INFLUENCE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IN THE FIELD OF ROAD SAFETY: THE CASE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Road safety represents an important area of public policy in which the European Union has developed and promoted common standards, principles, and practices beyond its borders. In the context of Serbia’s European integration process, the alignment of national legislation with the EU acquis also encompasses road safety. Drawing on the concepts of Normative Power Europe and Accession Conditionality, this paper examines how the EU influences the development of Serbia’s institutional, regulatory, and strategic road safety framework. The paper aims to assess the extent to which the EU, through the diffusion of norms and standards and the mechanisms of European integration, contributes to changes in Serbia’s road safety policy. Particular attention is given to legislative alignment, strategic development, financial and technical assistance, and capacity-building. The study adopts a qualitative research approach and uses Serbia as a case study, analysing relevant EU and Serbian legal and strategic documents. It further examines whether the EU influence is primarily an expression of normative power or is more closely associated with accession conditionality. The paper contributes to understanding how European norms and standards are translated into national policies and institutional practices, shaping the development of road safety policy and culture in Serbia.