Activities in Serbia

Country focused training course for Foreign Export Promotion for the Republic of Serbia

Background of the Project:

Over the last five years, Serbia has implemented extensive economic and legal reforms which have significant improved its business climate. Serbian export has risen in the last seven years approximately by 30% on year basis. Main export market is Europe, especially CEFTA zone. Due to the world economic situation, entire European market has shrunk and Serbia needs do diversify and find its new partners. In this sense country is opening new markets like Japan. Since there is no much experience when doing business in Japan, Serbia has very little knowledge about Japan, Japanese market and Japanese consumers.

In the light of that national agency for export promotion started to participate at FOODEX, the biggest food product fair in Asia in Tokyo. In 2008, Serbia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA) received technical assistance through JICA for preparation of exhibition at FOODEX 2008.

This project will provide technical assistance to SIEPA to develop a strategic approach and detailed action plan when promoting trade and investment with Japan.

• Project type: Country-focused Training Program
• Project objective: To improve and increase business relations between Serbia and Japan in terms of trade and investment
• Project sites: Entire Serbia
• Duration: March 2012 – March 2014
• Executing Organization: Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA)
• Outputs:

1. Export promotion plans to Japanese market shall be drafted.
2. Current foreign direct investment situation and international competitiveness of Serbian products shall be analyzed.
3. Relevant publications such as How to Do Business with Japan aimed at Serbian business community and translation of the set of publications which provide information about investing in Serbia shall be created.