Confindustria Serbia 2021 by Diplomacy&Commerce magazine

CONFINDUSTRIA SERBIA

CHOOSE TO CHANGE 2021

H.E. CARLO LO CASCIO

TATJANA MATIĆ

PATRIZIO DEI TOS

Italian Ambassador to Serbia

Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications

President of Confindustria Serbia

CONFINDUSTRIA HEADQUARTERS IN ROME

Confindustria moved from its historic headquarters in Piazza Venezia to the E.U.R. quarter in Rome in 1972. The project for the new building was commissioned to the most significant interpreters of Italian rationalist architecture, Luccichenti and Monaco. Enriched by an imposing floor mosaic - one of the largest in Europe - designed by Giuseppe Capogrossi, the new building is intended to be the symbol of a complex capable of combining rigor and harmony with the surrounding environment, in which overall solutions and details find perfect integration.

FOUNDED IN TORINO

More than 100 years have gone by since Confindustria's foundation in 1910 in Torino, which have also seen the passage from the industrial revolution, launched at the beginning of the 20th century with the spread of the driving force of electricity and developments in the engineering sector, to the technological revolution of our own time deriving from the extraordinary impacts of microelectronics and digital technologies.

LOMBARDY

Confindustria Lombardia is founded in 1971, it is composed by 10 local associations with 12 thousand companies and 650 thousand employees, nearly a quarter of the entire system of Confindustria. About 10 million people live in Lombardy, forming more than one-sixth of Italy's population, and more than a fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in the region, making it the most populous, richest and most productive region in the country.

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COLLOSEUM IN ROME

The completion of the second phase of the Colosseum’s restoration work is supported by the luxury brand and Diego Della Valle, chairman and CEO of the Tod’s Group. This second chapter began in December 2018 and recovered the amphitheater’s hypogea below the arena — the backstage where gladiators and wild animals would converge and that was not visible to the spectators.

IL SOLE 24 ORE

Il Sole 24 Ore is an Italian national daily business newspaper owned by Confindustria, the Italian employers' federation. The paper reports on business, politics, developments in commercial and labour law, corporate news and features. Extensive share and financial product listings are provided in its daily supplement, Finanza e Mercati.

WINE TOUR

At La Vigna di Sarah you can sleep in a wine barrel, which is called lunotta, and it is something unique, which leaves its mark. It is possible to design a tailor made stay according to the specific needs of the guests. Sport, nature, culture, food and wine. Vineyards, winecellars, wine tasting and tours are specific for the region of Vittorio Veneto.

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CONTENT

WE BOAST EXCELLENT RELATIONS AT ALL LEVELS H.E. CARLO LO CASCIO Italian Ambassador to Serbia

TANJA BANKOVIĆ Editor in Chief tanja.bankovic@color.rs ILIJA PETROVIĆ INDIGOCHILD Art director indigochild.ilija@gmail.com MAJA POPOVIĆ Journalist maja.popovic@ diplomacyandcommerce.rs NATAŠA NEŠIĆ Advertising director natasa.nesic@color.rs DRAGANA RADOVIĆ Advertising manager dragana.radovic@color.rs JOVANA MARKOVIĆ Advertising manager jovana.markovic@color.rs JELENA RANĐELOVIĆ Advertising manager jelena.randjelovic@color.rs RUŽA RISTANOVIĆ Magazine director ruza.ristanovic@color.rs ROBERT ČOBAN Director robert.coban@color.rs Photos ARCHIVE CONFINDUSTRIA GORAN ZLATKOVIĆ SHUTTERSTOCK GRAD VRŠAC NEDA MOJSILOVIĆ Translation SNEŽANA BJELOTOMIĆ Special thanks to IRENA BRAJOVIĆ SILVIJA HERCEG KATARINA LAZIĆ

ITALY AND SERBIA ARE COOPERATING INTENSIVELY TATJANA MATIĆ

Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications

ITALIAN BUSINESSES WANT TO COME TO SERBIA PATRIZIO DEI TOS

President of Confindustria Serbia

A NEW APPROACH TO THE REGION OF EASTERN EUROPE AND THE BALKANS MARIA LUISA MERONI President of Confindustria Est Europa

FAST TRANSIT TIME AND EFFICIENT DELIVERY VLADIMIR LEKIĆ

Director of Dragon Maritime SEE

SHOPPSTER INNOVATOR AND LEADER AMONG MODERN ONLINE STORES LJILJANA AHMETOVIĆ CEO of Shoppster Serbia and Slovenia

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FURTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES THE FOCUS TO BE ON THE GREEN AGENDA IRENA BRAJOVIĆ

Director of Confindustria Serbia

ENERGY-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS ABB

VENETO & SERBIA: A STRATEGIC COOPERATION

WE ARE DEVELOPING ANNALISA BISSON CONFINDUSTRIA International Relations Director, NETWORK IN SERBIA the Veneto Region SIMONE APOLLONI

Confindustria Serbia Regional Representative for Western Serbia

SERBIAN SUPPLIERS ARE WELCOME TO COOPERATE WITH US

CONNEXT 2021: CONNECTING COMPANIES TO THE FUTURE

General Manager AUNDE SRB d.o.o

NATIONAL DAY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

ANNINO DE VENEZIA

CONFINDUSTRIA IS A GREAT ACCELERATOR OF EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES MARCO GAY

President of Confindustria Piedmont

A GREATER INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION IS NEEDED RAFFAELE MARCHETTI

Deputy Rector for Internationalization and Professor in International Relations at the Department of Political Science and the School of Government of LUISS

CONFINDUSTRIA ACTIVITIES

WE PLAN A LOT OF ACTIVITIES ROBERTO CINCOTTA

Director of the Italian Cultural institute in Belgrade

CONCERT “MELODY OF A FRIENDSHIP”

NEW APPROACH WITH AGRITOURISM SARA DEI TOS

Head of winery “Le Vigne di Sarah”

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WE BOAST EXCELLENT RELATIONS AT ALL LEVELS Italy continues to be a staunch advocate of Serbia’s accession path to the European Union and we praised the commitment of the Government to implement crucial reforms. Our strategic partnership is also witnessed by the frequent institutional meetings and the dynamic economic relations, as well as the vibrant cultural and social contacts 6

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INTERVIEW

H.E. CARLO LO CASCIO Italian Ambassador to Serbia

or this year`s special issue, InFocus Confindustria Serbia, we spoke with Ambassador of Italy to the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio, about the situation in Italy, Italian economy and its recovery, economic and political relations between Italy and Serbia, as well as Italian investments in our country.

“We have to unlock the great potential of our relations in new fields of cooperation, such as the green agenda, digitalization and infrastructure. To further reach out the growing Italian entrepreneurial community, as well as the Serbian firms working with Italy, we decided to launch the “Sistema Italia” roadshow, with the participation of the Italian Embassy, the Italian Trade Agency, Confindustria Serbia and the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce. Given the success of the first stop of the tour in Vojvodina in October, we are planning more visits in other areas of Serbia where the Italian presence is particularly strong, so stay tuned!”, pointed out the ambassador.

ECONOMY

What is the situation in Italy after the darkest period of the pandemic? — Italy paid a very high price for the pandemic both at social and economic levels. Today, one year and after since its outbreak, we can look forward with hope and an optimistic view on the future. Our Country

OUR ECONOMY WILL GROW BY MORE THAN 6% IN 2021 AND IN THE FIRST 9 MONTHS OF THE YEAR THE ITALIAN EXPORT HAS REACHED ALREADY 332 BILLION EUR is indeed recovering at a faster and stronger pace than other EU partners. The very successful vaccination campaign against COVID-19 led to date to more than 83% of Italians over the age of 12 fully vaccinated and this remarkable rollout allowed to reopen the Country and rebuild better. These data are quite encouraging although the emergency is not over yet. Moreover, our economy will grow by more than 6% in 2021 and in the first 9 months of the year the Italian export has reached already 332 billion euros, hitting the highest-ever level in our history. The EU funds of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) will also be invested to ensure a long-lasting and sustainable growth. At the same time, we are ‘back

on track’ also on the international stage: Italy held the G20 Presidency and the COP26 Co-Presidency, achieving key results in the fields of climate change, global access to vaccines, international taxation and gender equality. The “Made in Italy” brand has grown by 12% this year. Not to mention our extraordinary successes in sports and competitions. 2021 is a new beginning for Italy, our golden year!

