When a business entity commences operations, or wishes to exercise a right or fulfil an obligation during its operations, it is often necessary to approach various authorities (on multiple occasions) that carry out administrative procedures or provide services. These are often procedures under the competence of multiple institutions, meaning that the business must approach each relevant authority individually. As a result, the time required to obtain the necessary permits (certificates, attestations, decisions, consents, etc.) increases, as do the costs incurred by the business entity. Interested parties can find all relevant information on procedures of interest on the Register of Administrative Procedures Portal. However, even though this information is available with a single click and is fully transparent, there remains a persistent need to minimise the effort required to search for information and the necessary documentation.
With this in mind, and in order to simplify business operations as much as possible, related procedures are identified, optimised, digitalised, and combined into business episodes. A business episode represents a logical sequence of steps, linking multiple administrative procedures (services) carried out (provided) by different public authorities, thus forming a complete and coherent process for the end user. Through a business episode, it is possible to access information about the procedures (application forms, required documentation, deadlines, financial costs), as well as instructions on how to initiate the procedure. If the procedure is digitalised, it is possible to launch the electronic service immediately. All information is presented in a way that makes it easy to find, regardless of the stage of business operations, with links to previous and subsequent steps. In addition to information on procedures and available electronic services, users can also access information on business requirements, including the documentation that must be prepared for relevant inspections upon request, as well as the minimum technical conditions that must be met to operate in specific business areas (e.g., required equipment, facilities, human resources, etc.).
Business episodes are segments of business cycles that encompass all rights and obligations a business entity must fulfil in order for its operations to be conducted legally and efficiently, from the moment business activities commence until their completion and the closure of the business.
The Public Policy Secretariat develops business episodes in selected areas, focusing on the following phases of business operations:
Commencing business operations and business operations represent specific business episodes, as they vary from one activity to another and include particularities related to specific business sectors. In contrast, employment, tax obligations, and cessation of business activities are general business episodes, as they apply to all activities regardless of the sector in which the business operates.
The Public Policy Secretariat (PPS), under the IPA II – IPA 2019 Programme for the Republic of Serbia, is implementing the Serbia Digitalization for Business Environment Project, which aims to digitalise administrative procedures following the business episode principle, as well as related registries. The project supports the optimisation and simplification of administrative procedures affecting business entities, the improvement of the legal framework governing administrative procedures, and the digitalisation of business episodes to further facilitate business operations for enterprises.