Eight companies from Serbia represent their innovative products and technologies at the international trade fair for industrial technology "HANNOVER MESSE"&nbsp; which takes place in Germany from April 17th to 21st.&nbsp;
With the support of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and Serbian Development Agency companies Oblo Living, Perform doo, Prva Petoletka, Tehnolink, Proleter doo, Slovo doo, Kord 2 and AMM Manufacturing member of MIND Group are presented at the Serbian National Booth.&nbsp;
During the fair, a B2B event “ Technology & Business Cooperation Days 2023” will be organized by the European Enterprise Network with aim of business networking in the field of new, innovative, and sustainable technologies.
Serbian companies traditionally participate at the fair "Hanover Messe", which is the leading technology fair on the European market. Last year, this fair gathered more than 2,500 exhibitors, while over 75,000 professional visitors visited the fair.
<a href="https://fairs.pks.rs/hannover-messe-2023/">Click for the full Catalogue of Serbian companies.</a><div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/IMG-20230418-WA0008.jpg" id="image-tag-1681821388413" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="921"></div>

Serbian Technologies at " Hannover Messe" 

Kenya represents one of the most promising countries in Africa with 50 million consumers and growing needs that largely correspond to what domestic companies can offer, it was said at the round table "How to do business with Kenya” held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) with more than 30 representatives of the agricultural and processing, construction and IT industries.
"Kenya is one of the most developed countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and when it comes to East Africa, it is a regional hub for finance and trade, the main transport and logistics hub for the region, connecting neighboring countries with the rest of the world," said Ana Stojanović from the Center for Middle East and Africa in CCIS. She added that Kenya has an increasing trend of urbanization followed by&nbsp;growing standards, and therefore growing needs that largely match what local companies can offer." There is significant room for our companies to increase their exports and to be more present in the Kenyan market," Stojanović pointed out. In order to explore possibilities of cooperation&nbsp;Chamber of Commerce and Industry Serbia is planning to organize a visit to Kenya of a business delegation from agriculture, food processing, construction, tourism, and the IT industry in early September it was announced at the meeting.

Kenya- Export Market for Serbian Companies

The Embassy of Sweden in Belgrade organized the Day of Suppliers for more than 30 Serbian companies and 11 representatives of the Swedish Agency for Traffic and Transport, which is looking for partners in Serbia. They took part in presentations and business (B2B) meetings at the Swedish ambassador's residence.The main road and railway projects in Sweden were presented, and there was an opportunity to get acquainted with construction partners in Serbia, who are able to monitor and implement large projects. A delegation of the Swedish Traffic and Transport Agency is currently in Serbia with the aim of presenting the main road and railway projects in Sweden, as well as getting to know Serbian companies that operate in the field of road infrastructure construction. A special focus was directed to companies that are competitive and can be subcontractors, as well as to companies that use innovative methods, applying new knowledge and skills in the construction of road infrastructure.

The Swedish Partners Interested in Cooperation with Serbian Construction Companies in Serbia

Marko Čadež, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, signed the Agreement on the establishment of the Serbian-Saudi Business Council with Hassan Al-Huwaizi, the Chairman of the Federation of Saudi Chambers with the aim of strengthening the economic cooperation between Serbia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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"Serbian companies are very interested in cooperation with partners from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia will therefore initiate the opening of the Representation of the CCIS and the Chambers of the Western Balkans in Saudi Arabia, and in the coming period we will also organize B2B meetings between Saudi and businessmen of Serbia and the region," Čadež announced. 

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The economies of the two countries are facing a period of intense cooperation, Čadež pointed out and stated that in June, local companies will participate in the food fair "Saudi Food" in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the support of CCIS and the Development Agency of Serbia.&nbsp; According to the CCIS president, the first meeting of the Business Council will be held in the coming weeks in order to consider the possibilities of investment and joint projects of the two economies, especially in the sectors of agriculture and investments in the livestock fund of Serbia, ICT, and spa and health tourism. "We want to open the market of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for companies from Serbia and the region, for our companies to invest in the construction of logistics centers in that country, to increase the export of domestic products. But also we want&nbsp;for the businessmen from Saudi Arabia&nbsp;to come to us and invest in the development of our agriculture and spas tourism," said Čadež. Čadež reminded that the CCIS delegation already visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia when cooperation has been established between the CCIS Center for Digital Transformation and the Agency for Digital Cooperation, an international organization covering a market of 500 million people that KSA is a member. Also, Saudi partners were presented with prospects of new projects with Serbian businessmen that would contribute to the increase of foreign trade exchange between the two countries. Hassan Al-Huwaizi, Chairman of the Federation of Saudi Chambers which gathers more than 1.3 million companies operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, emphasized that the good and friendly relations between the two countries should be further improved in the field of economy and invited Serbian businessmen to visit his country and learn about the possibilities of joint cooperation.