How would you rate the overall cooperation and relations between Italy and Serbia, both political and economic? How important is to have good and stable relations? — We boast excellent relations at all levels. A sincere, deep and long-lasting friendship that has proved even stronger during the hardest moment of the pandemic and there is still room for further development. Italy continues to be a staunch advocate of Serbia’s accession path to the European Union and we praised the commitment of the Government to implement crucial reforms. Our strategic partnership is also witnessed by the frequent institutional meetings and the dynamic economic relations, as well as the vibrant cultural and social contacts. From these premises, I think that we can make a quality leap in our relationship. ‘’Sistema Italia’’ has recently visited the town of Subotica in Vojvodina. What was the main goal of this visit and do you plan more of such visits? — Italy has been investing in Serbia since decades and is continuing to do so. Our business presence is big in size (more than 1.600 enterprises with Italian share), diversified in sectors (i.e. automotive, agriculture, textile, information technology, banking and insurance) and well geographically distributed all over Serbia. To further reach out the growing Italian entrepreneurial community, as well as the Serbian firms working with Italy, we decided to launch the “Sistema Italia” roadshow, with the participation of the Italian Embassy, the Italian Trade Agency, Confindustria Serbia and

the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce. Given the success of the first stop of the tour in Vojvodina in October, we are planning more visits in other areas of Serbia where the Italian presence is particularly strong, so stay tuned!

Italy is one of the largest foreign investors in Serbia. What should be Serbia’s priorities in the next period if we want more Italian companies to come and invest here? — Italy keeps believing in the Serbian market because of its favorable business environment and good investment climate and that is why Italian companies continues to come here. At the same time, our entrepreneurs are witnessing some challenges that need to be addressed: the shortage of workforce, the labour market mismatching, the need to improve competitiveness and to reverse brain drain. In addition to this, like every other Country, Serbia is facing the consequences of the global increasing in the price of energy and raw materials. We recently discussed these issues with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, which has shown once again the willingness of the Serbian institutions to find common solutions. Besides this, I can assure you that more and more Italian companies are coming to invest here or are planning to expand their currentbusiness, further contributing to Serbia’s development for the mutual benefit. What will be the main challenges in Italy and Serbia in the post-COVID period and in terms of overcoming the crisis? — First of all, we will not forget the help of our Serbian friends during the pandemic. As for the post-COVID period, I believe we need to take stock and move forward. Our common challenge will be maintaining this positive momentum and turn this situation into an opportunity, cooperating to ensure an inclusive, resilient and sustainable growth. We have to unlock the great potential of our relations in new fields of cooperation, such as the green agenda, digitalization and infrastructure.

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ITALY AND SERBIA ARE COOPERATING INTENSIVELY Economic cooperation and especially the trade between Serbia and Italy are at an extremely high level, which is supported by the fact that the trade value has ranged between 3.4 billion and 4 billion euros in the last eight years

INTERVIEW

TATJANA MATIĆ Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications

he Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications recognizes the great potential in improving cooperation with Italy, primarily in the segment of spa tourism and thematic tourist routes. Finding strategic partners from Italy that are willing to invest in spas in Serbia, as well as share their experience in spa tourism, would contribute to improving our offer of this tourist product. Also, the valuable experiences of Italy in cultural heritage-based tourism are of great im-portance, especially for advancing the cooperation on cultural and tourist projects under the aus-pices of the projected implemented by the Council of Europe.

The COVID-19-induced crisis has slowed down tourism, but the Serbian state has been working on incentives for this industry. What do you expect to happen in this sector in 2022? — After a great start at the beginning of 2020, when the number of tourists and the total number of overnight stays increased in January and February, we expected a record tourist year in the Republic of Serbia. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of foreign tourists fell by more than 90%. After the state of emergency ended, domestic tourism was the first to recover, and 2020 was marked by domestic tourists. This trend continued in 2021, which contributed to the affirmation of new tourist destinations and pro-

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vided an opportunity to see the shortcomings in these destinations, but also to implement the necessary measures to further improve the quality of our tourist products and services. Throughout the pandemic, Serbia has been promoted as a tourist destination. The promotional activities mainly focused on domestic tourism, but also on tourists from the region to whom Serbia is an accessible destination by car. The comprehensive digital campaign is also aimed at tourists from Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, France, Hungary, Italy, North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Turkey and the USA. During the pandemic, the line Ministry and the Serbian government have been investing an extraordinary effort into mitigating as much as possible the losses in the tourism and hospitality

country. I am confident that tourism in Serbia will experience a huge boom in the coming years, and the line Ministry will certainly continue to provide wholehearted support and work on improving Serbia’s tourist offer.

What is the tourism cooperation with Italy like? — The Republic of Italy and the Republic of Serbia have had traditionally good cooperation in tourism and I am extremely pleased to see a growing trend of arrivals and overnight stays of tourists from Italy, as evidenced by data which show that in the first 9 months of 2021, Serbia was visited by 13,211 tourists and a total of 37,986 overnight stays were recorded, which is a significant increase compared to the same period in 2020.

of Serbia is expanding, as evidenced by the data which show that 81% of households have an Internet connection, as well as that 78.4% of citizens use the Internet. Capital projects implemented by the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications on the development of infrastructure will further expedite the online involvement of citizens. In June 2020, a new project aimed at developing broadband access in rural areas was launched, which goal is to provide support to private sector investments in rural areas. During the first phase of the project, which is already underway, the Ministry will ensure that public institutions, primarily elementary schools in certain rural areas have a connection to the existing optical network framework. This is an incentive for the private sector to develop last-mile infrastructure for surrounding households and makes operator’s investments financially sustainable.

PRIORITIES

THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES OF ALL POPULATION CATEGORIES IS ALSO ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE MINISTRY OF TRADE, TOURISM AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS sector. The key goal at the moment is to preserve jobs in the tourism sector as much as possible so that we can be prepared for faster recovery once the demand from our leading emitting markets starts growing. When that happens, we need to continue investing in the development of the general tourist infrastructure. Given that, in 2021, Serbia had the opportunity to welcome more foreign tourists than in 2020, and that the foreign currency revenues from tourism in the first 9 months of this year amounted to 1.15 billion, the focus of the tourism sector is on further improving Serbia's image on the international tourism market. When it comes to domestic tourists, the goal is to further promote new tourist destinations and keep domestic tourists in the

We have also launched the SUSTOURISMO (Sustainable Tourism & Mobility Hand-by-Hand Development) project, which goal is to generate innovative and environmentally friendly tourism formats with lower pollutant emissions, as well as increase the share of environmentally friendly transport modes. In addition to this, one of the project’s goals is to develop an application for smartphones called SUSTOURISMO, which function will be to raise tourists' awareness about sustainability and responsibility, as well as in making responsible travel choices.

How far have we come with the digital transformation of society and the project of joint construction of a broadband communication infrastructure? —The digital society in the Republic

The second phase of the project of developing broadband access in rural areas consists of two parts. The first part envisages an infrastructure construction model, just like in the first phase. Namely, the Ministry will build the middle-mile segment, and the operators will build the last-mile infrastructure. Furthermore, during the second part of the second phase, the line Ministry, i.e. the Serbian government, will fund the construction of the complete infrastructure which will be made available to electronic communications operators. Also, one of the Ministry’s more important projects is the Connected School project, which creates equal opportunities and ensures the further development of education for all students via the development of ICT in-

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frastructure for educational institutions. A wireless local network has already been built in over 900 school buildings throughout Serbia, and the plan is to install this network in all schools in Serbia. Today, over 1,600 schools in Serbia have been provided with broadband access, and by the end of this year, all school facilities, i.e. close to 4,000 main and auxiliary facilities, will have broadband access. In this way, over 60% of students in Serbia have already been provided with Internet access in a safe environment of the Academic Network of the Republic of Serbia. The development of digital skills and competencies of all population categories is also one of the priorities of the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications. The Republic of Serbia was the first country in the region to adopt the Digital Skills Development Strategy that covers the period from 2020 to 2024. As it is necessary to support the development of digital skills and competencies parallel with the development of infrastructure and digital services, the Ministry annually allocates funds to support programmes aimed at improving digital literacy and digital competencies, such as supporting women in rural areas and educating both children and parents how to safely use the Internet and modern technologies.

