of the European Student Union since 2012. 

SKONUS acts through several branches. Those organs are the following:

1. Assembly

2. President

3. Presidency

4. Parliamentary Committee

5. Presidential Council

6. Secretariat

7. Alumni Club

Composition 

The President is elected by the Assembly for a period of two years.

Presidency is the highest decision-making body between the two sessions of the Assembly. The quorum for the work of the Presidency is the presence of 7 (seven) members of the Presidency. The Presidency adopts regulations, decisions and resolutions.

The Parliamentary committee has a president, deputy president and board members. Board members are verified by the Presidency. Rulebook on the work of the board is made by the Presidency. Each board has its own Rules of Procedure developed by the Presidency.

SKONUS has 11 boards: 

• Reform and Development of Higher Education Board
• International Co-operation Board
• Cooperation with the Economy Board
• Student Standard Board
• Science Board
• Environment Protection Board
• Sports and Public Health Promotion Board
• International Projects Accession Board
• Volunteering and Humanitarian Affairs Board
• Culture Board
• Students Professional Development Board

The Presidential Council coordinates the work of student universities in Serbia. The Presidency Council gives opinions and recommendations regarding issues under SKONUS’ jurisdiction. The Presidential Council meets at least once during the semester. Members of the Council are the President, the Deputy President, the Presidents or the Vice-Rectors of the Member Universities. The Council has its Rules of Procedure.

The work of the Secretariat is managed and coordinated by the Secretary General. Coordinators and Sector Members are appointed by the Presidency. The Secretary General is elected by the procedure and in the manner determined by the Statute.

The Secretariat has 7 sectors:

1. Finance Sector

2. Public Relations Sector

3. Sector for Projects

4. Information Technology Sector

5. Sector for Legal Affairs

6. Training and Education Sector

7. Sector for Logistics

The Alumni Club is an honorary Advisory Body of SKONUS. The alumni club consists of all members of the SKONUS Presidency since its inception. The sessions of the Alumni Club are held at least once a year.

The sessions are called by the Alumni Club and are chaired by the President. The sessions of the Alumni Club may be attended by members of the Presidency and other interested parties. The Alumni Club connects the prominent members of SKONUS with the aim of establishing their continuous co-operation. The alumni provide advice and opinions to SKONUS members. The Alumni Club issues its own Rules of Procedure. 

Role and responsibilities 

The objectives of the Conference are:

• Consider issues of mutual interest for the promotion of higher education in the Republic of Serbia
• Harmonizes attitudes and coordinates the activities of student university parliaments, particularly in the area of enrolment policy, as well as in the field of studies quality improvement
• Cooperation with the Conference of Serbian Universities 
• Providing an opinion to the Ministry of Education, science and technological development, the National Council for Higher Education and the Conference of Serbian University on providing, controlling and promoting educational-scientific activities at universities.
• Proposing measures to improve student standard
• Considering the issues and reports provided by the Ministry, the National Council for Higher Education
• Selecting and dissolving student representatives at the National Council for Higher Education
• Representing the students’ interests of at the international level
• Delivering student representatives to all bodies at the national level
• Considering other issues of common interest to students

Funding 

The funds for the work of student conferences are provided in the budget of the Republic of Serbia.

School student union(s) 

School student union as a part of national system structure does not exist. 

However, the Union of Secondary School Students of Serbia (UNSS) exists as a non-governmental organisation founded in 2003. 

Structure 

The Union is independent in its work.

The main organs running the Union are:

• Assembly;
• Steering Committee;
• Alumni Council;
• Supervising Committee.

Composition 

There are two types of membership in the Union. Members can be School Student Councils from upper secondary schools and team membership for school students.

In the Union, in 2025, there are over 40,000 school students and over 170 student councils from 75 cities/municipalities.

For the membership in the Union, applicants fill in the form which is later evaluated by the Steering Committee. 

Steering Committee Mandate lasts for 2 years, while mandate of the rest of the Union’s bodies last for 1 year. 

Assembly is in session once a year, while Supervising Committee meets at least 3 times per year. Meeting of the Steering Committee and Alumni Council are not regulated. 

There are no public measures or guidelines facilitating greater inclusiveness and diversity. 

Role and responsibilities 

UNSS is founded with the aim to represent and advocate secondary school students on national and European level. 

