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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Call on French companies to invest in Serbia

Belgrade/Paris, 20 June 2019

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic presented today to the Union of French Employers (MEDEF) reforms that Serbia has implemented and potential for future cooperation in various areas, including the Belgrade Metro project.

Brnabic stressed in her statement to the press that she was finishing the visit to Paris in the best possible way, by meeting with the representatives of MEDEF, because the number and the quality of our jobs and high salaries are most important for the quality of life of our citizens.

Today we talked about all this and I urged French companies to come and invest in Serbia in greater numbers, the Prime Minister said.

France, she added, has huge, strong companies, but we missed the opportunity in the past to take advantage of their power.

Recalling that there are approximately 100 French companies doing business in Serbia, which employ 11,000 workers, Brnabic pointed out that the potential is much higher.

What is good thought is that the presence of French companies in Serbia has been increasing since 2018.

They won two calls for a public-private partnership. Michelin employs 3,500 people and last year was the third largest exporter in Serbia. This shows that in the year ahead of us we will have better relations with French companies, the Prime Minister of Serbia noted.

Brnabic added that last year, which was the best for Serbia in attracting foreign direct investments, which exceeded €3.5 billion, the biggest investor was French companies, with a total of €710 million in investments.

In her address to the Union of French Employers, which gathers 70 percent of French companies, Brnabic said that Serbia is on the path of economic and political transformation.

I am convinced that the government must ensure a stimulating environment if it wants economic prosperity and create new opportunities for all. In times of political insecurity and unilateral actions, the Serbian government will continue to seek dialogue, cooperation and compromise, Brnabic underlined.

Addressing the representatives of 25 French companies, including those already operating in Serbia, such as Vanci, Ezis, Alstom, she reiterated that for that reason Serbia puts EU membership and regional stability and cooperation in the first place.

We are particularly focused on regional connectivity, both physically and digitally, and the creation of a regional economic zone. In order to increase competitiveness and attract new investments, the region must work together and remove all barriers, the Prime Minister said.

She said that Serbia will continue with an ambitious agenda in order to provide the best conditions for prospective investors.

Brnabic underlined that the government is working actively on the reform of the education system, which is one of the priorities of the government.

MEDEF Vice President Marie-Ange Debon stated that the Serbian Prime Minister's talks with representatives of French companies were very fruitful.

I am sure that French companies will continue to invest in Serbia and develop cooperation. This was a very useful and fruitful meeting, she said.

Debon pointed out that an educated, trained workforce and a stable friendly environment is particularly important for French investors and especially praised everything that Serbia has done in terms of finance.