What do you think the Government’s results and accomplishing the set

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goals will be like next year? Do you think that the pandemic will slow down development and reforms? — First and foremost, the pandemic has drastically affected our health, traffic, tourism and economic sectors. I believe that the Government of the Republic of Serbia has demonstrated that even in the most difficult, crisis moments, we are ready to adequately respond to challenges on short notice and make the people in Serbia feel safe and supported by their country. Despite the difficult situation, economic stability has been achieved, jobs have been preserved, and we have an increase in salaries and pensions, which is a great success for Serbia, a country that is still developing. The most important thing that the Government of the Republic of Serbia is working on the increase in the foreign investments influx, the implementation of new infrastructure projects, and the commitment to furthering Serbia’s accession to the EU. I believe that we are on the right path and that we will successfully cope with all future challenges. How would you rate the cooperation between Serbia and Italy, and how much do Italian investments mean to us? — Italy is one of the leading economic partners of Serbia, which, considering the total trade, ranked second in 2020 and third this year (January - September). At the same time, it is the second-biggest export market for

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our goods, while in terms of the value of imported goods, Italy ranks third. Furthermore, Italy occupies ninth place in terms of the export of services from Serbia and is one of the most important foreign investors in the Serbian economy. FIAT's investment in the car factory in Kragujevac, as the largest Italian investment in the manufacturing sector, has greatly contributed to the opening of branches of numerous companies from the automotive industry, both from Italy and other countries. In addition to the automotive industry, the Italian investors are present in the textile and foot-wear

BUSINESS

A LARGE NUMBER OF ITALIAN SMEs OPERATING IN SERBIA COME FROM THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AND ARE EXPORT-ORIENTED industry, machine-building, metal processing and electrical industry, construction and food industry, and also in the IT sector. A large number of Italian SMEs operating in Serbia come from the manufacturing sector and are export-oriented. It is extremely important for our country that these are often labour-intensive productions which, as a rule, create numerous new jobs. In recent years, there has been a tendency to expand existing production capacities with additional investments.

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ITALIAN BUSINESSES WANT TO COME TO SERBIA We want to have even better and stronger cooperation between our two countries, because of a strong connection between Italians and Serbs

INTERVIEW

PATRIZIO DEI TOS President of Confindustria Serbia

“I

talian companies want to invest and work on even greater development. A year ago, there was a lot of fear and uncertainty and everyone was keenly observing what was happening but today the world has changed and the economy is growing. There are certainly a lot of challenges looking forward that we have to face in the future, with someone and all of us together, but I am confident that we have a good future ahead of us.”

Photos: Neda Mojsilović

Following the assembly meeting of Confindustria held in September, one of Confindustria’s members – Istrabenz Plini – officially opened its production plant in Šimanovci. How important are such events and new investments even in times of crisis? — We organized this gathering at the company founded by an Italian businessman who still believes in investing, especially in business and the future, even in these uncertain times. This is of great importance because, in addition to the company having a large number of employees, it is also an important hospital supplier. For me, this was an exceptional honour and validation that the Italians are present, that they want to be present here, and that they want to continue investing in Serbia. This builds mutual trust. Furthermore, all this shows that Confindustria wants to continue cooperating with Serbia and to develop our businesses here. We also had a meeting with PM

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Ana Brnabić, with whom we talked on various topics. At the meeting, we pointed out that we are always available for cooperation and that we want to work together, regardless of all challenges.

EFFICIENCY

What connects Italy and Serbia and what do Italian businesspeople single out as advantages of Serbia as an investment destination? — Every company has a motive to invest in Serbia. Simplified bureaucracy, proximity, and even the fact that Serbia is a smaller country and because of that, easier to share a problem you might have when trying to do something positive. All this gives an advantage to investors so they can invest in the country. Everyone has their reason, obviously. Today, with all this that has happened with the COVID pandemic, in terms of materials, prices, the market, and everything that is happening, it is obvious that the market is changing. Serbia has also become much more

SERBIA HAS ALSO BECOME MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE AND ENTREPRENEURS HERE FIND THAT EFFICIENCY AND SPEED OF REACTION ARE QUITE GOOD flexible and entrepreneurs here find that efficiency and speed of reaction are quite good. Furthermore, the country’s geographical position has central importance, because if you look at the Chinese, Asian and even the African market, they seem more distant today than before. What the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, is doing with the Open Balkans initiative is trying to create a mini Europe between Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia which will create even more opportunities. In the end, I hope this helps Serbia on its road to EU membership as joining the EU would simplify matters even more in terms of crossing borders and movement of goods, entrepreneurs and our associates. In my opinion, Serbia is changing for the better.

Confindustria Serbia is a strong organization, both in Italy and Serbia.

What are the most important activities you have been working on? — It is important to continue to monitor the needs of industrialists who are operating here, in Serbia. The fact is that these companies need to be sustainable over time and it is important to solve the daily and current problems they might have. Of course, labour costs are also important, but we need to focus on the problems at the borders, we need to work on supporting entrepreneurs and cooperating with the Government and state institutions. The goal is to move forward together and solve challenges that may arise at any time. Then there are the activities related to planning the future and important topics such as green energy and cybersecurity. Furthermore, we organize a lot of events, analyze the problems, monitor the work of our members and try to solve all the challenges they face. During the COVID pandemic, and thanks to our female colleagues who were really efficient in their work, our Confindustia office remained active, worked 24/7, was available to members for all their problems with movement, transportation and border crossing issues. We were always available to all our members. Could you rate the economic relations between Italy and Serbia, and in which areas should we cooperate on even more? — Relations between Italy and Serbia have been quite strong since the 1960s and 1970s. During the past few years, Italy has become one of the main partners for Serbia, and also one of the largest investors. We were the first to believe in Serbia and we continued to invest in this country. I would also like to use this opportunity to congratulate Serbia and wish you continuous stability because stability fuels the economy’s power and the results are quite visible. I am also happy that I have invested in Serbia because it not only bears economic fruits but also it gives me pride because I was able to develop something. After all, business people always come here with a business plan and hope that we will be able

to develop it. The same goes for me and we have managed to develop, because of the stability, strong cooperation and simplicity of bureaucracy. Let's say that everyone should be credited for this - Italian entrepreneurs who believed and Serbs who managed to facilitate further cooperation. Tourism is one of the sectors which should see better cooperation and cultural exchange between our countries. We should not only develop in economic terms but we should also work on cultural and tourism exchange because all of this solidifies the friendship between our countries.

