The European Union Ambassador to Serbia, Andreas von Beckerath, highlighted that Serbia possesses enormous economic and business potential, but emphasized that realizing this potential requires accelerating key reforms. He spoke at the opening of the “Serbia Investment Compass” conference, organized by the Council of European Business Associations and Chambers (CEBAC) at the Italian Embassy.
Von Beckerath noted that Serbia has opportunities in IT, agriculture, biotechnology, and a growing startup ecosystem. However, for these opportunities to translate into tangible growth, it is crucial to implement reforms, particularly in rule of law, judiciary efficiency, and creating a better business environment by reducing bureaucracy and limiting excessive state intervention in the market.
Regarding EU accession, he mentioned that the European Commission has confirmed that Serbia has met the conditions for opening Cluster 3 in the negotiations, but the final decision lies with the member states. These countries will review Serbia’s obligations, especially in areas of fundamental rights, rule of law, energy policy, alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, and the dialogue with Kosovo. Von Beckerath stressed that the business community supports the same reforms as the EU, and that these reforms are ultimately for the benefit of Serbian citizens.
On the energy front, von Beckerath emphasized that it is clear Russia is not a reliable energy supplier for Serbia. In contrast, the EU offers strong support for diversifying energy imports, including oil and gas. He cited the formation of a joint energy working group following European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Serbia, which has already met several times to coordinate energy strategies.
Von Beckerath also highlighted EU support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), noting that a dynamic private sector is key to Serbia’s socio-economic development, fostering prosperity, competitiveness, and creating new jobs. So far, Serbian companies have benefited from over €250 million from EU IPA funds, mobilizing approximately €2.5 billion in total investments through regional programs and international financial institutions.
The Italian Ambassador to Serbia, Luca Gori, noted that Serbia is undergoing change, with new sectors gaining importance, including energy transition, green technologies, artificial intelligence, agriculture, and agrotechnology. He stressed the need to create a favorable environment, supported by Serbian authorities, to ensure that EU support has maximum impact.
Gori emphasized that reforms linked to Serbia’s EU accession process remain the most effective way to improve the business environment, and the EU fully supports Serbia on this path. He underlined that supporting SMEs is not only an economic priority but central to the shared vision of a prosperous, integrated, and stable Europe, with Serbia as a future EU member.
