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Nikola Pejović, Umka Cardboard Mill General Manager

Sustainability and Quality as Foundations of Trust

The Umka Cardboard Mill boasts a rich tradition dating all the way back to 1939, when it was first established to produce paper and...

Miodrag Kostić Endowment

Palace of Science Welcomes Visitors

Thanks to Miodrag Kostić’s gift to the Serbian society that’s worth over 25 million euros, an area of 5,500m² in one of Belgrade’s most...

dm drogerie

CSR Marks Milestone Year for dm

Retail chain dm drogerie markt, a leader in corporate social responsibility in Serbia, concluded its anniversary year with numerous humanitarian activities and monetary and...

Kathrine Decorzant, general manager, JTI Adriatica

Benchmark for Success

JTI represents one of the largest Japanese investments in Serbia and the country’s leading tobacco company, which has been recognised as a Top Employer...

Aleksandar Momčilović, sales and service manager at Daikin Serbia (Heating & Cooling expert)

Trust Built on Expertise

Daikin has introduced many global “firsts” and patented technologies that have become indispensable in modern air conditioners and heat pumps ~ says Diakin Serbia’s...

Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia

Easier Access to the Western Balkans’ Single Market

The EU aims to involve Western Balkans partners with its Member States on equal terms, fostering a reform partnership that’s oriented towards the future and beneficial to all citizens

Let me start with the good news: on 1st February, the European Council agreed to the European Commission’s proposal of a Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. Its financial instrument – the Reform and Growth Facility – will better link the delivery of essential reforms to the disbursement of EU funds. This requires that every Western Balkan partner prepare – in close consultation with the European Commission – a Reform Agenda on the basis of existing European Union recommendations, including from the annual Enlargement Package and the national Economic Reform Programmes. This entails accelerating fundamental reforms, including on the fundamentals cluster of the accession process.

The six billion euros from the Growth Plan instrument for the 2024-2027 period, together with the existing funding through the EU Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) III, will bring aid intensity close to what’s received by the EU Member States benefitting from EU cohesion funds. The potential of this Growth Plan is thus exceptional, as it could double the economy of the Western Balkans over the next 10 years. With its combination of reforms and investments, it will allow the Western Balkan countries to soon benefit from key areas of our single market, including the free movement of goods, services and workers, the single euro payments area, transport, energy and the digital single market.

Success in receiving additional EU funding is entirely dependent on meeting the identified indicators and targets, so the Western Balkan countries that meet these criteria will benefit the most

When it comes to the alignment of objectives, I believe that between a candidate country with a declared strategic goal of EU membership, on the one hand, and a Union that wants to accelerate the accession process, including the economic integration of the Western Balkans, there should be a natural convergence of objectives. It is important in this context that all projects support Serbia’s efforts to join the EU and respect EU policies and rules, such as those in the fields of public procurement, competition, labour law, environment, energy or transport. The aim of the Growth Plan is to offer the Western Balkans some of the advantages of membership in advance. This means that certain requirements of membership must also be met in advance, in particular the need to enforce EU legislation in relevant areas. Access to the Single Market has been the main driver of economic growth for all countries that joined the EU in the last two decades. Establishing a common regional market is an important stepping stone in this process.

Lastly, if the question is whether some countries could benefit more than others from this package, the answer is a resounding yes. Given that everything depends on meeting the identified indicators and targets, the countries that deliver will make the most of this additional EU funding. Unlike IPA, the Reform and Growth Facility is performance based. The same approach was implemented successfully with our own Member States in the scope of the post Covid- 19 “Reform and Recovery Facility”. The EU is looking to engage with our Western Balkan partners in the same terms as our Member States, in a future-oriented reform partnership that’s beneficial to our citizens. That’s why we are fully committed to assisting the Serbian authorities in delivering an ambitious Reform Agenda and supporting its implementation, in line with the country’s stated ambition of joining the European Union.

Comment by Zoran Panović

The Absurdity of Reality

Amid the unfolding upheaval surrounding Trump’s return to the White House, mass Student-led protests have erupted in Serbia. The trigger was a tragedy at...

Florian Bieber, Professor for Southeast European History and Politics at the University of Graz and director of the Centre for Southeast European Studies

Autocratic Regimes Spark Mass Protests

Protests in Slovakia, Georgia and Serbia stem from different causes, but reflect broader political frustration and often inspire one another There have been large protest...

Vladan Marjanović, journalist of weekly news magazine Radar

Violence Threatens from Above and Below

With Trump’s return to the White House, the world has entered a period in which the power of state repression, based on the violating...

Slobodan G. Markovich, Faculty of Political Science of the University of Belgrade

The Mutiny of Zoomers and the Belgrade Student Protests

Gen Z in the West and Serbia seeks security and respect, expecting institutions – and not politicians – to deliver. Using likes, dislikes and...

New Leadership for Serbia’s FIC

On February 12, 2025, the Foreign Investors Council (FIC) of Serbia elected a new leadership team. Dr. Ronalnd Seeliger,...

The Grand Reopening of The Bristol Belgrade

The Bristol Belgrade has officially reopened after an extensive two-and-a-half-year restoration, seamlessly combining its storied past with modern luxury. Renowned...

European Motorcycle Sales Surge in 2024

In 2024, Europe's five largest motorcycle markets saw a notable increase in sales, fueled by the demand for urban...

A New Front in the Trade War

President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports is stirring fresh tensions, particularly with...

Swiss-Serbian Chamber Elects New Board

The General Assembly of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce was held on 5th February 2025 at the premises of the...

European Motorcycle Sales Surge in 2024

In 2024, Europe's five largest motorcycle markets saw a notable increase in sales, fueled by the demand for urban...

A New Front in the Trade War

President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports is stirring fresh tensions, particularly with...

Austrian Business Cooperation in Serbia

The annual survey by Advantage Austria on the business climate in Serbia for 2024 confirms the stability and growth...

The Hermitage Days are Being Held Again in Belgrade in 2025

The Hermitage Days in Serbia represent a unique international cultural project that will take place from February 19 to...

Djokovic into Australian Open Semifinals After Victory Over Alcaraz

The best Serbian tennis player, Novak Djokovic, secured his place in the Australian Open semifinals after an incredibly thrilling...

European Motorcycle Sales Surge in 2024

In 2024, Europe's five largest motorcycle markets saw a notable increase in sales, fueled by the demand for urban...

A New Front in the Trade War

President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports is stirring fresh tensions, particularly with...

Austrian Business Cooperation in Serbia

The annual survey by Advantage Austria on the business climate in Serbia for 2024 confirms the stability and growth...

The Hermitage Days are Being Held Again in Belgrade in 2025

The Hermitage Days in Serbia represent a unique international cultural project that will take place from February 19 to...

Djokovic into Australian Open Semifinals After Victory Over Alcaraz

The best Serbian tennis player, Novak Djokovic, secured his place in the Australian Open semifinals after an incredibly thrilling...
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