You stated that Serbia is now more than ever becoming a platform for the development and internationalization of Italian companies. Could you clarify? — The pandemic has had an incredible impact on all people. People today have an incredible need for physical contact, a desire to see each other, to move around and so on. Today, Serbia is becoming very important because of its geographical proximity and its raw materials, the availability of the workforce, services, etc. Serbia’s platform is really extensive if we look at it from a 360 degree angle. The East is getting really far away, to go to China now you have to be quarantined for 20 days, and on the other hand, there is a need for new suppliers and commercial partners on both sides – Italian and Serbian. Therefore, the Serbian platform for internationalization is valid today for both Italian and Serbian companies. Europe is becoming the centre of our economic and social life. What is the economic situation in Italy like today and how much does it affect the business of Italian companies in Serbia? — We, in Italy, were completely closed off. As nobody had any insight into what the future brings, the business sector reacted all the same and focused on saving. We docked our boats, figuratively speaking and looked for ways to save. Maybe we all made a mistake because the world doesn't stop, the world goes on. Even on such occasions, the world

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PRIDE

I AM ALSO HAPPY THAT I HAVE INVESTED IN SERBIA BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY BEARS ECONOMIC FRUITS BUT ALSO IT GIVES ME PRIDE BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO DEVELOP SOMETHING continues to consume. And that's exactly what happened. As soon as everything started to open, and we're still not at the end of this problem with COVID, the demand increased. In Italy, at the moment, there is a deficit of everything and I am not exaggerating when I say that there is a great demand and an inadequate supply because we were not ready for how high the demand would become. This, in turn, led to a significant price increase. We have great enthusiasm and the great economy that is moving forward. Let's hope that next year we can confirm that everything is moving forward. We

have a pressing need for suppliers and more serious cooperation as suppliers are sometimes more important than customers. The economic situation in Italy is accompanied by great enthusiasm, euphoria and the search for new suppliers. If they are not riding this wave of enthusiasm already, the Italian companies in Serbia will be doing so very soon. Companies will begin to change their business plans to focus on expansion as the world moves forward, with the same enthusiasm as before. What we realized during the pandemic is that life must be lived.

What will happen after the COVID-induced crisis subsidies and what will be the biggest challenge for businesses? — The growing demand is what will happen. Just think of how much electricity and heat production will grow. This is accompanied by a great demand for gas. In the post-COVID

From the perspective of an Italian who lives and works in Serbia, what do you like most about Belgrade and what connects you the most to Serbia? — I am an Italian who works in Serbia, but I also feel a bit like a Serb. I made a lot of friends in Serbia. I think that friendship is very important, friendship is trust, we believe in each other, we support each other and this

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period, we will experience a sort of euphoria that will come as a surprise. I had a talk with the Italian ambassador to Serbia at the Embassy and I wished all our associates not to be fearful, start investing again and believe in their companies because the sun always shines after the rain. If we accept the challenges in a positive and right way, we will have a future, not only for businesses but also for all those who cooperate with them. Challenges are plentiful – how to invest, where to invest, how to invest correctly… I would say that good investments would be those in electricity production, green energy, IT management, databases and data safety. This is the future in which we need to invest and we need to encourage entrepreneurs. I see not only great problems but also great courage so that we can face a future that will change in the world. Let’s all bravely move forward!

is friendship in its truest sense. In addition to family relationships, everything else in our lives is based on friendship. I am not talking about external things but a really deep relationship that is brimming with trust and respect, where we share problems and solve them together. As an Italian here in Serbia, it is the friendships that I like the most.

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A NEW APPROACH TO THE REGION OF EASTERN EUROPE AND THE BALKANS We want to develop a network of companies, to help them enter the international market, especially those who would not otherwise have the opportunity and courage to "attack" the increasingly competitive market INTERVIEW

MARIA LUISA MERONI President of Confindustria Est Europa

n an exclusive interview for this year's special edition of InFocus Confindustria Serbia, Maria Luisa Meroni, President of Confindustria Est Europa, talks about the organization's inception in 2010, its goals and plans. "I have very ambitious plans during my term as president. My vision is to make CI recognizable in the coming period and to bring in new members because there is often no clear picture of who we are and what we represent. Our idea is to promote a new business culture to enable small and medium-sized enterprises to successfully participate in the growing international market. Of course, all that depends on the expertise of the actors themselves, as well as on innovation and digitalization," says Maria Luisa Meroni.

Could you introduce us to the world of Confindustria Est Europa? When was it founded, what is the basic idea behind the organization and at what point in your journey are you at the moment? — Confindustria Est Europa (CI) was founded in 2010, by uniting the first international representations in Eastern European countries. Our mission is to provide Italian entrepreneurs with a new approach to this

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region, facilitate cross-border cooperation and practically group Italian entrepreneurs who are interested in doing business in the countries of this region, which we know are closely related in sociological, economic and cultural terms. The federation I represent consists of 11 international representations - Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Ukraine, and soon Hungary. So, this is a big federation, of great international significance.

CONFERENCE

What are the plans of Confindustria Est Europa and what are the key topics of your presidency? — I have very ambitious plans for my

do so, i.e. to "attack" this increasingly competitive market. Another important aspect is the relations with Italian and international institutions in order to facilitate the process of investing in these countries.

We know that, in addition to other activities in your programme, you will be holding an energy and regional connection conference in Belgrade. Could you elaborate on that? What can we expect from the conference? — We expect this high-level conference to be held on February 22 in Belgrade. It will focus on a very important topic – THE GREEN DEAL. The highest representatives of the government, institutions and the president are expected to attend.

long-term planning, the data from the countries that Confindustria Est Europa covers are not that encouraging. It is true that economic growth was recorded in all these countries (Albania 6.4 per cent; Bulgaria 3.5; Montenegro 8.4; BiH 3.4; Poland 5.3; Romania 6.8; Serbia 6.2; Slovenia 5.2; North Macedonia 3.5 per cent), but a vaccination campaign is something that needs to be worked on, primarily for the benefit of personal well-being and then for economic recovery. We must not forget another important aspect, such as reshoring, i.e. increased interest and demand for these countries. So, if we know how to seize the moment, I would say that there is a good chance for development and progress.

WE EXPECT THIS HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 22 IN BELGRADE. IT WILL FOCUS ON A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC – THE GREEN DEAL term. My vision is to make CI recognizable in the coming period and to include new members because oftentimes people don't have a clear picture of who we are and what we represent. It is a process that my predecessor started, and the goal is to solidify our market position and ensure better visibility. Another important goal is to boost cooperation with CI Brussels (EU), which is very important for all our members. I would like to also underline the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises, which we know are the basis and the driving force behind the national economy. Our idea is to promote a new business culture to enable small and medium-sized enterprises to successfully participate in the growing international market. Of course, all that depends on the expertise of the actors themselves, as well as on innovation and digitalization. We also want to develop a network of companies to help them enter the international market, especially those that would not otherwise have the opportunity or courage to

The main topic is the energy transition, which inevitably reflects and affects all our activities. I hope that our delegation, our speakers, led by the President of CI Serbia, will make a significant contribution to their presentations. We look forward to seeing you all on this forum.

How do you think the Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe will recover from the coronavirus pandemic? Are Italian companies interested in countries covered by Confindustria Est Europa? — Unlike Italy, where the vaccination campaign has been very successful and I hope that we will soon reach a 90% vaccination rate which enables us mobility and thus productivity and

You are the first woman to become president of Confindustria Est Europa. How do you feel in this role? — I am, of course, very proud of that and very honoured. I came to this new job from CI Bulgaria. Keep in mind that the other 11 presidents I work with are all men, which is not simple at all. But I think it's not a question of gender, but of ability, expertise and merit. Confindustria Est Europa has been implementing the project called STEAMiamoci, which goal is to encourage women's entrepreneurship. This project is very important to me because it seeks to reduce the difference between jobs in an entrepreneurial environment. But I reiterate, it all depends on expertise and ability in whatever you do.

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MAKING SERBIA CLOSER TO ASIA

Given that Serbia sees China as the most important external trade and financial partner in Asia, the establishment of a direct connection with Chinese ports has given new impetus to improving economic cooperation

INTERVIEW

VLADIMIR LEKIĆ Director of Dragon Maritime SEE

„W

ith the improvement of transport conditions, the interest of foreign companies in investing in Serbia is growing. The Land-Sea Express service directly contributed to making Serbia a desirable location for investments, primarily by Chinese companies,“ says Vladimir Lekić, Director of Dragon Maritime SEE, in an interview for Diplomacy&Commerce magazine.

