Serbia's entry to the European Union is a priority of the Serbian Government. Sustainable economic development in Serbia is still largely dependent on the inflow of foreign investments. Foreign investors often face legal barriers that prevent efficient operations in Serbia, and for the development of local companies there is a need of harmonizing Serbian legislation with the EU regulations in order to increase legal security, business and competitiveness. The similarities and differences of business conditions in Serbia and the EU, customs and tax obstacles for competition development, changes in the Law on planning and construction, the legalization and restitution, the new agricultural policy of the Serbian Government and the importance of competition for Serbian market development will be the topics for the representatives of domestic and European institutions, Serbian government ministries andbusiness and industrial associations and companies.

Contact:

Jelena Jezdović
+381 11 3333 003
jelena.jezdovic@emg.rs

Tamara Koštro
+381 11 3333 026
tamara.kostro@emg.rs

PRELIMINARY AGENDA

08:30-09:00 Participants registration, coffee/tea

09:00-09:30 Introductory speeches:

Božidar Đelić, Vice-president of the Serbian Government, in charge of European integrations
Adriano Martins, Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union to Republic of Serbia

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09:30-10:45 Panel 1: Business Environment

Moderator: Goran Pitić, President of the Board, Societe Generale Serbia

Nebojša Ćirić, Minister, Ministry of economy and regional development, Republic of Serbia
Miloš Bugarin, President, Serbian Chamber of Commerce

Kjell-Morten Johnsen, President, Foreign Investors Council
Dragoljub Vukadinović, President, Metalac Holding

Marinko Ukropina, General Director, SGS Serbia

Business conditions in Serbia and EU – similarities and differences, adjustment to the EU standards
Custom and tax obstacles for competition development
Re-industrialization

How to accomplish quality standards requirements of the EU market?

10:45-11:00 Coffee Break

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11:00-12:15 Panel 2: Construction Industry and Permissions

Moderator: Dušan Vasiljević, Team Leader for Business Regulation and Economic Governance Team, USAID Business Enabling Project

Oliver Dulić, Minister, Ministry of environment, mining and spatial planning, Republic of Serbia
Nenad Tesla, Director, Republic Geodetic Authority
Mile Antić, Coordinator, Restitution Network
Dragoslav Šumarac, President, Serbian Chamber of Engineers
Milan Parivodić, President, Foreign Investor Service

Changes in the Law on planning and construction – first effects on construction industry
Property and legal relations and protection of property rights
Legalization
Restitution

12:15-12:30 Coffee Break

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12:30-13:45 Panel 3: Monopoly Politics with the Focus on Agriculture and Trading

Moderator: Milan Ćulibrk, Editor-in-Chief, Bankar Magazine, Ekonom:east Media Group

Igor Momčilović, State Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management, Republic of Serbia
Miladin Ševarlić, President, Serbian Association of Agricultural Economists
Miljan Ždrale, Senior Banker, EBRD Agribusiness Team

New agriculture politics of the Serbian Government
What awaits Serbian agriculture in 2014
Subventions for agriculture in Serbia and EU
Importance of competition for Serbian market development

13:45-15:00 Networking lunch / Cocktail