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"We want to work on improving economic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Serbia through the establishment of the Business Council of the two countries. "In recent years, we have witnessed the great activities of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and representatives of the Republic of Serbia directed to the improvement of relations between the two countries. "However, the volume of foreign trade exchange does not reflect the true capabilities and capacities of the two countries," Al-Huwaizi said. The market of Saudi Arabia, in terms of potential cooperation, is currently one of the most attractive markets in the Middle East for the Serbian business community. According to the data of the Republic Institute of Statistics, the total foreign trade exchange with Saudi Arabia amounted to 117.2 million dollars last year. The export of goods was worth 61.1 million dollars, while the import from this country was 56.1 million dollars. We mostly exported products from the defense and chemical industry as well as fruit, and we imported mainly products from the chemical industry from KSA. Serbia ranks 7th in fresh apple exports to KSA, while it ranks 1st in the export of frozen raspberries and blackberries.

The Serbian-Saudi Business Council to be Established

The international trade fair "PLMA" will be held on May 23 and 24 in Amsterdam, and 36 Serbian companies, with the support of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the Development Agency of Serbia, will present their offer for the first time at two Serbian National Pavilions under the slogan "Your name, our quality". In addition to the presentation at the national pavilions, ten more companies from Serbia will perform independently at the fair.
"For Serbian companies that are interested in exporting their products under the brands of retail chains, the PLMA fair represents a chance for business cooperation with the world's leading supermarket chains and retail chains as well as specialized stores," says Zorana Delić from CICS Trade Fair Service&nbsp; PKS and adds that private labels currently comprise more than 35 percent of products sold in European countries. 
PLMA Amsterdam is a leading business fair event where manufacturers and representatives of the world's largest retail chains meet. This year, the fair will gather around 2,650 companies from over 70 countries, of which 1,900 are exhibitors from the food sector and more than 700 exhibitors from the non-food sector. Around 15,000 global traders are expected to participate, representing supermarkets, hypermarkets, discounters, department stores, and pharmacies as well as importers, distributors, consultants, sales agents, and packaging and design experts in order to review new business offers, products, and technological innovations.<a href="https://fairs.pks.rs/plma-international-2023/">Download catalog of Serbian companies HERE</a>

Serbian Companies at "PLMA" 2023 in Amsterdam

Serbia and Hungary nurture good-neighborly relations, creating a climate that has never been better when it comes to political relations and joint projects, and we have an excellent base for even better economic, trade, and investment cooperation, said Marko Čadež, the&nbsp; President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS).
At the "Serbian-Hungarian Business Forum", which was held in CCIS as part of the 13th Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation between the two countries, Čadež emphasized that in difficult times it is necessary to have friends and good neighbors and to work on removing all barriers and connecting markets within the region, as well as bringing the economies of the Western Balkans closer to the European market. "Joint infrastructure projects in the energy and traffic sector are very important because they will enable the supply of energy to citizens and the economy, as well as greater energy security and better traffic connections," said Čadež. The President of the CCIS pointed out that Hungary is our gateway to the European market and that it is important to provide more "green corridors" at the border crossings of the two countries in order to enable lower business costs for businessmen. "It is really something that is essential for our economy. There is a lot of space for investments and cooperation of our companies in sectors such as agricultural sector, processing industry, environmental protection, wastewater industry..." said Čadež. He thanked Hungary for helping Serbia and the region in the process of European integration and advocating that the EU provided funds for the infrastructure construction in Serbia and Eastern Europe. He called on Hungary to support the initiatives of the&nbsp; Western Balkan business communities so that the region and Serbia are seen as a member of the single market. He proposed the organization of the "Open Balkan" Council in Budapest in the upcoming period. Peter Szijarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary and co-chairman of the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation of Serbia and Hungary thanked Serbian businessmen for their great interest in cooperation with colleagues from Hungary. He announced&nbsp;even more intensive support for economic cooperation between the two countries and the organization of the "Open Balkan Initiative Council&nbsp;in Budapest. Tomislav Momirović, Minister of Internal and Foreign Trade and co-chairman of the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation of Serbia and Hungary pointed out that such meetings contribute to excellent bilateral and economic relations and pointed to the fact that Serbia's exports to Hungary in 2012 amounted to 245 million euros, while in 2022, exports to that country reached 1.5 billion euros. Imports from Hungary amounted to 727 million euros in 2012, while last year it reached 2.1 billion euros, Momirović said. Serbian-Hungarian Business Forum gathered 120 participants from more than 70 Hungarian and Serbian companies. After the plenary part of the Forum, bilateral talks were held between Serbian and Hungarian companies from the construction, metal industry, ICT, and companies dealing with water treatment, waste, recycling, and composting, as well as&nbsp;from the fields of energy, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare industry.

