This report describes a technical assistance project in Serbia to support the design of a national strategy on local Public Utility Companies. It was a response to the request from the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development (MERD) in early 2008. The project objectives were as follows: to assist the MERD in steering the working group
to provide specific targeted inputs to working group discussions
to help the Government determine the extent and nature of informational, analytical, and institutional steps required to fully elaborate and implement a reform strategy
and to advise the Bank and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) on the potential demand for further external assistance to the reform process. The required specific deliverables were as follows: an inception note, including the consultant s first views after reading existing background reports, recommendation for any changes in the TOR for the services
a first draft of agenda items for the working group
following the second and subsequent visit(s), briefs on case studies, comparative sectoral analyses, and other contributions to working group discussions
and this final summary report, including a terms of reference for further recommended studies and identification of potential roadblocks.