Sitemap

Ministry Of Mining And Leading Mining Companies Participate In Nstlaw And CANSEE Panel Discussion

On 15th June 2021, a panel discussion on the recent Mining Law Amendments was organised by NSTLAW in cooperation with CANSEEthe Canadian-Serbian Business Association at the Hilton Hotel.

Attendees were addressed by H.E. Mr. Giles Norman, Ambassador of Canada, who emphasised that Serbia has become one of the most interesting mining markets in Europe, and the Mining Law Amendments presented a positive step forward.

Nenad Stanković, Founder and Managing Partner of Stanković and Partners (NTSLAW), moderated the discussion with participants H.E. Mr. Giles Norman – Ambassador of Canada, Ms. Mirjana Doncic–Beaton, CANSEE Canadian-Serbian Business Association, Ms. Dragana Jelisavac Erdeljan, Ministry of Mining and Energy, Mr. Nenad Rakić, Balkan Gold, Mr. Dušan Simić, Jantar Group, and Mr. Marijanti Babić, Rio Sava Exploration. Along with the Ministry of Mining and the panelists, representatives of Rio Tinto, Zijin Mining, Dundee Precious Metals, Balkan Gold, Adria Minerals, Mundoro Capital and others took an active part in the discussion.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia outlined the main amendments and new investment opportunities in the sector. Dragana Jelisavac Erdeljan stated that she expected the amendments to result in the modernisation of the mining sector, and that the aim of the Law was to remove inadequacies observed in practice duringimplementationofthepreviouslegislation.

When asked about the new possibility for investors and the Republic of Serbia to conclude investment agreements, Marijanti Babić said that such an opportunity had also existed before, albeit in a different format, and that investment agreements have been available for many years in Australia, Portugal, Romania and Greece. Such agreements will be regulated in more detail through additional bylaws that will be passed in due course. Babić also noted that the novelty in terms of bank and corporate guarantees was important and was favourable and stimulating for investors.

The newly introduced amendments envisage the introduction of E-mining. As explained by Dragana Jelisavac Erdeljan, this new feature will simplify procedures and overall efficiency.

Simić stated that the amendments to the Law that introduced classification of (solid) mineral resources and the classification of reserves of mineral resources based on the Pan European Reserves and Resources Reporting Committee (PERC) Code were international standards that would reduce costs for stakeholders and more efficient research activities.

Nenad Rakić noted that the amendment to the Law that referred to authorisations of the inspections regarding professional supervision was a significant change. The new Law stipulates that the professional supervision cannot be done by a legal entity that is also the researching entity.

The panel concluded that the amendments to the Law on Mining and Geological Research provide opportunities for improvement in that sector, but that there were certain ambiguities and that there were expectations with respect to responsible development given the controversy over this topic.

We would like to express our gratitude to the Embassy of Canada and Ambassador Norman for their support in this panel and look forward to working together to secure the most optimal framework in this dynamic sector.

Further thanks to all the panelists, our guests and our long-term partner CANSEE – Canadian – Serbian Business Association for their active participation and contribution to the organisation of this panel discussion.

Successful Japanese Culinary Workshop Held in Belgrade

The Japanese Embassy, in collaboration with Go Sushi Ušće, hosted a Japanese food workshop in Belgrade, attracting culinary enthusiasts keen on mastering the art...

AstraZeneca Celebrates Inauguration of New Office in Belgrade and 25th Anniversary Milestone

AstraZeneca, a global leader in healthcare innovation, marked a historic moment with the grand opening of its new office in Belgrade. The event was...

French Embassy Launches Eco-municipality Contest in Serbia

The French Embassy in Serbia has announced the launch of the third "Eco-municipality" competition for sustainable cities, designed as a platform for dialogue and...

New ENEF II Fund to Propel Growth in Western Balkans

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced the introduction of the Enterprise Expansion Fund II (ENEF II), aimed at fostering the...

Scholz Champions Western Balkans’ Path to Membership

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in Slovenia, advocated for quickening the EU accession for the Western Balkans, underlining the importance...

CEB Grants €1.3 Billion Loans to Boost Social Sectors in 11 Countries

The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) has sanctioned loans totaling €1.3 billion for 11 member countries, including Serbia...

Belgrade University Partners with CERN on Future Circular Collider Project

The University of Belgrade has officially become part of CERN's largest scientific endeavor, the Future Circular Collider (FCC) project,...

Kushner Eyes Balkan Luxury Developments in Serbia and Albania

Jared Kushner, closely related to former U.S. President Donald Trump as his son-in-law, is turning his attention to the...

European Parliament Passes Groundbreaking AI Law

The European Parliament has adopted the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, aiming to safeguard fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of...