Čadež: Good Relations between Serbia and Hungary are the Foundation for Even Stronger Economic Cooperation

Fourteen Serbian companies from miscellaneous sectors ranging from metal, chemical, pharmaceutical, and construction industries, the furniture industry, agriculture, high technologies, and innovations, to sector of the services and tourism, will present their export offer at the 24th International Trade Fair in Mostar (&nbsp;Bosnia and Herzegovina) from 2nd till 6th of May. The presentation of Serbian companies is supported by&nbsp;the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the Development Agency of Serbia,
In Hall 1 of the Mostar Fair, at 152m2 of the National Exhibition area companies Galeb Metal Pack, Sweety Plus, Gruža Agrar, Ekosan, MTM Sirela, Podrum Pevac, Stanić, Maber Comerc, Uniplast, Wood Holz, Nautilus, DPS Klas Group, BHK Greenhouse and Jović service and repair will present their export offer to business partners from the region and the world. This year, around 750 exhibitors from more than 30 countries are expected to participate in the Mostar Fair covering 30.000 m2 of&nbsp;exhibition area. The&nbsp;partner country of this year's fair is Israel. Interested in getting in touch with our companies?&nbsp; Download our catalog with product descriptions and contacts <a href="https://fairs.pks.rs/mostar-2023/">https://fairs.pks.rs/mostar-20...</a>

