France built a strong and constructive working relationship with the Serbian Government, the administrations and the municipality of Belgrade. French businesses are keen to present solutions of quality and tailored to the needs and requests of the future development of the country and the city
Belgrade has ambitious projects in fields like water and sewage, waste management, and transport modernization. France has first-class companies in all these fields, and they closely follow these projects which may contribute to the future of both the city and the country, says H. E. Christine Moro, French Ambassador to Serbia, who prizes reform efforts and the EU accession process of Serbia.
How much did the successful implementation of reforms and the progress in the European integration process affect the interest shown by French companies for investing in Serbia?
— Those processes you are referring to are watched carefully by foreign companies. The fiscal and economic consolidation, monitored by the International Monetary Fund, and the progress in the European integration process are for them guarantees of stability and accountability. The entry into force of the SAA (stabilisation and association agreement) with the EU, the opening of six chapters of negotiation so far, the fiscal performance which has allowed to start public debt consolidation one year before the initial goal, are good news for companies and investors. In the last years we have seen the amount of trade exchange between France and Serbia increase dramatically, new investors open facilities in Serbia, older ones expanding, and the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has seen a significant increase in the number of requests for information from French companies.
How satisfied are French companies with the business environment here and where do you see room for further improvement in conditions for doing business?
— The business environment in Serbia is closely linked to the European integration process. The progressive adoption of the acquis communautaire drives Serbia closer to the European standards in crucial business fields such as right of establishment, competition policy, financial services, etc, a basis for French firms looking for a sound business climate. We welcome the recent opening of negociations to Chapter 5 dealing with public procurement. This field, requiring more transparency, is clearly one in which our companies feel that some improvements are still needed. So is the judiciary, as companies would expect quicker proceedings and a better implementation of the decisions taken. France is one of the three countries that Serbia has signed a Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with.
How much headway has been made in the implementation of this agreement especially in the area of public-private partnerships and concessions In large-scale infrastructure projects?
— The Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement was signed in 2011 to develop the bilateral cooperation while putting it at the service of the European integration of Serbia through cooperation in different fields. We are proud today of having implemented it steadily through all these years, and the exchanges of visits by our respective Prime Ministers in November 2014 and September 2016 have been milestones on that way. As far as the public-private partnerships (PPP) are concerned, a specific agreement has been signed in 2014 and then renewed this September, along which France offers its assistance to align the Serbian legislation with EU directives and give advice on some concrete projects.
Belgrade is experiencing an investment boom. How interesting are the capital city’s investment plans to French companies?
— With 20% of the Serbian population and 40% of the GDP produced, Belgrade is a key actor of the economic and social progress of Serbia. The Municipality has ambitious projects in fields like water and sewage, waste management, transport modernization including metro and airport, energy, infrastructure and real estate development… In September, the Mayor presented them in Paris during the Prime Minister’s visit. These projects offer huge potentials not only for the companies interested but for the future of the country itself. France has first-class companies in all these fields, they follow the projects and some of them have established subsidiaries in Belgrade for some time. Recently the Serbian Chamber of commerce and the French-Serbian Chamber of commerce co-organized a forum on the French know-how in urban utilities („the city of tomorrow“). Belgrade has been waiting for a very long time on a decision about subway.
How much did France help our capital city in finding an optimal solution for the subway through the transfer of the French know how?
— After the signature of the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement which also included support to the Serbian authorities on this project, France provided a first set of studies, upon which Belgrade reflected for some time. Now, and after some additional studies, the Municipality and the State have decided to go ahead and we will, of course, continue to give them the necessary support to help them figure out and achieve the project best adapted to the needs of the city.
How many French companies are operating in Serbia at the moment and how many of them are focused on Belgrade?
— A hundred French companies are operating in Serbia at the moment, employing more than 10 000 workers. They are not all located in Belgrade of course; you know that Michelin/Tigar is in Pirot, and we have several agro-busineses and automotive industry plants in Vojvodina. But Belgrade, as the capital city, hosts a lot of headquarters and its will to remain on the cutting edge also makes it very attractive. For instance, Ubisoft, the famous French video game publisher, has recently opened here a production studio employing 15 persons and already planning to extend its activities. Two companies engaged in maintenance of office space and green areas and HR management, Samsic and Atalian respectively, have started doing business in Belgrade.
How much is the development of the real estate market in Belgrade appealing to French investors?
— Samsic started some years ago with some activities in Nikola Tesla airport before taking position in a Serbian company specialised in maintenance of office spaces. Atalian, one of the largest European facility management companies, has also recently entered the market of Serbia by acquiring a majority stake in a Belgrade-based company. Both of them think that there is a big potential for developments in those field in Serbia but also in neighbouring countries.
Apart the assets of the town and of its skilled workforce, the central position of Belgrade in the region is an additional reason why French firms choose to settle down here. How would you rate your cooperation with the Serbian authorities?
— We’ve built a strong and constructive working relationship with the Serbian Government, the administrations and the municipality of Belgrade. The Prime Minister, the members of government, the Mayor, always receive French representatives willingly and with a pragmatic, result-oriented approach. Our businesses are keen to present solutions of quality and tailored to the needs and requests of the client. We have a similar approach in the State-to-State cooperation, we try to foster the European integration of Serbia which is, in our eyes, already a reality and anyhow the key for the future.