Enhancing Public-Private Dialogue in Montenegro: EBRD Support to the Competitiveness Council

Overview
Project Summary Document

TCRS 10148

Status Approved

Location

Montenegro

Business Sector

Corporate news

Notice Type

Public

PSD Disclosed

01 Apr 2021

Project Description

Rationale

The Competitiveness Council (CC or Council) in Montenegro is one of 12 Investment Councils currently supported by EBRD as part of the Bank’s Investment Climate and Governance Initiative (ICGI). These Councils play a key role in efforts to improve the business environment by providing a platform for public-private dialogue (PPD) between senior government figures and representatives of the private sector.

Established by the Government of Montenegro in 2017, the Competitiveness Council brings together representatives from the private sector and government to discuss and agree on the economic and structural reform priorities that matter to both policymakers and the private sector. Since early 2019, full-time, professional Secretariat to the Competitiveness Council (SCC), supported by EBRD, has been operational and provides strong analytical underpinnings to the Council’s work, including monitoring and follow-through the implementation of the Council’s recommendations and conclusions. CC is seen as the leading platform for: a) the Government’s engagement with the business community; b) initiating and monitoring implementation of a priority reform measures oriented to inclusive and sustainable investment climate development; c) advising the Government on structural reforms plan for the country’s competitiveness enhancement.

The CC has been playing important role in supporting businesses and the Government in responding to the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. From the onset of the pandemic, the SCC initiated a number of activities to assist the Government and businesses. It is also supporting the government to design an economic package for economic recovery. Looking ahead, the CC is expected to continue to play a central role in facilitating dialogue between the Government and private sector, which will contribute to restoring confidence in the economy for investors, strengthening the business environment and addressing medium and longer-term challenges faced by businesses as a result of the pandemic.

TC Services

The objective of the TC is to provide continued funding for the Competitiveness Council Secretariat to equip it with professional staff and other resources required to ensure the effective functioning of the Council. The key functions of the SCC are to:

Ensure the effective functioning of the public-private dialogue platform (Competitiveness Council) for initiating and participating in reforms aimed at improving the investment climate;
Contribute to the development of the reform agenda for the Council and Montenegrin government, ensuring the inclusion of issues raised by businesses at the Council meetings;
Facilitate policy dialogue with the private sector through regular meetings with business associations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) while keeping the business community informed on the reform processes;
Co-operate with donors active in business environment improvement, sharing and exchanging expertise and information on ongoing projects while enhancing public awareness on the reforms undertaken through the CC;
Coordinate tailored initiatives relevant for enhancing business environment including support to Government to resist Covid-19 pandemic. These are: reforming business registration process (supporting Central Business Registry Office) and establishing the Register of levies (comprehensive and transparent overview of all national and subnational level charges businesses in Montenegro are exposed to);
Providing support to the Ministry of Economic Development, in creating a new package of socio-economic measures as a support to Montenegrin economy and citizens for H1 2021, as well as in communication with the businesses related to understanding needs of Montenegrin business community and develop adequate supporting policies;
Creating an inclusive investment climate for women in Montenegro through integrating gender analysis to SCC’s operations as well as policy and regulatory reviews on a strategic, systemic and sustainable basis;
Promoting economic inclusion and equality of opportunities for women and the role of private sector in fostering sustainable and inclusive economic development.

Understanding Transition

Further information regarding the EBRD’s approach to measuring transition impact is available here.

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

Enquiries

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

General enquiries

Specific enquiries can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.

TCRS 10148

Status Approved

Location

Montenegro

Business Sector

Corporate news

Notice Type

Public

PSD Disclosed

01 Apr 2021

Project Description

Rationale

TC Services

Ensure the effective functioning of the public-private dialogue platform (Competitiveness Council) for initiating and participating in reforms aimed at improving the investment climate;
Contribute to the development of the reform agenda for the Council and Montenegrin government, ensuring the inclusion of issues raised by businesses at the Council meetings;
Facilitate policy dialogue with the private sector through regular meetings with business associations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) while keeping the business community informed on the reform processes;
Co-operate with donors active in business environment improvement, sharing and exchanging expertise and information on ongoing projects while enhancing public awareness on the reforms undertaken through the CC;
Coordinate tailored initiatives relevant for enhancing business environment including support to Government to resist Covid-19 pandemic. These are: reforming business registration process (supporting Central Business Registry Office) and establishing the Register of levies (comprehensive and transparent overview of all national and subnational level charges businesses in Montenegro are exposed to);
Providing support to the Ministry of Economic Development, in creating a new package of socio-economic measures as a support to Montenegrin economy and citizens for H1 2021, as well as in communication with the businesses related to understanding needs of Montenegrin business community and develop adequate supporting policies;
Creating an inclusive investment climate for women in Montenegro through integrating gender analysis to SCC’s operations as well as policy and regulatory reviews on a strategic, systemic and sustainable basis;
Promoting economic inclusion and equality of opportunities for women and the role of private sector in fostering sustainable and inclusive economic development.

Understanding Transition

Further information regarding the EBRD’s approach to measuring transition impact is available here.

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

Any competitive selections for business opportunities relating to this project will be published on the EBRD's website: Consultancy Procurement Opportunities.

General enquiries

EBRD project enquiries not related to procurement:
Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

The AIP sets out how the EBRD discloses information and consults with its stakeholders so as to promote better awareness and understanding of its strategies, policies and operations following its entry into force on 1 January 2020. Please visit the Access to Information Policy page to find out what information is available from the EBRD website.

Specific requests for information can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)

If efforts to address environmental, social or public disclosure concerns with the Client or the Bank are unsuccessful (e.g. through the Client’s Project-level grievance mechanism or through direct engagement with Bank management), individuals and organisations may seek to address their concerns through the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM).

IPAM independently reviews Project issues that are believed to have caused (or to be likely to cause) harm. The purpose of the Mechanism is: to support dialogue between Project stakeholders to resolve environmental, social and public disclosure issues; to determine whether the Bank has complied with its Environmental and Social Policy or Project-specific provisions of its Access to Information Policy; and where applicable, to address any existing non-compliance with these policies, while preventing future non-compliance by the Bank.

Please visit the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism webpage to find out more about IPAM and its mandate; how to submit a Request for review; or contact IPAM via email ipam@ebrd.com to get guidance and more information on IPAM and how to submit a request.

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Enhancing Public-Private Dialogue in Montenegro: EBRD Support to the Competitiveness Council

Project Description

Understanding Transition

Business opportunities

Enquiries

Business opportunities

General enquiries

Project Description

Understanding Transition

Business opportunities

General enquiries

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)