Thanks to Dragon Maritime SEE, the general agent of Cosco Shipping Lines, Belgrade has become a regional hub for the development of intermodal transport. How much did that affect Chinese investments in Serbia? — Since the launch of the Land-Sea Express service in 2017, we have seen a continuous growth of container cargo from the People's Republic of China, which is, among other things, the result of a significant increase in Chinese investments and numerous joint projects implemented by Serbia and the People's Republic of China. Given that Serbia sees China as the most impor-

TRANSIT TIME

tant external trade and financial partner in Asia, the establishment of a direct connection with Chinese ports has given new impetus to improving economic cooperation. The unique and competitive service we provide has generated great interest among Chinese clients, and in recent years, we have achieved excellent cooperation with Chinese companies in Serbia such as Zijin Bor, HBIS, Hisense, Johnson Electric, China Railway, etc.

To what extent has your company's business contributed to the development of cooperation between Serbia and China? — Serbia plays a significant role in China's Belt and Road initiative due to its strategic position on Corridor X, which is the main route for container shipments via the Land-Sea Express service between the port of Piraeus and Central European countries. The unique service we offer to our clients, with efficient transit time along the entire transport route which stretches between the main Chinese ports and Belgrade, has attracted the interest of Chinese companies and contributed to Serbia becoming a desirable strategic location for new Chinese investors. Your services are used for transporting goods that need fast transit time and efficient delivery. What kind of clients have you attracted with this kind of quality and what kind of clients are you still expecting to attract?

THE INTERMODAL SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE COSCO SHIPPING COMPANY SHORTENS THE TOTAL TRANSIT TIME FROM THE FAR EAST BY 5 TO 7 DAYS COMPARED TO THE TRADITIONAL ROUTING OF CONTAINER SHIPMENTS ACROSS THE ADRIATIC PORTS 18

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— The mentioned intermodal service provided by the COSCO SHIPPING Company shortens the total transit time from the Far East by 5 to 7 days compared to the traditional routing of container shipments across the Adriatic ports. Many clients, both manufacturing and retail companies from different sectors, have expressed strong interest in the service. In addition to the great interest shown by import companies, this service is very important for the export flows of container shipments from Serbia to other overseas destinations. In addition to the traditional export cargo transported by sea, this transport route has become the primary choice for the transport of copper ore, which is growing to be one of the most important Serbian exports to China and the Far East.

How and to what extent did the pandemic affect the company's business and what are your expectations regarding the further development of the business during COVID-19? — The global consequences of COVID-19 on the international maritime transport market have significantly affected our company's operations. Namely, as a consequence of the pandemic, maritime freight from the Far East to Europe increased by 700 to 800% compared to the period before the pandemic. At the same time, the availability of ship space has been maximally limited and the total transit time on all routes has been extended due to numerous congestions in both loading and transhipment ports. In the given circumstances, it is very difficult to predict further market trends, but there are expectations that 2022 will bring some stabilization in the global maritime transport market.

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SHOPPSTER - INNOVATOR AND LEADER AMONG MODERN ONLINE STORES

It is very important to mention that Confindustria advocates the same goals as Shoppster, namely improving the business climate in Serbia and supporting ideas and projects that open the door to a wider market for business people

INTERVIEW

LJILJANA AHMETOVIĆ CEO of Shoppster Serbia and Slovenia

he first and largest integrated online and TV shop in the region, Shoppster, began its journey as an ambitious project aimed at creating a modern e-commerce platform in line with the latest formats used by the globally successful companies in this industry. A leading telecommunications and media operator in Southeast Europe, United Group, is behind this project. The Group is known for redefining technology and innovation standards in every country in which it operates.

Shoppster has been active for over a year now. How would you tell your story this far? What would you highlight as the key to your success? — First and foremost, our team possesses the know-how and experience of the greatest experts who were instrumental in reaching success. We celebrated the first year of business as an established, strong platform, a pioneer, innovator and a leader in modern online shopping. Shoppster offers customers a range of over 150,000 products and more than 2,500 brands, as well as a user experience based on efficiency, safety and ease of buying and selling. The logistics that enable all this are modelled after the largest European e-commerce markets and current delivery trends. Shoppster is an integrated platform. Apart from e-commerce, customers have the choice of ordering after they see the products on a

specialized TV channel. How much does the TV channel contribute to the overall sales? — It was extremely important to use the potential that the unique sales channel that is Shoppster TV channel has since the consumers get their information mostly via television. It was equally important to use it at a time when we were all confined to our homes during the state of emergency, and when traditional shopping was almost completely disabled. This was very difficult for the average domestic consumer who wants to see a certain product with their own eyes,

IMPORTANT

That is why I am extremely glad that Confindustria Serbia has recognized Shoppster as an ideal partner. It is very important to mention that Confindustria advocates the same goals as Shoppster, namely improving the business climate in Serbia and supporting ideas and projects that open the door to a wider market for business people. During the last week of November, Shoppster took part in the celebration of the Day of Italian Cuisine in the World and, on that occasion, we organized a special promotion of Italian products and brands under the name Days of Italy.

IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO USE THE POTENTIAL THAT THE UNIQUE SALES CHANNEL THAT IS SHOPPSTER TV CHANNEL HAS SINCE THE CONSUMERS GET THEIR INFORMATION MOSTLY VIA TELEVISION touch it, and test its quality on the spot. The Shoppster TV channel has successfully replaced that need - we have assembled a great team of new and established TV personalities, i.e. TV presenters who are trusted and who are not only here to sell the product, but to practically convince the viewers of its quality.

The Made in Italy corner you designed and launched together with Confindustria Serbia is pretty innovative and highlights a new way of communicating with consumers. Could you tell us more about it? How did it start? — We want Shoppster to become a starting point for new cultures, a place where our customers can feel the spirit of countries, peoples, their customs and consumer habits.

Which are your bestsellers? Do you think Shoppster is a good address for SMEs? Do you support them in their steps towards embracing e-commerce? — From the very beginning, Shoppster has been striving to become a one-stop shop; a place where you can find everything you need. Not only did Shoppster prove to be a good address for small and micro companies, but it also provided a great opportunity for those whose businesses were failing due to the pandemic. That is why all SMEs can count on our complete support when they start cooperating with us. We are proud of every small brand that has joined Shoppster and without any additional investments, has expanded its business, reaching customers who would otherwise be unavailable to it.

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FURTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES THE FOCUS TO BE ON THE GREEN AGENDA Confindustria Serbia's initiatives are well-intentioned; We are always open for dialogue and partnership with Serbian institutions, especially on the Green Agenda's focus, one of the strongest challenges in the EU and the global economy. We believe that Serbia will also accelerate projects on this topic

INTERVIEW

IRENA BRAJOVIĆ Director of Confindustria Serbia

“T

DIALOGUE

he economy is showing healthy signs of recovery. Italy is currently recording 6% economic growth. It is important to maintain open dialogue with institutions because it should contribute not just to ensure growth but also guarantee continuity of economic growth. This dialogue is currently being conducted at the government and business level in Italy, but also with the largest European economies in Italy, France and Germany. The focus is on the topics related to the great transformation envisaged by the EU’s digital and green agenda,” says Irena Brajović, Director of Confindustria Serbia.

How much did the Covid-induced crisis in Italy affect companies in Serbia? — If we follow the logic of implemented investments in Serbia, via the mother-daughter company format, our members in Serbia have experienced serious disturbances in their business results in terms of the projected production and sales goals. In the first two quarters of 2020, these dropped from 30 to 60 percent in some industrial branches, such as textile and footwear production, and some segments of the automotive industry. Fortunately, industries like pharmaceutical, food, ICT or luxury segment of the automotive industry have ended their business year with very good results. One of the more important challenges, common to all our companies in that period, was preserving jobs and implementing precautionary and supervision measures related to the complications regarding the health situation in the country and its direct consequences for the organization of production. We must underline that a huge effort has been made by our companies on resolving both issues. Therefore, if I had to assess the period behind us, I can say that we have learned that only good

IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH INSTITUTIONS BECAUSE IT SHOULD CONTRIBUTE NOT JUST TO ENSURE GROWTH BUT ALSO GUARANTEE CONTINUITY OF ECONOMIC GROWTH 20

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and timely coordination between the health care and manufacturing sectors, as well as the timely adoption of clear and binding procedures, can provide effective support in preventing problems. As a result of companies investing a lot of effort and the Serbian government providing their strong support through economic assistance measures for companies, we have managed to record quite good business results and have started to recover in 2021, as well as having a moderate number of workers losing their jobs. All this guarantees that our companies, even in such challenging times, are determined to stay, stabilize their business and continue with further investments in Serbia.

