New project supports cleaner, safer environment for 800,000 people in Serbia
Around 800,000 people in Serbia are set to benefit from a cleaner and safer environment as the country launches preparations for the closure and remediation of 17 unsanitary landfills, with support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Union (EU) through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
A €2.64 million technical assistance grant will support preparations needed to close and remediate 17 unsanitary landfills in the regions of Pirot, Sremska Mitrovica and Valjevo. The grant is financed by the bilateral donors of the WBIF, the European Union’s main platform for infrastructure investments in the Western Balkans.
The agreement was signed on 24 August 2026 by Minister of Environmental Protection, Ms Sara Pavkov and EBRD’s Deputy Head of Serbia, Ms Jelena Čeperković, in the presence of the EU Ambassador to Serbia, HE Andreas von Beckerath.
“Today, we signed a €2.64 million grant agreement to support the closure and remediation of as many as 17 unsanitary landfills, with the support of our European partners, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. This grant will help strengthen waste management systems across three areas of Serbia, namely the Pirot, Kolubara and Mačva districts. Around 800,000 citizens will benefit directly, as unsanitary landfills will no longer exist in their municipalities”, said Pavkov.
Jelena Čeperković, EBRD Deputy Head of Serbia, said: “This is an investment in cleaner air, safer soil and healthier communities. With support from the EU and bilateral donors through the WBIF, and in partnership with the Serbian authorities, the assignment will pave the way for the long-awaited closure and remediation of unsanitary landfills and support Serbia’s transition to modern, environmentally safe waste management systems.”
Through the WBIF, the European Union has supported Serbia’s investments in environmental infrastructure, clean energy, transport and other priority sectors aligned with the country’s EU accession path.
EU Ambassador, Andreas von Beckerath, said: “Improving environmental infrastructure is essential for protecting public health and advancing Serbia’s green transition. Through the Western Balkans Investment Framework, the European Union is helping Serbia prepare the investments needed to reduce pollution, improve waste management and bring environmental standards closer to those of the EU.”
The grant will finance the preparation of technical and tender documentation for the closure and remediation of 17 unsanitary landfills that pose significant risks to soil, groundwater and air quality in surrounding communities. Closing and remediating these sites will help reduce pollution, improve landfill gas management, cut greenhouse gas emissions, while creating safer and cleaner conditions for communities that have long been affected by outdated waste disposal facilities.
In parallel, a broader investment programme supported by EBRD and French Development Agency (AFD) will facilitate the construction of several regional waste management centres to replace unsanitary landfills. Once these regional sanitary landfills become operational and start receiving waste, the closure of unsanitary landfills can proceed.
The development of these regional centres is already underway. To date, the regional sanitary landfill in Kalenić and the composting facility in Pirot have been completed, while construction and upgrade works continue in Nova Varoš, Pirot and Sremska Mitrovica.
Serbia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection will lead the implementation of the project, working closely with local authorities and international partners.
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About WBIF and Global Gateway
The Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) contributes directly to Global Gateway, the EU's strategy to boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport, while strengthening health, education and research systems worldwide. Global Gateway aims to mobilise up to €300 billion worldwide in investments through a Team Europe approach, bringing together the EU, its Member States and financial institutions to leverage investments for a transformational impact.