At the session of the Government of the Republic of Serbia held on May 4th, 2023, the members of the Government adopted the Proposal of Amendments to the Law on Planning and Construction, these Amendments introduces significant changes in the construction sector. These changes aim to streamline building permit processes, enhance energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and promote sustainable practices in construction.

One key change is the abolition of the compensation requirement for converting the right to use construction land into ownership, except for specific groups like sports associations, housing and agricultural cooperatives, and individuals covered by Annex G of the succession law.

The law also introduces the concept of "green construction," emphasizing energy efficiency, sustainable materials, waste management, and environmental protection in building design and construction.

Another important update is the definition of "E-space," an information system designed to simplify the issuance of permits. Additionally, the law mandates the creation of the Agency for Spatial Planning and Urbanism, which will manage planning documents and take on certain responsibilities previously held by state authorities.

Local governments are also required to provide information on “brownfield” sites—unused industrial and commercial properties with potential for redevelopment—within six months. The Agency will then compile and publicly share a registry of these locations.

For more information regarding the future implementation of the Law on Planning and Construction, as well as complete legal assistance in this regard, please feel free to contact our lawyers Uros Djordjevic (uros.djordjevic@zslaw.rs) and Srdjan Zerdo (srdjan.zerdo@zslaw.rs).