What were the biggest problems of Italian companies in the previous period as well as this year? — Italy's economy is showing healthy signs of recovery, with Italy currently recording a 6% economic growth, even though the effects of this global recession caused by the pandemic are still strong and that most economies in developed countries are not showing signs of rapid economic recovery. At the onset of the pandemic, Italy was the worst situation out of all European countries in terms of the number of infected and, unfortunately, in terms of the number of people who died. At that time, it recorded a serious GDP decline of 8.8% which lasted until the end of

2020, with a similar trend showing by the end of the first quarter of 2021. This period was marked by blocked social and economic flows in Italy, but also by major problems in Italy’s foreign trade and export. Furthermore, in 2021, the interrupted or hindered supply from the Far East countries did not recover quickly, and they were accompanied by the increase in production costs, as well as a large drop in consumption. As a result, many capillary industries, that operate in line with the Italian export model, suffered large losses in supplying export markets. As we sometimes say in the spirit of preserving optimism and solutions – hoping that at least someone is doing alright when times are difficult for others. In this situation, it turned out that Serbia proved to be one of the good solutions to these problems. Numerous benefits that Serbia has - from geographical proximity and convenience of transport connections which are important for transport and logistics, proximity to suppliers and prestigious markets - today we can talk about the intensification of interests and needs of Italian industry to upgrade existing and seek new partners in Serbia, thus ensuring additional competitiveness in the international market. I believe that we will see a further intensification of economic and economic ties between Italy and Serbia. I am confident that we can also talk about the perspective of opening new sectors of cooperation, related to the topics of the EU’s digital and green agenda and the transformation of industry and services in a wider geographical scope.

Were there any delays in the started investments in Serbia, and is this year better than the previous one in that respect? — Companies have partially slowed down plans for new investments or expansion of existing ones, but have not stopped. We have recently had the pleasure of celebrating and publicly marking a few new investments. Less than a month ago, our member Gruppo SIAD / Istrabenz Plini officially opened a state-of-the-art industrial gas filling station, worth 16 million euros and the company continues to implement

further development plans. I would like to mention a few more Italian companies that have made investments, such as Pasubio Spa, Martini Gradnja, Becchis Osiride, Moretto Group and others. The last quarter of 2021 marked a large increase in inquiries from Italian companies in terms of industrial partnerships and demand for suppliers in Serbia. It is obvious that domestic companies have a good image in terms of capacity and know-how, while the challenges mainly relate to the modernity of technological processes, limitations of existing equipment and certain specialized training. We must keep in mind, however, that we are in a very delicate phase in which never

INVESTMENT PLANS

road to EU membership, will also expedite the implementation of certain activities and projects in the green energy sector and environmental protection projects, as well as support participants in the circular economy. At the EU level, Italy is a leader in the results of the circular economy and can be an excellent technological partner to Serbia. I would like to use this opportunity to announce a regional conference that will take place in February next year, where there will be a dialogue between the EU and the region’s representative participants, institutions and business people on the aforementioned topics and current trends. Also, we will continue developing the latest and as of a few days ago, officially launched the project of cooperation in the

ITALIAN COMPANIES IN SERBIA HAVE PARTIALLY SLOWED DOWN INVESTMENT PLANS, BUT SEVERAL INTERESTING NEW INVESTMENTS WERE MADE DURING THE PANDEMIC before in history has the value of competencies in the light of competitiveness been such a central topic in our economies. There is a real talent risk going on in the world, with industrial forces competing in training and attracting workforce and talent, capable of managing changes in the current industrial transformation. Leading business people and the management of our parent association are working exhaustively with the representatives of the Italian government on new solutions because Italy cannot and must not lag in that sense. Therefore, schools with high technological specialization represent not only hope but also a definite possibility for the overall growth of the system. We believe that Serbia is a strong partner on this path thanks to its new dual education system and modernization of school curricula.

What will be the focus next year? — Europe has revised its agenda which is now ambitious, focused and development-oriented. Of course, we expect that Serbia, on its

WE COULD LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER COUNTRIES We hope that health problems that are a consequence of this pandemic will start to decline. Our message is to believe in science, institutions and health care organizations. When we are healthy, we can work and face all the problems we encounter which are

field of e-commerce with the Shoppster Company. Believing that such a state-ofthe-art and current commerce format must be encouraged to the extent that it is possible to build and gain the trust of consumers and vendors, we will work to increase the supply of Made in Italy products in Serbia.

What will be the biggest challenges for you as an organization in the coming months? — I would say that challenges and our mission go hand in hand. We hope that next year we will be able to work in full capacity and fully commit to projects that are in our hearts which are the result of analysis of business opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. We hope that we will not be further hindered by the pandemic-related restrictions. We believe and work on further expansion of our association according to a recognizable operational format which implies high professional dedication and enthusiasm, quality service and reliable partnership in working with our members and other stakeholders.

not always easy to overcome. As Italy has justify to overcome and learn from the situation where it had a large number of patients and deaths, we are sending out a well-intentioned message that others do not have to go through the same difficult moments, but rather learn from the experiences of other countries like Italy, which is moving forward with the maturity and responsibility of its administration and the majority of citizens.

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WE ARE DEVELOPING CONFINDUSTRIA NETWORK IN SERBIA I think that opening of the office in Šabac is an excellent move by Confindustria and a natural development of Confindustria network in Serbia because a significative number of Italian companies are located in this city

INTERVIEW

SIMONE APOLLONI Confindustria Serbia Regional Representative for Western Serbia

or this year’s issue of Confindustria Serbia, we interviewed Simone Apolloni, Confindustria Serbia’s Regional Representative for Western Serbia, about the goals expected from opening a regional office in Šabac, the development of SME segment, but also about the challenges that Italian investors will face in Serbia next year.

You have been a member of Confindustria Serbia for many years, and you have been doing business in Serbia for a long time. What do you think is the most important thing that Serbia has to offer to investors? — Yes, I have been a member since its establishment and since then the Association has expanded a lot and strengthened its position in Serbia in

THE WINNERS WILL BE THOSE COMPANIES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO QUICKLY ADAPT THEIR PRODUCTION PROCESS TO THE NEW SITUATION USING NEW TECHNOLOGIES, MATERIALS, IDEAS

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terms of the number of members and the network of partners. In my opinion, the most important for investors in Serbia are the following three factors: strategic geographic position, infrastructure and political stability and neutrality. The first and the second allow you to supply the EU and markets with almost 1 billion people from Serbia in 24 hours, while the third factor allows medium-term investment planning and security of the same. Only as fourth ranked factor are lower operating costs, according to investors.

You were also President of Confindustria Serbia’s group of young entrepreneurs. Does the future of economic development lie in the development of the SME segment? — Yes, through my work on the group for young entrepreneurs of Confindustria Serbia, I worked closer with the Association of Young Entrepreneurs of Serbia – UMPS. I really had the opportunity to see with my own eyes and cooperate with many small companies run by young people between the ages of 18 and 40, and I say that I am enthusiastic about the startup movement in Serbia. The SMEs account for 98% of the Italian economy, and it’s the highest percentage in the EU. This data shows you how important it is for a nation to have a "backbone" that is hard to break because SMEs are flexible and adapt quickly to market changes, and act as cells in the body. Thousands of them die every day, but also that many emerge, making the system sustainable and resilient. What are the advantages of opening the Confindustria Serbia regional office

in Šabac, and what are this region’s advantages in terms of investments? — Opening of the office in Sabac is a great move by Confindustria and a natural development of Confindustria’s network in Serbia, because there are a large number of Italian companies in need of support in this city, and we also have a good number of companies interested in investing, they are visiting Mačva and gathering the necessary information before making an investment decision. The greatest advantage, in my opinion, is the presence of many local SMEs that can work as suppliers to foreign companies, it is a very active zone in terms of entrepreneurship. Another important thing is, of course, the new Novi Sad-Ruma-Šabac-Loznica fast road, which is already under construction and which will be a "booster" for local development in the coming years. What challenges will Italian companies face in the coming year, considering the fact that we are slowly leaving the pandemic crisis behind us? — Challenges are already here, the unexpected and significant increase in the price of raw materials, shortage of labour, increase in price of all energy factors, etc. Italian, as well as other companies from Serbia, the region and the EU, are already facing such problems. In my opinion, the winners will be those companies that will be able to quickly adapt their production process to the new situation using new technologies, materials, ideas, and of course green energy which is now absolutely available to all the budgets and which will be the dominant factor and topic long into the future.

