The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia&nbsp;(CCIS) will become part of one of the largest trade associations, the World Trade Center (WTCA), by the end of 2026, which brings together 88 countries worldwide. The WTCA representative office will be located in Belgrade, within the CCIS, and it will be a place where we will offer companies coming to our country the opportunity to network, be at the heart of Belgrade, and connect with partners, announced Marko Čadež, the President of CCIS, in New York.
"We have agreed that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia&nbsp;will hold the WTCA license, and its representative office will be in our building in Terazije.&nbsp;Through this, the Chamber will become part of the largest international trade association, making Belgrade and Serbia leading destinations for trade and investment," explained Čadež, who is in New York as part of the Serbian delegation attending the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The World Trade Center is a global network that connects more than 300 major and influential companies and organizations under its brand.
"Our vision is to bring this world-renowned brand to Serbia and realize the WTCA project in Belgrade shortly, which will become a new hub and business platform for the Western Balkans," said the President of CCIS.
In recent days, Čadež has held numerous meetings in New York with various delegations to discuss strengthening economic ties with Serbia. By the end of the fall, Serbian entrepreneurs can expect important meetings with business communities from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tunisia, and Greece.
President Čadež also attended the "Serbia Beyond Future" reception last night, organized by the Permanent Mission of Serbia to the UN at the United Nations headquarters in New York. World officials were presented with the upcoming Expo 2027 exhibition, as well as Serbia's future in terms of the development of science, innovation, and cutting-edge technologies.<div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/MČ.jpg" id="image-tag-1727438918671" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="1260"></div>

Čadež: CCIS to Become Part of the World Trade Center

This November, Web Summit&mdash;the largest conference dedicated to new technologies&mdash;will host the highest number of startups ever, including a record number of Serbian companies. 
For the first time, the number of Serbian startups presenting in Lisbon will exceed 50, more than double compared to 2023. This explosive growth confirms Serbia’s increasing influence on the global tech scene, said Paddy Cosgrave, co-founder of the Web Summit conference.
In a LinkedIn post, he mentioned that many countries will have more participants at this year’s Web Summit. The number of startups from the United States will exceed 250, while the UK and Germany will each have about 300 startups, a significant increase compared to last year. Spain will have around 170, and Italy 100 startups, representing over a 50% increase for both countries compared to 2023.
He also pointed out that what is particularly interesting is the growth of participants from non-traditional markets. In addition to Serbia, Finland also sees a doubling number of startups in just one year.
Estimates suggest that Web Summit will gather around 15,000 founders this year, with many more participating in networking, listening, and learning, Cosgrave stated.
He emphasized that much of this growth is driven by a wave of startups that are self-funded, without traditional venture capital investments. This phenomenon signals a new era in the tech industry. Instead of seeking investment, the main focus of new startups is finding customers.The tech world is changing, and Web Summit is adapting to this new reality,Cosgrave explained.
He pointed out that more and more startups are self-funding, citing reasons such as lower software development costs, more accessible scaling opportunities, and it being easier than ever to reach customers.
This year in Lisbon, a new generation of founders and startups will participate at the Web Summit, including Serbian tech pioneers.