Meet Serbian exporters at Mostar Fair from 2nd till 6th of May

The 2nd InterConnect Regional Conference, which was held in Belgrade yesterday, gathered 17 global companies that came to Serbia with only one goal - to create a business in our country, said Marko Čadež, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. <div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/Interconnect Metropol Palace 26 i 27 april 2023 Dragan Kujundzic (10).jpg" id="image-tag-1682604608966" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="938"></div>
Čadež stated that the annual turnover of companies whose representatives are participating in B2B meetings with Serbian businessmen is over 30 billion euros. "These are all large companies, such as thyssenkrupp Automotive, Roche Diagnostics, DBW, EAO, SAG Tubi, Skylotec, and Plast-Met, which have something to offer, and I believe that our businessmen also have something to offer in return." We expect new contracts and a lot of work," Čadež pointed out. CCIS President said that companies come from numerous EU countries such as Germany, Italy, Poland, and others and that they are serious buyers looking for suppliers from Serbia and the region.<div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/Interconnect Metropol Palace 26 i 27 april 2023 Dragan Kujundzic (18).jpg" id="image-tag-1682604620024" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="940"></div> "The companies that came have more than 30 billion euros turnover and they are really serious customers." The most important thing is for our companies to be able to enter supply chains because the rules adopted in Germany, the Law on Due Diligence and Supply Chains, present new challenges to companies and they need to adopt certain standards," explains Čadež. In order to assist our companies to prepare and adapt to new legal solutions in Germany, which are also expected at the EU level in the upcoming period, CCIS launched the Responsible Business Hub, Čadež pointed out. "We trained people who were in Germany and went into the details of the new law to help our businessmen. Anyone who wants to export goods to Germany and the EU should come to us in CCIS and will receive full support and information on how to meet the requirements to be able to do business in that market, because it is one of the big challenges for our economy at the moment, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises," said Čadež. Representatives of 110 companies and institutions from Serbia, as well as guests from the region and the EU, are participating in the two-day conference at the Metropol Hotel. Brooke Aysham, director of the USAID Mission in Serbia, said that Serbian companies have enormous potential for growth through expanded trade.
"We especially want to cooperate with small and medium-sized enterprises from the machinery and equipment sector in Serbia so that they too can realize their export potential." For this to happen, they need to look beyond reducing production costs and compete in areas such as innovation, environmental protection, and sustainable business," Aysham pointed out.<div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/Interconnect Metropol Palace 26 i 27 april 2023 Dragan Kujundzic (1).jpg" id="image-tag-1682604653590" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="937"></div> Matijas Loidold, Director of Convestenics and one of the organizers of the conference said that more than 200 B2B meetings were scheduled and held between&nbsp;Serbian and 17 European companies who were looking for suppliers and that he&nbsp;expected successful results of the conference and new business deals. The regional B2B conference InterConnect, held in Belgrade on April 26 and 27, is a unique opportunity for representatives of large, medium, and small companies from Serbia and the region to connect with managers of global companies and learn all about the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in areas of sustainability of production processes and supply chains and current challenges of global trade and industry.<div class="article-photo"><img src="https://en-api.pks.rs/storage/assets/Interconnect Metropol Palace 26 i 27 april 2023 Dragan Kujundzic (17).jpg" id="image-tag-1682604635126" data-image-alignment="article-photo" data-image-size-id="original" data-asset-id="939"></div> The conference is organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the&nbsp;company Convestensics, with the support of the "Big Small Economy" project financed by USAID and implemented by the organization ACDI/VOCA.

Čadež: 17 Global Companies Are Looking for Partners In Serbia

Belgrade was recently visited by the most important tour operators from Israel, who will now offer Israeli tourists trips to Serbia.
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"Israel is an important market for our reception agencies, Israeli tourists are exceptional guests, interested in tradition, culture, and history, but also in quality catering service. The Tourism Association of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia ( CCIS)&nbsp;is actively promoting, together with the Tourist Organization of Belgrade and Serbia the&nbsp;destinations and economic development of the Serbian tourism industry, pointed out Tijana Maljković, secretary of the&nbsp;CCIS' Tourist Association. 
The study visit of Israeli tour operators&nbsp;was organized by the Tourist Organization of Belgrade (TOB)&nbsp;in cooperation with the Tourist Organization of Serbia ( TOS), Air Serbia, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia on the occasion of the establishment of direct lines between Tel Aviv and Belgrade.

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"Destinations are not only made up of beautiful buildings and tourist attractions, but destinations are also made up of people, and what we managed to feel and experience in Belgrade, along with wonderful places and food, incredible energy, and hospitality, which is extremely important to every tourist,"&nbsp; said Mark Feldman, director of the largest and oldest agency in Israel, Diesenhouse, at business meetings with the Serbian tourism industry.
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Owners, directors, and managers of agencies Diesenhaus, Kan Tayarut, Genesis Tours, Massaot, Travelor Ltd, and Nesher Tours, met with representatives of local agencies Balkan Holidays, Globe Metropolitan Tours, Wild Serbia, Robinson, Hedonic, and Talas Travel, to talk business. Miodrag Popović, director of TOB, Olga Stojanović, manager at TOS, Željko Stojčić from Air Serbia, and Tijana Maljković presented the Israeli guests with new opportunities for travel on Air Serbia flights. 
&nbsp;A significant contribution to the organization of this visit was also made by the CCIS’ Representation Office in Israel. 
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"Given the huge interest in the study visit, I had the opportunity to suggest the most adequate tour operators that will contribute to the increase of overnight stays by Israeli tourists in our capital, but also in the country in general. The opportunity arose when Air Serbia renewed four direct flights a week, which increased the number of the two existing flights of the Israeli airline Arkia (Arkia), between Ben-Gurion Airport (Ben-Gurion, TLV) and Nikola Tesla. The increased number of flights&nbsp;will contribute to Belgrade's competitiveness among other destinations in central and southern Europe. Fundamental calculations await us, which can certainly be a boost for the upcoming autumnal Jewish holidays", said Aleksandar Nikolić, Director of the CCIS Representative Office in Jerusalem and Honorary Consul in Israel. 
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Israeli Tour Operators in Belgrade

