Members of the Serbian Parliament discuss several economic agreements, including the Bill on Ratification of Free Trade Agreements between Serbia and the Eurasian Union.
Sinisa Mali also presented to the deputies several agreements, which envisage stimulating the growth of entrepreneurship, improving the business of domestic companies, especially exports, as well as the construction of the Obrenovac – New Belgrade hot water pipeline.
Mali told the Serbian Parliament that the Bill on Confirmation of Free Trade Agreements between the Republic of Serbia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and its member states provides for access to the market of over 180 million people, for about 99 percent of goods from the Customs Tariff, the Ministry of Finance said.
The minister points out that it is up to businessmen to take advantage of such benefits.
“This agreement does not jeopardize our European path, because the European Union is not only the first foreign policy goal of Serbia, but also the first foreign trade partner with which we achieve 65 percent of total trade, while with the EAEU countries it is about seven percent”, Mali said.
The Minister stressed that we should bear in mind that about 90 percent of Serbia’s total trade with the EAEU countries relates to Russia.
“By confirming this agreement, we will retain the preferential status we have in the Russian Federation, but also open up a market of 180 million people. Of course, the more capable our businesses are, the more they will benefit, and our aim is to export more, they are working more with these countries to increase the number of employees and new investments in the coming period”, said Mali.
The Minister also presented to the deputies a bill to approve Additional Protocol Six on Trade in Services to the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA).
“The goal of Protocol Six is to increase the volume of exchanges through further liberalization of the services market and to the greatest benefit of the Republic of Serbia. About one billion euros is the total exchange of services, of which our country’s surplus is 270 million euros. All the laws that are before you today have an impact on improving the economic environment, which means accelerating our growth, increasing employment and improving the standard of living of Serbian citizens”, said Mali.
Mali explained that the goal is for all of our citizens to communicate more easily, to connect more easily, to travel, to find work more easily, and to buy products from their immediate environment without undue burden.
According to Mali, reaffirming the Serbia-Northern Macedonia Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Qualified Services by Trust, he continues to implement President Aleksandar Vucic’s (mini Schengen) initiative, which is aimed at greater economic and economic co-operation between countries in the Western Balkans.
Mali estimated that the confirmation of the Agreement should have an impact on the economic entities of both countries, which will in the course of business cooperation switch to electronic commerce, which is faster and more efficient than the traditional one.
“Mutual recognition also means that citizens and businesses from one country will be able to use another country’s online services, that is, they will be able to identify themselves through their electronic identification schemes, which are equally accepted in both countries”, the minister said for RTS.