 Serbian Startups at Web Summit

At this year's prestigious international evaluation of strong alcoholic beverages, the <a href="https://spiritsselection.com/en/">CMB Spirits Selection</a>, held in China at the beginning of September, Serbian brandy won 18 medals.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, in collaboration with the <a href="https://savezrakija.rs/en/about-us/">Association of Brandy Producers of Serbia</a>, organized the participation of 22 distilleries in this international competition, which has been held for 30 years in various countries around the world, aiming to draw the attention of the business community and consumers to less known alcohol drinks.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Serbian brandy evaluated by 154 international judges from 38 countries who assessed 2,754 samples of alcoholic beverages from 62 countries, won a total of 18 medals, including two Grand Gold, six Gold, and ten Silver awards. The Grand Gold medals were awarded to <a href="https://destilerijazaric.com/en">“Destilerija Zarić”</a> for their plum brandy “Kraljica 14” and <a href="https://podrumpevac.rs/">"Podrum Pevac"</a>&nbsp;for their plum rakija “Zlatni Pevac”.
Gold medals were won by <a href="https://bbklekovaca.rs/">“BB Klekovača Distillery"</a> for their plum brandy “Bela Drinska”,&nbsp; <a href="https://www.tok.rs/en/">Distillery Tok</a>&nbsp;for their plum brandy “Alba”, Hubert 1984 for their "Williams" pear brandy, <a href="https://www.vinskorakijskihub.rs/kategorija-proizvoda/rakija/mali-podrum-vukojicic/">Mali Podrum Vukojičić</a> for their six-year-old plum brandy “Draža”,&nbsp; <a href="https://www.gorda.rs/en/home">Destilerija Gorda</a>&nbsp;for their apricot brandy, and <a href="https://rakijapotpis.rs/">Destilerija Potpis</a>&nbsp;for their five-year-old plum brandy.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Representatives of the Association of Brandy Producers of Serbia, Ivan Urošević and Milan Zarić, also participated in the program segment of the competition in China, presenting the tradition, uniqueness, and exceptional quality of Serbian brandies to the global professional audience in a masterclass.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In addition to the notable achievements in China, at the major International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) held in London this summer, which is one of the world's most significant competitions for assessing quality, Serbian brandies won 16 awards: five Gold, eight Silver, and three Bronze medals.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Gold medals went to <a href="https://emperus.rs/">Distillery Emperus</a> for their 25-year-old plum brandy “Emperus Privilege”,&nbsp; <a href="https://www.vinskorakijskihub.rs/kategorija-proizvoda/rakija/mali-podrum-vukojicic/">Mali Podrum Vukojičić</a> for their 12-year-old plum brandy “Toja 12”, <a href="https://www.gorda.rs/en/home">Distillery Gorda</a> for their quince brandy, and <a href="https://podrumpalic.rs/en/">Podrum Palić 1896</a>for their plum and apricot brandies.
&nbsp;With these awards, Serbian fruit brandy continues to gain recognition on the global strong spirits scene, supported by the growing trend of brandy exports, which reached €13.3 million in 2023, compared to just €5.6 million five years ago in 2019.<div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/Rakija 1.jpg" id="image-tag-1727792196154" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="1264"></div>

Serbian Brandy Conquers the Global Market  

The "Made in Italy" conference, held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) gathered over 100 representatives from companies and institutions from Serbia and Italy, with the aim of presenting Italy's national branding concept and improving economic cooperation between the two countries.
Mihailo Vesović, Director of the Sector for Strategic Analyses, Services, and Internationalization at CCIS, emphasized that the "Made in Italy" concept is an example of successful branding from which Serbia can learn a lot. According to him, Italy is one of Serbia's most important partners in trade and services exchange, particularly in innovation and technology. Vesović highlighted the importance of further developing Serbia's national brand through initiatives such as "Najbolje iz Srbije" and products bearing the "Čuvarkuća" label.

<div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/30092024 Konferencija Made in Italy (6).jpg" id="image-tag-1727702388529" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="1263"></div>

Anino De Venezia, President of the Italian-Serbian Chamber, pointed out the continuous interest of Italian companies in investing in Serbia, emphasizing that Italy offers a wide range of products and technologies. Fabrizio Cosimi, Economic Attaché at the Embassy of Italy, presented the "100% Made in Italy" brand as a response to the issue of counterfeit products bearing the "Made in Italy" label, which poses a significant economic challenge.

<div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/30092024 Konferencija Made in Italy (9).jpg" id="image-tag-1727702421472" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="1262"></div>

The conference was organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia in cooperation with the Chamber of Italian-Serbian Entrepreneurs and the Embassy of Italy.