The mission of the UNSS is to provide support for public advocacy and improves the cooperation of high school students and their organizational structures with interested parties, improves the capacities of high school students and their organizational structures to participate in decision-making processes, creates a stimulating environment and supports development of personal and professional potential of high school students.

UNSS Strategy is based on two pillars: 

• Providing support to the participation of high school students and their organizing structures in advocacy, implementation and monitoring of public policies focused on education and youth.
• Empowering high school students and their organizational structures for participation in decision-making processes, engagement in the community and building personal and professional potential.

UNSS is one of the eight European organisations to run a Social Day – a day when school students are volunteering in order to earn money for improving their school environment and cultural life.

Main aims of the Union are:

• Democratisation of school student councils;
• Making an institutional frame for student participation in the process of decision making in schools;
• Empowering and strengthening the capacities of student councils;
• Informal education of school students;
• Encouragement of activism among students;
• Giving a chance to school students to implement their own projects;
• Promotion of creative values and cultural life;
• Affirmation of young artists;
• Making an open, inclusive and safe school community.

The main domains of the Union’s activity are inclusion, voluntarism, activism and participation.

The Union does not have a direct role in policy-making, however, the Union is a member of the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions which participates in the European youth and education policy-making with regards to high-school students.

Funding 

The funds are obtained from:

• Voluntary contributions from members;
• Voluntary contributions of other natural and legal persons;
• Donations or sponsorships;

Other sources in accordance with the law.

Other bodies 

Ministry in charge of Youth (at that time Ministry of Youth and Sports) supported the establishment of the National Youth Council of Serbia (Krovna organizacija mladih Srbije, KOMS), as well as the work and development of the National Association of Youth Work Practitioners (Nacionalna asocijacija praktičara/ki omladinskog rada, NAPOR) and the National Association of Local Youth Offices (Nacionalna asocijacija Kancelarija za mlade). 

KOMS is the biggest representative youth body in Serbia gathering over 100 youth and for youth organisations. KOMS member can be youth or for youth organisations or association of organisations that is registered in Serbia, but only if it is not already a member of any of the organisations that are members of KOMS.

KOMS organisation structure includes:

• the Assembly;
• the Steering Committee;
• the Supervisor Committee;
• the Secretary General.

KOMS activities include:

• formulating policies, values and professional opinions in the field of youth work and in relation to youth work;
• participating in public hearings regarding Youth Policy, 
• participating in Youth Council and monitoring implementation of the at-a-time Youth Strategy,
• organizing events, seminars, counselling in the field of Youth Policy and other policies important for youth,
• cooperating with public institutions, different national and international organisations,
• capacity building of its members,
• collecting and processing youth policy documentation and publications. 

KOMS receives funds from membership fees, donations, gifts, financial subsidies and other.

NAPOR is the National Association of Youth Work Practitioners gathering over 40 youth organisations and organisations for youth. It is a vocational association of youth organisations whose mission is to create and develop conditions for quality assurance and recognition of youth work with the aim of developing potential of youth and youth workers, who contribute to the welfare of the community and society. Any organization active in the field of youth work registered in Serbia can be a member of NAPOR.

The main responsibilities of NAPOR are divided among:

• the Assembly;
• the Steering Committee;
• the Executive Director;
• the Supervisor Committee;
• the Council for Ethical Questions.

The main NAPOR activities include as follows:

• formulate policies, values and professional opinions in the field of youth work and in relation to youth work;
• collect and process scientific and professional literature in the field of youth work and related areas;
• organize, alone or together with other organizations, professional meetings, counselling, seminars and other forms of education in the field of youth work;
• publish books and other publications on issues related to youth work;
• conduct research on topics and issues of relevance for the development of youth work;
• create educational programs that respond to the needs of youth, youth workers and communities;
• cooperate with universities and faculties, institutions, professional associations and their associations, or other relevant organizations (and individuals) in country and abroad;
• promote equality of opportunity, access to education and encourage continuous learning and improvement;
• advocates respect for human and minority rights and to actively involve young people in every sphere of public life;
• ensure the inclusion of vulnerable groups and promote equality among youth and youth workers.

NAPOR receives funds from membership fees, donations, gifts, financial subsidies and other. Additionally, NAPOR generates income through consulting activities.