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SERBIAN SUPPLIERS ARE WELCOME TO COOPERATE WITH US The Serbian market is important because we developed some suppliers due to the fact that transport cost has an important impact. In other words the Serbian suppliers are welcome to cooperate with us INTERVIEW

ANNINO DE VENEZIA General Manager AUNDE SRB d.o.o

ince entering the market, the volume of work in AUNDE SRB has grown, as well as the number of employees. As Annino De Venezia, General Manager AUNDE SRB d.o.o said in his interview for the magazine Diplomacy&Commerce, a positive social impact is very important. From 750 workers, while 76% are women, and for 7 years they gave birth more than 140 children.

What has changed in the Serbian market, but also in the company AUNDE SRB since its founding in 2015 until today? — The Serbian market is important because we developed some suppliers due to the fact that transport cost has an important impact. In other words the Serbian suppliers are welcome to cooperate with us.

AUNDE SRB produces car seat covers. Apart from Fiat, which other companies do you cooperate with and which car models do you equip? — AUNDE SRB is one of the youngest manufacturing Plant of AUNDE Group. We arrived in Serbia to supply Johnson Control (now Adient Serbia) the seat cover for the model Fiat 500L. After a few years we got new projects: Fiat Ducato, Mercedes Sprinter, Iveco Daily, Peg Perego (seat covers for children), Iveco Stralis, Fiat 500 Full Electric. Since entering the market, the volume of work has grown, as well as the number of employees. How many employees does the company have today? Most of the employees in the company are women? What is it that sets AUNDE SRB apart as an employer? — This is a very important question. Currently we have cca. 750 workers, while 76% are women. In this number 53 women are constantly on mater-

AUNDE SRB IS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST MANUFACTURING PLANT OF AUNDE GROUP In 1899, the textile weaving mill of Conrad Ebels and Victor Achter laid the foundation for the company which is known today as AUNDE. Starting in 1920, the company began to specialize in the development and manufacture of upholstery and innovative textiles for the burgeoning automotive industry. Along with its automotive clients, AUNDE continued to develop

nity leave. In 7 years our workers delivered more than 140 children. Is this a positive social impact? I think it is and demonstrate the importance of labour intensive companies, like AUNDE SRB, have in Serbia.

What are the further plans and projects of AUNDA SRB?

PLAN

AUNDE SRB WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PRINCIPAL ACTOR IN OUR SEGMENT OF BUSINESS — Serbia is still one of the Country interesting for our business. But, we have to consider that other extra-UE Countries are offering better conditions. In order to continue our business, we need to keep under control all the cost. We must do it to make sure that AUNDE SRB will continue to be the principal actor in our segment of business.

and evolve and, today, we offer a variety of solutions from a single source: Bespoke designs, technical conception and the delivery of technical textiles and upholstery materials with all the relevant certifications. AUNDE SRB opened 2015, operates under the AUNDE Group and is 100% owned by AUNDE Italia Group, member of the AUNDE Group. When the company announced its plans to build a new plant in Jagodina, it received a support from the local justify and state government.

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CONFINDUSTRIA IS A GREAT ACCELERATOR OF EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES INTERVIEW

MARCO GAY President of Confindustria Piedmont

As an organization, Confindustria facilitates meeting people that you can learn a lot from, who have already had experiences similar to yours and who can give good advice

“T

he time that Confindustria "takes away" from my company and my family, is a time that has great value for me and it helps me understand the dynamics of economy, the value of innovation, technological transformation, and makes me a better entrepreneur.”

What do Confindustria and relevant associations mean to you in that sense? Has your experience in Confindustria affected your career as an entrepreneur? — I have been in Confindustria Torino since 2003. I wanted to meet other entrepreneurs and cooperate with other professionals who supported me. This was, first and foremost, consulting and technical support, which was needed at that time for my company to grow. After that, I was the national president of the young entrepreneurs of Confindustria, that is, the whole Italy. Today, I am no longer a young entrepreneur, but just an entrepreneur, a senior one, if you will, and the President of Confindustria Piedmont. This development path, for me, represents a great social development and gives me pride because, in the Association in which I made my first steps and I founded my first company, I am privileged today to be able to represent the territory of Piedmont and its great industrial capacity.

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The first Italian digital innovation centre was founded in Piedmont. What impact did it have on companies and people? — The Piedmont Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) certainly gave a boost at one point, if we are talking about Industry 4.0, as it motivated and initiated the first steps. It also had another important aspect, and that was the assessment of the competencies of the companies that were supposed to join the Hub. This was very important in helping

CONFINDUSTRIA SERBIA

to understand this topic, which was relatively unknown to companies only a few years earlier. Today, thanks to the digital innovation hub, there is a greater understanding, so I believe that DIH played a very important role in the various stages of the evolution of companies and their maturation.

Innovation and technology are, in a sense, part of your DNA. Could you tell us something about the world of Digital Magics? How does your incubator/accelerator work?

— Digital Magics is an incubator for start-ups. It is innovative, listed on the stock exchange in Italy, on the technology market, which supports ideas, talents and competencies. We support all those who want to be entrepreneurs, to develop their start-up in the digital world and the accelerator helps such people to grow. We help with our own experiences and networks of contacts, but also by giving capital. Digital Magics is the first Italian accelerator, and today an important player in the European ecosystem. In May 2021, we published an industrial plan that has one clear goal to increase the value of our portfolio and investments to 100 million euros. The idea is to increase the number of participants, as well as to develop the consulting segment in the field of digital transformation, which we have been conducting after the acquisition of a company called The Doers. Fintech and insuretech are two sectors where innovation can make a really serious transformation of a mature market. We are also continuing to implement the 5G acceleration project and the Internet-of-Things (IoT) which have a strong influence on industrial evolution which tells us that we are moving in the right direction. Sustainability is another key point when it comes to technological and energy transition. This is a very important and relevant topic because startups in all sectors are the bearers of a new vision based on sustainability. My greatest satisfaction is the impact that Digital Magics has on the ecosystem and the growth of startups across the board, including the need and the process of growing exceptional talent and change the world of innovation. Acceleration programmes and further growth of companies and people, give me the satisfaction to continue working.

Could you give three pieces of advice to beginners? — I have quite a few opinions, rather than advice. I will tell you what we see as good qualities of startups they are certainly courage, readiness and ambition to do something that does not yet exist, or that transforms

PLAYER what already exists. It speeds it up and changes it, so the first piece of advice would be to be determined to reach that goal. Furthermore, you have to have the ability to recognize when you can no longer achieve this, so be realistic. Because there may be a need to change the business model or accelerate investment growth, you need to have a lot of awareness, which is achieved when you have a good team. Another piece of advice concerns having a good and competent team, to help the startup lift off and take the first steps. That is very important. The third point/advice is that, in addition to believing in the idea itself, you need to believe in the value of logic, innovation and one's own idea and seek growth in the direction of internationalization. It is good to start in your city in your region, but after that, you need to have the ambition to look beyond the borders of your nation within a year or two, because then you get a chance to grow, to find new partners, new investors and new business opportunities.