Vesović: "Made in Italy" is a Good Example of National Brending

Marko Čadež, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), emphasized that doors are now open worldwide for the Serbian economy after talks between the Serbian delegation and top officials from Ukraine, Greece, the Philippines, and Malta, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.During the meeting between the Serbian delegation, led by the Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Đurić, and Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, an agreement was reached to strengthen economic cooperation between Serbia and Ukraine and to organize a joint business forum between the two economies in Ukraine. Čadež highlighted that the meeting with Sybiha was very successful and that the CCIS already has a strong partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Ukraine. "During their delegation's recent visit to Belgrade, we agreed to hold a business forum in Ukraine as soon as possible. We received full support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Additionally, we gained their full backing in preparing our companies for future business opportunities in Ukraine, particularly in reconstruction and development, as well as in promoting the placement of our products," Čadež stated.Following the meeting with Ukrainian representatives, the Serbian delegation held talks with Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Gerapetritis, focusing on expanding the business of Serbian companies in the cosmetics and sports equipment sectors in Greece."Our companies and Serbian retail chains in cosmetics and sports equipment already have about thirty stores across Greece and are making significant progress in that market, continuously opening new stores and expanding their retail chains," Čadež pointed out.The CCIS President added that discussions with the Greek delegation also addressed investments by Greek companies in Serbia, particularly in the construction and real estate markets.The Philippine delegation, led by the Philippine Minister of Foreign Affairs Enrique Austria Manalo, expressed interest in an innovative modular hospital project beginning production in Serbia, Čadež noted."They are very intrigued by the innovative modular hospital project starting in Serbia, especially considering the Philippines' numerous islands and the need to provide rapid and quality healthcare to their population," Čadež explained.The activities of the Serbian delegation continued with the presentation of the potential of both the Serbian economy and science. During the meeting with Malta's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ian Borg, it was agreed to connect the research communities of the BIO4 campus in Belgrade and The Malta Life Sciences Park (MLSP).

Čadež at the UN: Doors Open Worldwide for Serbian Economy

Serbia and Uzbekistan will soon arrange a session of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission and the Business Council, with the pharmaceutical industry being one of the key sectors offering significant opportunities to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. This was announced in New York by Marko Čadež, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), after a meeting with Bakhtiyor Saidov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, held ahead of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Čadež emphasized that Uzbekistan's representatives are highly interested in the presentation of Serbia's Bio4Campus project and the exchange of knowledge and innovations in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.
Uzbekistan is heavily investing in the development of&nbsp;new technologies, innovative drugs, and therapies, and Serbia’s experience in this field could be of great importance to them, Čadež added.
The country is also interested in establishing closer cooperation with Serbia in the field of agriculture, particularly in the exchange of agricultural and food products, the purchase of agricultural machinery, and the import of seeds and planting material.
Opportunities for business connections also exist in the textile industry, leather and footwear industry, energy, construction, and petrochemical complexes. Uzbekistan is among the world's leading producers of cotton. Its mineral, oil, and gas reserves are highly significant, and the country produces and exports large quantities of natural gas.
Marko Čadež is participating as a member of the Serbian delegation at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Together with Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Đurić, he will have important meetings in the coming days with representatives of various state delegations, dedicated to strengthening Serbia's position on the international stage.

Great Opportunities for Cooperation with Uzbekistan in the Pharmaceutical Sector

Serbia and Uzbekistan will soon agree on the convening of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission and Business Council, with the pharmaceutical industry being one of the key sectors offering significant potential for strengthening economic ties between the two countries. This was announced in New York by Marko Čadež, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), after a meeting with Bakhtiyor Saidov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, held ahead of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.Čadež emphasized that Uzbekistan is very interested in the presentation of Serbia's Bio4Campus project, as well as the exchange of knowledge and innovations in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors."Uzbekistan is heavily investing in the development of new technologies, innovative medicines, and therapies, and our experience in these areas can be very valuable to them," added Čadež.Uzbekistan is also interested in establishing close cooperation with Serbia in the agricultural sector, particularly in the exchange of agricultural and food products, the purchase of agricultural machinery, and the import of seeds and planting material.There are also opportunities for connecting companies in the textile industry, leather and footwear industry, energy sector, construction, and the petrochemical complex. Uzbekistan is one of the world's leading cotton producers, and the country has significant reserves of minerals, oil, and gas. It also produces and exports a large amount of natural gas.Marko Čadež is participating as a member of the Serbian delegation at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Alongside Serbia's Foreign Minister, Marko Đurić, Čadež will have important meetings in the coming days with representatives of various state delegations, aimed at strengthening Serbia's position on the international stage.

