Serbia

Serbia started the EU accession talks in 2014, still ongoing. While an upper-middle income country, the unemployment rate remains high: 16% -25% in rural areas, and 40% among young people. The key challenges Serbia is facing include the pace and quality of the reform process, the still fragile labour market, and persistent social disparities accompanied by high migration and emigration rates.
Despite this, there is growing foreign direct investment and service exports thanks to its closeness to Europe.
About Serbia

COUNTRY FACTS

  • Area in km2: 77,474
  • Population: 6,974,289
  • Capital: Belgrade

Projects

2021 - 2025
Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Colombia, Indonesia, Morocco, North Macedonia, Peru, Serbia, South Africa, Tunisia, Ukraine, Vietnam
Trade, Initial vocational education and training, Entrepreneurial ecosystems, Sustainable tourism
Swiss Import Promotion Programme
The Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) is a well-established mandate of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) within the framework of its economic development cooperation. As for the new investment phase (2017-2020), SIPPO is carried out by Swisscontact.The overall objective of the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) is...
2015 - 2027
Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Peru, Serbia, Vietnam
Entrepreneurial ecosystems
Swiss Entrepreneurship Program
The heart of any entrepreneurial ecosystem is the community of entrepreneurs themselves. The Swiss Entrepreneurship Program (Swiss EP) has incorporated this belief and supports building local startup communities bottom up by working with ecosystem leaders and builders since 2015. We do this by working with selected startup support organizations...

News

Serbia
Entrepreneurial ecosystems
27.04.2023
Consolidation of the Serbian Startup Ecosystem
In 2022 the Serbian startup ecosystem became consolidated further through verticalization, decentralization, and more regional exposure. How did it happen, and what does it mean for the main ecosystem actors?
Peru, Vietnam, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo
Entrepreneurial ecosystems
28.11.2022
Women powered entrepreneurship for equal opportunities in the future
According to the 2020/21 GEM Women entrepreneurs report, women account for half of the entrepreneurial activity globally. However, those activities tend to remain at a very small scale, impacting the women entrepreneurs and their immediate family, often not becoming growing companies that create jobs and employment opportunities for others due to lack of support and financing.
Serbia
Entrepreneurial ecosystems
22.07.2022
Leading the way in the gaming industry in Serbia
With over 130 Serbian gaming companies that made around 125 million USD in revenue, the Serbian gaming industry has enormous growth potential. The Serbian Games Association aims to increase the global competitiveness of local companies.

Swisscontact in Serbia

Swisscontact in Serbia contributes to reducing un- and underemployment, especially for youth, and economic development through two projects.

The Swiss Entrepreneurship Program S-EP works with the entrepreneurial ecosystem to provide local start-ups access to improved programs, high value services, strategic and practical advice, as well as valuable international connections so they create value for the local economies.

The Swiss Import Promotion Program SIPPO works with business support organizations to strengthen their competitive position, facilitate market access and export to Switzerland, the EU, and other international and regional markets.

Swisscontact’s portfolio in Serbia is aligned with Switzerland’s development strategy in the country.

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