The first day of the European Opportunity Week, which started today at the European House in Belgrade, is dedicated to business and innovation. Thus, one of the first panels was dedicated to business support, through the program Serbia and the EU – Equipment for Economy.
Andrea Hochhuber, Head of the Sector for European Integration and Economy in the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, and Katarina Obradović Jovanović, Assistant Minister of Economy, opened the panel , while the speakers at the panel were Ankica Momčilović from the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Serbia, Ljiljana Marković – Regional Agency for Development and European Integration Belgrade, Vladimir Nikolić from ProCredit bank, as well as Bojan Nastevski in front of the company “Sintermetal” – user of the Equipment Program.
The program Serbia and the EU – Equipment for Economy is implemented by the Ministry of Economy in cooperation with the Development Agency of Serbia and the Delegation of the European Union in Serbia, and is primarily intended for small businesses.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in driving Serbia’s economic growth, said Andrea Hochhuber. As the backbone of the country’s development, SMEs provide employment opportunities, encourage innovation and stimulate competition in all sectors, she believes, and adds:
“Supporting entrepreneurs is not just about strengthening the economy – it’s about investing in the nation’s future. Entrepreneurs with a bold spirit support the economy and society, and this is the reason why the EU has a long history of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in Serbia. Through various initiatives, including this program, we provided more than EUR 200 million to help make Serbia more competitive by providing companies with funds, loans and credit guarantees,” said Hochhuber.
The EU support covers a wide range of activities, from high-tech startups in Belgrade and Niš to smaller rural entrepreneurs in agriculture and wood processing. Whether it is a top innovation center or a family enterprise for growing and processing raspberries, the EU is a long-term partner in increasing Serbia’s economic competitiveness.
“I am pleased to announce that an additional EUR 10 million have been allocated for continued support to small and medium-sized enterprises in Serbia. This program, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and the Development Agency of Serbia, will extend its efforts until the end of this year,” concluded Hochhuber.
Obradović Jovanović reiterated that there are many programs in Serbia that support small and medium-sized enterprises, and one of them is the Equipment Program. So far, she said, 4,500 requests for participation have been processed.
“It is important that the EU recognized the importance of this program and supported it, starting in 2022. Together, we managed to support 1200 beneficiaries in the past two years. It is important that the best candidates have equal chances, which goes well with the message of the European Opportunity Week – You can do it too,” said the Assistant Minister.
The overall project budget was EUR 27 million, including a national contribution of EUR 16 million and EU funds, EUR 11 million.
The project has been quite successful so far. It contributed to increasing the competitiveness of the Serbian economy by supporting the investment of micro and small businesses, entrepreneurs and cooperatives in the modernization of production equipment and the expansion of production capacities. In addition, the project strengthened the capacities of national institutions, the Ministry of Economy and the Agency for Regional Development, to manage complex development programs in the future, financed from national or EU funds.
The European Opportunity Week, the second one in a row, is being held this year from September 23 to 27. The first four days will deal with the topics of business and innovation, culture, civil sector, media, education, youth and sports, local development, and the activities will take place in the European House Belgrade. On the last day, panels on local development, territorial cooperation and green transition, as well as formal ceremonies and networking – will take place in Niš, at the “Tami” Hotel. Find the detailed agenda and other details of the European Opportunity Week here: https://eumogucnosti.rs/evropska-nedelja-mogucnosti/
During this event, you will have the opportunity to hear all about the most important European programs, projects and funds that are available in Serbia. Opportunities are numerous and include public calls, grants, loans, youth opportunities, student exchanges, competitions, skills development and free training.