Čadež: Great Opportunities for Cooperation with Uzbekistan in the Pharmaceutical Sector

The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), Marko Čadež, met in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, to discuss strengthening economic cooperation, investments, joint ventures, and export opportunities, as well as support for organizing EXPO and hosting a business forum. "We discussed the organization of EXPO 2027, considering that a smaller EXPO was previously held in Astana, as well as the distribution of our pharmaceuticals and products from the pharmaceutical industry in Kazakhstan's market, where we will receive support for drug registration, which is a prerequisite for our companies' business operations," said the President of CCIS. He added that they also discussed the planning of the Trans-Caspian Corridor, which is important for Serbia and its logistics and transportation companies, as well as cooperation in producing baby food. He reminded that earlier this month, CCIS held a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Trade of Kazakhstan, and this is a continuation of the cooperation. Furthermore, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia will&nbsp;organize a major business forum during the visit of the President of Kazakhstan to Serbia, which will take place by the end of the year.The President of CCIS also met with the UAE Minister of International Cooperation, Reem Al Hashimi, to discuss support for the organization of the EXPO."Mrs. Al Hashimi was the Director-General for the EXPO in Dubai and is ready to support organizing the EXPO in Serbia. Their delegation is currently in Belgrade, and discussions are underway about how they can assist us," Čadež said, adding that the CCIS delegation is in communication with the business sector and companies to represent the interests of the economy effectively.&nbsp;He thanked the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Đurić, for the opportunity to participate and advocate for the economic interests of Serbia on a broader scale."It is not a common occurrence for a country's business delegation to be part of a state delegation and to participate in meetings at the United Nations General Assembly, and we are therefore grateful to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Đurić, for enabling us to use the political framework of good relations with numerous countries. It is up to us to fill this framework with strong economic relations, new business deals, and new contracts," Čadež said.

Čadež: Mayor Serbia-Kazakhstan Business Forum by the End of the Year

Serbian apple producers will be showcasing their export offerings for the first time at the International Fair "Gulfood Green" in Dubai (UAE) from September 24 to 26. The participation of Serbian businessmen is facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) with support from the "Trade Promotion East" project, implemented by the International Trade Center (ITC) and funded by the Government of Switzerland. "Gulfood Green" is a new fair taking place at the Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC), and the companies exhibiting their offerings within the National Pavilion of Serbia in Hall 3 include "Ćirić Agro MĐŽ", "COPA", "AgroCorp Duo", "Srbovoće", and "Mirax Agrar".

​Serbian Apple Producers for the First Time at the Gulfood Green Fair In Dubai

The annual gathering of directors from top Austrian companies, organized by the magazine "Falstaff," took place in Vienna. The event featured the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Marko Čadež, as a special guest. Over 70 owners and directors of major Austrian companies such as "Andritz," "Austria Airlines," "Kwizda," "Poor," "Hofer," and "Julius Meinl" attended the significant business event.&nbsp; Marko Čadež expressed his gratitude for the invitation, emphasizing the recognition of the reputation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the entire Serbian economy in Austria. He also extended an invitation to the attendees to visit the wine fair Wine Vision by Open Balkan, scheduled to take place in Belgrade from November 22 to 24, highlighting its significance for the regional wine industry. The hosts of the meeting were Wolfgang Rosa Rossam and his wife Angelica, the owners of "Falstaff," one of Europe's largest magazines for gastronomy and tourism. The culinary experience was curated by Vicky Geunes, the three-time Michelin star recipient and head of the restaurant "Zilte" in Antwerp. Furthermore, the dinner served a humanitarian purpose, as funds were raised to aid individuals affected by the devastating floods in Austria.

