Do you own a small or medium-sized business? The EU supports the strengthening of the private sector, because your company is key to economic development, creating new jobs and improving the quality of life of your family and employees.

Through economic reforms and harmonization with EU regulations, Serbia provides you with better conditions for investments and economic development. Through cooperation and exchange of experiences, Serbian and European companies learn, grow and modernize their operations together. We are better together.

See below all opportunities in this sector:

Since the beginning of the Fund’s work in 2011, the support of the European Union has been crucial in financing innovations in Serbia and strengthening the ties between the research and private sectors.

The European Union provided support through pre-accession funds (IPA 2011, 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019). The Fund positioned itself as a leader in providing comprehensive support to innovative entrepreneurship in Serbia and enabled easier access to EU funds and access to the global market.

Through the Fund for Innovative Activities, the Innovation Co-financing Program, the Technology Transfer Program, the Catapult Accelerator Program, the Early Development Program, and the Science-Business Cooperation Program are available.

Find out more on the Fund’s website: http://www.inovacionifond.rs/cir/

The European Union program for local development – EU PRO Plus contributes to a more balanced socio-economic development of 99 local governments in two regions: Šumadija and Western Serbia and Southern and Eastern Serbia. The program is led by the Ministry of European Integration and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

One of the priorities of the program is the strengthening of the private sector led by entrepreneurs.

The activities of the program are aimed at stable local economic development, which is achieved through:

  • Improved quality of services provided by local governments to investors and the economy
  • Business infrastructure development
  • Support for beginners in business and the growth of micro and small businesses
  • Support for the employment of young people and women
  • Provision of (professional) training in connection with the realization of investments

Read more

CFCU deals with decentralized projects that include contracts for works, services, procurement of goods, as well as twinning and grant contracts. CFCU also contracts cross-border cooperation projects with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia. All these projects were financed through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance of the European Union (IPA). To date, CFCU has contracted more than 330 projects with a total value of more than 570 million euros. Currently, CFCU has more than 150 projects under implementation.

More about available tenders

EBRD has an important role in strengthening and competitiveness of the private sector. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of the private sector in Serbia, face limited access to finance, and the EBRD works to increase the competitiveness of the private sector, with an additional focus on the agribusiness value chain, and strives to help small and medium-sized enterprises with financing projects that lead to sustainable growth.

The following projects and programs are currently active:

  1. SME Competitiveness Support Program
  2. EBRD Advice for Small Businesses
  3. Youth in Business
  4. Green Economy Financing (GEFF)

The European Investment Bank is the lending arm of the European Union – the largest multilateral financial institution in the world and one of the largest providers of climate finance. The EIB supports small businesses in the Western Balkans as a means of stimulating economic growth, innovation, social integration and job creation. Since 2008, their investments have supported 28,400 businesses and helped sustain approximately 500,000 jobs in the region. EIB helps small businesses realize investment plans, obtain working capital, build or expand production capacity, establish and consolidate distribution channels, conduct research and development activities and much more.

By cooperating with the EIB, you can get favorable interest rates compared to standard business lending conditions.

WBIF (Western Balkans Investment Framework) is a joint financial initiative of the European Commission, financial institutions, EU member states and Norway to strengthen cooperation in the field of investments in the public and private sector, for the sake of socio-economic development and contribution to the European perspective of the Western Balkans.

WBIF is considered the main instrument for providing support in the preparation and implementation of strategically important projects in the field of transport, energy, environmental protection and social infrastructure in the region. WBIF has a key role in the implementation of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans 2021-2027 with the aim of promoting the long-term economic recovery of the region, supporting the green and digital transition, regional integration and convergence with the European Union through the mobilization of up to 9 billion euros of the EU grants.

As part of the EIP for the Western Balkans, and in order to improve the potential of the private sector in the region, the EU has increased allocations for small and medium-sized enterprises in the form of investment grants and guarantees within the Western Balkans Guarantee Facility.

More information

The Development Agency of Serbia is working on a project funded by the European Union – “Direct allocation of grants to the Development Agency of Serbia – increased and technologically improved solutions for production capacity among micro and small businesses and entrepreneurs”, with the help of the Ministry of Economy.

It concerns the awarding of grants to micro and small businesses, entrepreneurs and cooperatives for the purchase of equipment with the aim of facilitating the financing of the purchase of equipment and strengthening their competitiveness.

Domestic businessmen represent the engine of the Serbian economy. This year, micro and small businesses have a unique opportunity to apply.

More details

The Serbian Chamber of Commerce is an organization of business entities, which gathers the economy of Serbia into a single system, sectorally and regionally. Through connecting economy and science, PKS encourages the application of new technologies and knowledge in modern business and production.

The Horizon Europe program is one of the initiatives of the European Union, in which PKS participates, and which is aimed at innovative small and medium-sized enterprises.

Now it’s easier than ever for SMEs to apply for this program. Also, SMEs can benefit from international, networked initiatives aimed at supporting their innovation and breakthrough markets.

More information

EIT Manufacturing (EITM), an institute of the European Commission, was founded in 2019 with the vision that global manufacturing will continue to be dominant in Europe, and contributes to making Europe and its manufacturing sector more competitive and sustainable. EITM’s mission is to bring together European production actors. In doing so, EITM brings together a growing network of top industry partners, leading academic and research institutions from across the region and innovative startups, scale-ups and SMEs.

More details

Info sessions
“EU Opportunities” podcast
Panel discussion