17-21 November 2025, Belgrade, Serbia

ReSPA supported public servants from across the Western Balkans to participate in the DSC Europe 2025 conference, engaging in a specialised programme aligned with regional priorities in digital government and AI governance.

This year’s agenda offered a rich selection of sessions tailored to the public sector, including “AI for Public Good: How Data and AI Can Transform Public Institutions,” “From Zero-Click Government to Agentic AI,” “Cybersecurity for Governments,” “Building Serbia’s AI-Ready Digital Ecosystem,” “AI Governance: a US Perspective,” and “AI in Labour - Human vs Machine.”

A high-level diplomatic session brought together H.E. Michelle Cameron (Canada), H.E. Florence Ferrari (France), H.E. Andreas von Beckerath (EU Delegation) and Ceri Morgan (UK Department for Business and Trade) to discuss global cooperation, governance models, and the evolving impact of AI worldwide.

Through keynotes, panels, and case studies, participants were exposed to state-of-the-art approaches in data-driven decision-making, AI policy and regulation, cybersecurity in public institutions, labour-market implications of AI, and the design of next-generation digital public services. The event also provided valuable networking opportunities with government representatives, international organisations, academia, and industry, enabling the Western Balkan administrations to identify practical ideas and partnerships for advancing responsible AI.

Participants shared their reflections on the importance and relevance of DSC Europe 2025:

Duško Barić emphasised that the conference offered a comprehensive overview of data and data management as the backbone of artificial intelligence, with strong coverage of cybersecurity and strategic insights essential for introducing AI across the region. He highlighted the quality and diversity of panels and expressed gratitude to ReSPA for enabling participation.

Ivan Ilioski noted that over three days, he followed numerous lectures on emerging IT trends - especially AI, next-generation AI computing, practical applications in marketing and public services, and cybersecurity -highlighting both the benefits and risks. He underscored a particularly powerful insight from a panellist who presented a country’s full cybersecurity architecture, noting that the next wave of IT will demand a blend of innovation, transparent governance, and strong cybersecurity mechanisms across both the public and private sectors.

Nikola Starčević underlined that one of the strongest messages of DSC 2025 was that effective AI solutions in the public sector must be grounded in strong UX design. Technology showcased at the conference demonstrates real impact only when it is built around genuine user needs, ensuring clarity, trust, and intuitive user journeys.

Danilo Mugoša reflected that the conference insights are highly relevant for the Tax Administration, particularly the focus on data-driven AI solutions and cybersecurity, key pillars for building modern, transparent, and user-friendly digital tax services.

Bojana Bajić, Public Policies Innovations and Digitalization Officer in ReSPA,  highlighted the growing shift toward zero-click government, demonstrating how data-driven automation and AI can create public services that proactively deliver outcomes to citizens without requiring manual interaction.

With fresh knowledge, practical tools, and strengthened international networks, the Western Balkans’ public servants return from DSC Europe 2025 ready to further accelerate the region’s digital transformation and the responsible use of AI in public administration.