Čadež with Leading Austrian Businessmen in Vienna

The signing of a free trade agreement between Serbia and Israel would be a significant step forward and concrete support for increasingly intensive economic cooperation and connecting economies in various fields. This includes increasing the exchange of goods and services, sharing knowledge, and collaborating in innovative technologies. This was a joint message from the presidents of the two countries, Aleksandar Vučić and Isak Herzog, the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Marko Čadež, as well as representatives of organizations and institutions who participated in the Round Table "Synergy in Innovation and Trade: Talks between Serbia and Israel".
President Vučić stated that he&nbsp;expects to complete all the&nbsp;necessary steps and finalize the Free Trade Agreement with Israel within a few months. Ministers in the Serbian government were instructed to&nbsp;speed up the preparatory actions required to sign that document. "That would be the most effective continuation of today's round table and the beginning of a new, much deeper, more serious and responsible cooperation," said Vučić. He also highlighted the need for Serbian businessmen to learn from the Israelis on how they became the center of the world in terms of startup companies.
"The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, believes that there is a significant potential for economic cooperation between his country and Serbia. He expects that this cooperation will triple and that the ultimate goal of the relationship between the two countries is to sign a Free Trade Agreement."
"Serbia has an incredible economy that is experiencing constant growth and has great potential. Serbia is located in the heart of Europe, between East and West, and is less than a three-hour flight away from Israel in many spheres of life. The labor market is very good, with high-quality experts who have good skills, and we can talk about endless investments in both countries," said Herzog.
Marko Čadež, the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, highlighted that in recent years, Israel has emerged as Serbia's fourth largest export market outside of Europe. Since the official opening of the CCIS representative office in Jerusalem in 2021, the bilateral trade between the two countries has tripled. He emphasized that the nature of collaboration has undergone a qualitative shift, now focusing on innovation.
"Since 2021, we have connected several hundred Serbian and Israeli companies and done a good part of the work when it comes to marketing our products, but there is still a long way to go in terms of what I believe we can achieve together," said Čadež. According to the president, CCIS has prepared a catalog of goods and services that Israel currently imports, and Serbia can be more competitive in terms of pricing.
"What is much more important, we have prepared a catalog of our industrial and free zones, chemical parks, where we can very quickly establish a kind of temporary production center in Serbia with complete logistics for Israeli companies," Chadez said. He says that the focus in future cooperation will be on the transfer of knowledge and experience that Israel possesses.
Aleksandar Nikolić, director of the CCIS Representative Office in Israel, has pointed out that 2023 marked a record year in foreign trade exchange between the two countries, reaching 121.3 million euros. He emphasizes that this is the opportune time for a forum and meetings involving representatives of institutions, organizations, and businesses from Serbia and Israel. This is due to the high level of interest from Israeli investors in investing in Serbia, particularly in the renewable energy sector.
He mentioned that the EXPO 2027 exhibition presents an excellent opportunity for Israeli companies and joint projects. The exhibition was introduced to Israeli guests by Sinisa Mali, the First Vice-President of the Government of Serbia and the Minister of Finance.
The head of the Directorate for Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Yael Ravia Caduk, assessed that this is a time of great opportunities for our economies, and the synergies of our innovative eco-systems. She pointed out that Serbian companies have opened doors in the field of hi-tec and traditional trade.
The round table "Synergy in Innovation and Trade: Talks between Serbia and Israel" was organized by CCIS in cooperation with the Embassy of Israel in Belgrade. The aim was to exchange past experiences and create plans for future cooperation between representatives of the economies and institutions of the two countries.
Several memorandums of understanding were signed in the presence of President Vučić and Herzog.<div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/Израел Цадез_960x639.jpg" id="image-tag-1726644461015" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="1252"></div>

The Free Trade Agreement is the Most Concrete Support for the Economies of Serbia and Israel

The economic cooperation between Serbia and France is on an upward trajectory according to preliminary&nbsp;results from a recently held Business Forum in Paris, organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS),&nbsp;where just in one day deals worth 4,5 million euros were discussed, said Marko Čadež, the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia in the Serbian National News.
Čadež stated that the trade exchange between Serbia and France is three times greater than it was 6, to 7 years ago and that this is the result of good political relations between the leaders of the two countries. Exchange with France exceeded two billion euros, and the structure of exports took a turn.
"Raspberries were Serbia's main export product until 2020, but thanks to the digitization policy and support to the IT sector, now for the first time we are exporting more software than raspberries," Čadež pointed out.
Commenting on the global supply challenges in the energy sector, the president of the CCIS indicated that the earthquake in the energy sector occurred due to a complete change in the structure of demand and the development of technologies, artificial intelligence, and telecommunications. Comparing the energy sector of Germany and France, Čadez notes that the situation in France is much better because, as he pointed out, they found a way to provide for electricity demand. "France, through smart nuclear technology, can be a solution for the entire European continent and industry, and therefore for ours," adds Čadež.
Speaking about the upcoming Web Summit in Lisbon, one of the world's largest technology conferences, Čadez notes that it is a unique event that brings together CEOs of companies such as&nbsp;&nbsp;"Apple", "Microsoft", and "Facebook".&nbsp;
The president of CCIS states that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry&nbsp;of Serbia has already started activities for Lisbon, from over 80 registered startups at the pitch on September 5 in Belgrade, 24 will be selected. Those 24 companies will have their stands within the Serbian IT island.
"Performing at the Web Summit is an excellent opportunity for Serbia to demonstrate its technological capabilities and become an important player in the global IT scene," said Čadež and pointed out that this is the beginning of Serbia's positioning as an innovative hub in Europe, which is an introduction, as he says, to EXPO2027.