The new Special Collective Agreement for the Construction and Construction Materials Industry of Serbia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 81/2026; the “Collective Agreement”) entered into force on 9 September 2026.
Although the new Collective Agreement does not introduce extensive changes compared to the previously applicable text, certain amendments are of immediate practical relevance to employers operating within the covered sectors, particularly from the perspective of occupational health and safety, disciplinary procedures, and the alignment of internal employment-related acts.
One of the relevant changes concerns work performed in conditions of high and low temperatures.
- The Collective Agreement now expressly provides that, where such temperatures pose a risk to employees’ health and safety, the employer is required to implement preventive measures for safe and healthy work in accordance with its risk assessment act.
- For employers whose employees work outdoors or on construction sites, this provision warrants a review of the existing risk assessment act and related occupational health and safety procedures to determine whether risks associated with extreme temperatures are adequately addressed.
Another relevant change concerns the procedure for imposing measures for non-compliance with work discipline.
- Before imposing a measure, the employer is now required to provide the employee with written notice identifying deficiencies in the employee’s work, appropriate instructions, and a reasonable period within which to improve performance. A measure may be imposed if the employee fails to improve within the prescribed period.
- This amendment is particularly significant as it introduces a prior procedural requirement which was not prescribed in this manner under the previous collective agreement. Employers should therefore review their internal procedures and template documents to ensure that this additional step is duly incorporated before any such measure is imposed.
Of particular importance is the transitional provision requiring employers to align their general acts and employment agreements with the new Collective Agreement within 90 days of its entry into force. Given that the Collective Agreement entered into force on 9 September 2026, the deadline for such alignment expires on 8 December 2026.
It is important to distinguish between the activities covered by the Collective Agreement and the group of employers that are currently directly bound by it. The Collective Agreement applies to employers whose predominant business activity falls within the construction sector or the construction materials industry, in accordance with the classification set out in Annex 1. Therefore, the mere participation of a company in a construction or infrastructure project is not sufficient for the Collective Agreement to apply to it. At the same time, the new Collective Agreement provides that its signatories will submit a request for the extension of its application to employers that are not members of the Serbian Association of Employers.
For additional information or consultations, the Tasić & Partners team is at your disposal.