Čadež: Industrial Decarbonization Is a Matter of Competitiveness, Exports and Serbia's Future Economic Growth

The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Marko Čadež, said in Brussels that it is crucial for Serbian industry to adapt as quickly as possible to the new European rules on decarbonization, energy diversification, and the increased use of renewable energy, as the competitiveness of Serbian companies, their exports to the European Union market, and Serbia's future economic growth depend directly on these efforts.

Following meetings with Minister of Environmental Protection Sara Pavkov, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Enlargement Gert Jan Koopman, and European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall, Čadež described the discussions as highly constructive and practical.

"Our key priorities were the issues most important to the business community—how to accelerate the processes that will enable us to join relevant European mechanisms, implement the necessary measures, diversify our energy portfolio more effectively, and increase the use of renewable energy in industry," Čadež said.

He stressed that the discussions in Brussels were particularly important in light of the deadlines and obligations Serbian industry must meet in order to comply with increasingly stringent European regulations.

"The European Union is continuously tightening regulations governing imports into its member states. Serbia, its industry, and its companies must adapt to these new rules in order to remain competitive and continue operating successfully in the European market," Čadež stated.

According to him, cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Minister Sara Pavkov has been excellent, and the meetings held in Brussels provide a solid basis for expecting that Serbian industry will be included in a broader package of support measures.

"It is important that we work together on the decarbonization of our industry, the diversification of our energy portfolio—that is, the sources from which we obtain energy—and the wider use of renewable energy. These are our top priorities," Čadež emphasized.

He noted that these issues are particularly important for manufacturers of construction materials and fertilizers, as well as for other energy-intensive industries.

"This is of critical importance. It is a matter of survival for many large companies and, consequently, a key issue for Serbia's continued economic development," Čadež concluded.

Photo: Dragan Kujundžić