Today, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia's latest service- Responsible Business Hub was launched. It is a Service Center available to all companies in Serbia that are part of German and global supply chains and&nbsp;contains all important information on the implementation of the new Law on Supply Chains in Germany and the EU.
According to the German Law on Due Diligence in the supply chains, which came into effect on January 1st, 2023, all domestic companies that are in the supply chains of German companies are required to meet requirements in the field of human rights protection, rights workers, and ecology.
It is estimated that the new regulation will affect the business operations of around 3,000 companies in Serbia. Mihailo Vesović, Director of the Sector for Internationalization of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, points out that supporting companies&nbsp;in fulfilling and application of regulations is one of the key economic topics that the hub will deal with.
"This is very important for the competitiveness of our companies and the continuity of business operations. The task of the Hub and CCIS is to provide strong support for the economy to better adapt to the changes, and harmonize its operations based on respect for human rights and environmental protection.

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&nbsp;"For successful functioning, we need the support of all actors - business associations, competent institutions, civil sector," added Vesović.
Peer Krumney, the adviser at the German Embassy in Serbia, spoke about German experiences in the preparation, monitoring, and implementation of the Law on Due Diligence, pointing out the importance of dialogue and successful implementation. 

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Françoise Jacob, the permanent coordinator of the UN in Serbia, emphasized the importance of the quality legal framework and its effective application in terms of human rights, the rights of workers, women, children, and the green transition.

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Activities of the Help Desk will include the creation of a network of strategic partners and consultants, CCIS will organize education and consultations aimed at raising awareness and encouraging dialogue between interested parties regarding German Law in the supply chain and EU regulation. The Law on Due Diligence is an introduction to the European Directive which is expected to be introduced. It will be stricter and include more regulations and requirements than German law itself. 

The regulation applies both to companies that are registered in Germany and to their subsidiaries abroad, as well as to direct and indirect suppliers in their supply chains. The requirements that are placed before suppliers refer to the prohibition of child labor, the prohibition of forced labor, and discrimination, the right to form or join unions and adequate earnings, the prohibition of illegal confiscation of the land, as well as violation and abuse of private security. In the field of environmental protection, the law stipulates compliance with three international conventions - the use of mercury in accordance with the <a href="https://mercuryconvention.org/...">Minamata Convention on Mercury,</a> the application of the <a href="http://www.pops.int/">Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants</a>&nbsp;as well as the application of the <a href="http://www.basel.int/TheConven...">Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.</a> The law applies to companies that have their headquarters or a branch in Germany and that employ more than 3,000 workers in Germany. Starting January 1st, 2024, the validity of the law is extended to all companies that employ more than 1,000 workers in Germany. The first part of 2023 will be for adjustment to adjust their procedures, and domestic companies are expected to receive from their German partners in the second half of this year the requirements that they should fulfill in accordance with the provisions of this Law. The development of the CCIS Help Desk was supported by the German Development Cooperation, and is carried out by the German Organization for international cooperation GIZ within the project "Initiative for Global Solidarity".

Launched CCIS Service Center - All Important Information Regarding Due Diligence in One Place

Globally known companies from Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, and Sweden, operating in the metal processing sector, rubber and plastic industries, and innovations in healthcare, are interested in new business opportunities in Serbia and the region and are looking for&nbsp;partners to become part of supply chains of world known companies such as&nbsp;such as&nbsp;Thyssenkrupp Automotive, Roche Diagnostics, DBW, EAO, SAG Tubi, Skylotec, Plast-Met, and others.The two-day regional B2B conference Interconnect, which is to be held in Belgrade on April 26th and 27th, will be a unique opportunity for representatives of large, medium, and small companies from Serbia and the region to connect with managers of global companies and learn all about the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in the area of sustainability of production processes, supply chains and current challenges of global trade and industry.One of the main speakers at the "InterConnect" conference will be Ferdinand Wieland, director of the German company "ThyssenKrupp Automotive", who will shed the light on most current topics in international business, cases of best practices and application of sustainability and circularity at the global expert level and will offer cooperation to potential local suppliers who are ready to partner with this company. "Last year I visited Serbia and the Western Balkans for the first time and confirmed what I was listening about - that there is a huge potential for new professional and reliable partners that we are looking for", pointed out Wieland, who will speak at the conference about the German Law on Due Diligence in the supply chain and how his company adapted to the new regulation. At "Interconnect", says Wieland, we expect to meet representatives of local companies because ThyssenKrupp Automotive is interested in the "nearshoring" potential of Serbia and the Western Balkan region. At this year's "Interconnect", more than 150 representatives of companies from Serbia and the region are expected to participate and connect with renowned partners, negotiate new deals, and join international supply chains. Hendrik Hansen, global category manager for special projects at Roche Diagnostics, will share his experience and insights on sustainability in the supply chain and present current trends through the business model of this Swiss company. "We believe we can establish contact with many interesting potential suppliers." Moreover, I have already seen examples of companies that I believe can be very interesting for us. We need suppliers who can work at the MedTech level, which I also see in the region,” says Hansen. Roche Diagnostics is planning to move its supplier base to nearby destinations, said Hansen, who will present interesting aspects of the Swiss company's business to participants and potential future partners at the conference. &nbsp;German DBW, Swiss company EAO, the Italian company SAG Tubi, then Skylotec, as well as other well-known international companies, will participate in "InterConect". The InterConnect conference, which is to be held at the Metropol Palace Hotel in Belgrade, is organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the Convestenics company, with the support of the USAID-financed project "Big Small Economy"&nbsp; and implemented by the ACDI/VOCA organization.

Global Companies Are Looking for Partners In Serbia on April 26th and 27th

Belgrade and Serbia presented their candidacy for the International Specialized Exhibition Expo 2027 in Paris to the delegates of the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE). President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), Marko Čadež, pointed out that our capital has the potential to organize this prestigious world event, which few cities can do.
The net value of the Expo 2027 investments, according to the president of CCIS, amounts to 300 million euros. "A huge number of volunteers will be needed for the organization, and I hope that in 2027 we will have Open Balkan as one of the initiatives with wider dimensions," Čadež added. The Conference was held with the aim to present in detail the proposed theme of Serbia "Play for Humanity - Sport and Music for All" to the delegates of the Bureau.
"This day was very powerful because it sent a message about what Belgrade and Serbia are today and how we envisage Expo 2027. I think we showed not only that we are a good destination when it comes to tourism, but that we are also good when it comes to innovation and the construction objects that are being built. We have shown that we are special because, in the last 10 years, we have made the rules of the game such that few countries in Europe have. For two years in a row, Belgrade has been declared the city with the greatest economic potential in Europe." Čadež pointed out. He noted that when traveling by car from Belgrade, within a 4-6 hours range, there are 20 university centers, gathering 560000 students. He added&nbsp;that Belgrade is particularly attractive to IT experts.

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Ned Wills, CEO of the company Laureus pointed out the fact&nbsp;that Play is a key component for success and that&nbsp;sport has high importance in the development and lives of children and young people. The Conference was moderated by the director of the Congress Bureau of the Tourist Organization of Serbia, Dušan Borovčanin, and the presentation of Serbia was enhanced by the performance of traditional Serbian music numbers by the Teofilović brothers.
 In January 2022, Belgrade and Serbia officially submitted their candidacy to host the International Specialized Exhibition Expo 2027 with the theme "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All".
&nbsp;In June last year, a comprehensive presentation of Serbia's Report for organizing the Specialized Exhibition was held in Paris, when the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, addressed the attendees of the 170th BIE General Assembly via video message, and several ministers along with&nbsp;the CCIS President presented comparative advantages of Serbia and Belgrade.&nbsp; 
In September, Belgrade was visited by a delegation of the International Bureau for Exhibitions, whose mission was to evaluate the data presented in the Report for Belgrade's candidacy.&nbsp;
An additional campaign for Belgrade’s candidacy was done in Paris, in November at the 171st General Assembly of the BIE, when the Serbian delegation had the opportunity to once again meet the representatives of the members of BIE and explain that our capital and country are fully ready to host one of the most prestigious world events.