The Government of Serbia has digitalization in the focus of its development in the coming years. What

DIGITAL MAGICS IS THE FIRST ITALIAN ACCELERATOR, AND TODAY AN IMPORTANT PLAYER IN THE EUROPEAN ECOSYSTEM do you think are the best measures to support the start-up ecosystem? — The best way to support a startup ecosystem goes in three directions: always have trust because startups can be a good testing lab. Then simplify the processes and enable the creation, growth and development of a company from a startup. Concerning venture capital (investments), it is necessary to know how to attract them and this is the task of startups, but it is also necessary to favour them through tax exemptions. It should be said that whoever invests in venture capital for at least two or three years, should be granted tax relief of at least 50%. The third point that should be at the centre is the ecosystem is to facilitate the network of contacts between stakeholders who manage to favour growth and open innovation and large, medium-sized and small enterprises. Startups should have an easier path, and be supported and assisted by the government.

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Who we are and what we do

About the company Spica International Ltd. is a leading software provider of human-centric and smart workforce management solutions, focused on the needs of the modern workplace. In the past 30 years we have helped more than 3.000 customers around the world to optimize, digitalize, and automate their workforce management processes, such as employee scheduling, time and attendance, leave management, project time tracking and other HR processes. With our user-friendly solutions (in cloud, on premise and hybrid, and across all devices), cutting-edge technologies, and top-notch consultants, we have helped organizations to manage their employees’ time better, meet compliance effortlessly, improve productivity based on powerful HR analytics, and in general create a better working environment to attract top talent – a modern workplace that’s also friendly for remote and mobile workers. Top highlights of our company: • 30 years of continuous growth and improvement • 300+ Spica employees in the CEE region • 3.000+ satisfied customers all around the globe • 1 million daily users of our solutions • Placed on the Gartner Workforce Management Market Guide 2019 and 2020 • Microsoft’s Partner of the year 2020 • Certified SAP Partner • ISO 9001-certified for quality and innovation • ISO 27001-certified for information security management

Meet our range of software solutions Our software solutions are helping to manage workforces in a smart way and increase operational efficiency for employers of all sizes – from small teams to 10.000+ employees, across all major industries - retail, construction, oil, hospitality, government, and others. Explore our solutions: • All Hours — time & attendance cloud solution (cloud) • My Hours — project management cloud solution (cloud) • Time&Space — enterprise grade access control and time & attendance system (cloud, on premise or hybrid) • Door Cloud — smart cloud system for access control (cloud, on prem or hybrid)

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Our philosophy We passionately believe that long-term winners in business are organizations which are agile and efficient. In order to achieve agility and efficiency, you must first be in charge of your time and space. You have to focus on the right tasks at the right time, and then do them in the right way, with the least amount of waste possible. With our software solutions we help organizations to manage their time and space better. We assist organizations in reducing any potential time or space wasted, and help them become more agile and efficient with the support of the right HR technologies. We want to help our customers to create a productive and organized working place where people love to perform; because time and attendance, project time tracking, HR reporting, compliance and payroll all work perfectly and effortlessly. You can learn more about our philosophy, latest trends, and our top tips on modern HR management and how to improve the productivity of your team on our blog: https://www.spica.com/blog. If you believe we have common synergies regarding content production, let us know and explore them together on: blogwithus@spica.com.

Our team Our team consist of experts in the field of sales and marketing, implementation and development. That is how we have equipped ourselves for the business breakthrough of our clients - we provide them with solutions that are the result of our own development, business, and technical expertise and reliable support.

Knowledge is Power Microsoft Gold Partner Gold Competency demonstrates our specialized ability and commitment in the field of implementation of Microsoft technology.

SAP Certified Time & Space integration with SAP is a SAP certified solution that quarantees a service reliability.

Oracle Silver Partner Most of Spica's solutions support both MS and Oracle databases. The demonstation of our expertise is the ORACLE Silver Partner status.

ISO 9001 ISO 9001 is the international standard for a quality management system (QMS). The ISO 9001 certifications demonstrate our commitment to quality and a dedication to business excellence in all our efforts.

ISO/IEC 27001 We are committed to the highest level of security in information and data governance with the ISO/IEC 27001 certification, the international standard for information security management.

Microsoft Azure Certified for IoT Spica is a member of Microsoft Azure Certified for IoT which demonstrates that we have a specific, proven skill set in a IoT in Azure solution areas.

Welcome to Spica! In business, same as in sports, we need to be agile, efficient and persistent. Check out our web main web site https://www.spica.com and corporate video https://youtu.be/fphZurgcBL0 and see how we have helped companies of all sizes to achieve higher level of agility, productivity and cost efficiency. We are best together! © 2021 - Spica | All rights reserved For Serbia you can visit our website www.spica.rs and contact us via email info.rs@spica.com https://www.facebook.com/spicacentar/

https://rs.linkedin.com/company/spica-srbija

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A GREATER INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION IS NEEDED

In order for "Made in Italy" to become more and more "Educated in Italy" we must put the university back at the center of our strategies. It is not possible to imagine reforms of the ecological and digital transition, justice, and labor market without first dealing with the university system INTERVIEW

RAFFAELE MARCHETTI Deputy Rector for Internationalization and Professor in International Relations at the Department of Political Science and the School of Government of LUISS

n Italy, 76% of the companies struggle to find workers with the right skills, according to a recent research. In the Excelsior 2021-2025 forecasts, the need for green, digital, Stem and innovation 4.0 skills will be between 886.000 and 924.000 units. A greater investment in education is needed. In order for "Made in Italy" to become more and more "Educated in Italy" we must put the university back at the center of our strategies. It is not possible to imagine reforms of the ecological and digital transition, justice, and labor market without first dealing with the university system. The President of Confindustria, Carlo Bonomi, recently recalled this by saying: "there is only one thing that can stop Italy: not having big dreams and we are lucky enough to have a generation with big dreams. Businesses and universities are therefore fundamental."

The development of creative, collaborative and resilient leaders at Luiss management training program. When the world becomes less hospitable as in the case of a global epidemic, we

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need to innovate. And the quickest way to innovation is through new connections. All the great achievements of humanity in history are not due to individual skills, but to the ability to collaborate flexibly and in large numbers. The question that arises at this point is: What allows us to collaborate in this way? The answer is our imagination and our curiosity. The leader of the future will be a "master-asker", will be able to ask the right questions to transform the fate of a group or organization, activating people, providing a cultural glue, orienting behavior and creating a general sense of motivation and personal connection. As a Maori saying goes: "Join those who know how to put together the pieces of a canoe", in other words, there is a need for leaders who know how to unite people. The leaders of the future will act more and more to improve a collective result, they will be custodians and architects of tomorrow, the administrators of the company.

Internationalization, programs with industrial partners and the Euro-Mediterranean area Luiss considers internationalization as part of its DNA. Being a university of excellence today means being a global university, able to provide education to Italian, European, and world students. In addition to the flattering results achieved in the last international rankings (top 50 for Political Science for QS, top 100 for Management for FT), Luiss continues its internationalization effort. With more than 300 partners around

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the world and about 50 Double Degree agreements, the university confirms its world excellence. In particular, the strategic focus of our international projection is centered in the “proximity area”, that is, in the Euro-Mediterranean area. The Balkans and Serbia in particular are therefore areas of great attention for the university. Luiss bilingual educational offer (about 50% of our degrees are in English) is enriched this year by two new fully digital degrees that are developed specifically for those who cannot travel to Rome for professional or personal reasons.

PREDICTION

IF TODAY WE ANALYZE THE ENROLLMENT TREND IN UNIVERSITIES AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, WE CAN EASILY PREDICT THAT ONLY HALF OF THE DEMAND WILL BE SATISFIED The International Training Program ITP is a project that involves collaboration between Luiss and Italian companies operating at an international level, which aims to bring the most promising young people from the company's target countries to Italy. The program ensures the selection of the best talents, the highest standards of academic training and integration of academic training with business experiences through internships.

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ENERGY-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS Often overlooked, energy efficient motors controlled by variable speed drives will play a vital role on the road to net zero. ABB's contribution to fighting climate change is clearly illustrated by recent projects deployed across Southern Europe

oday, the need for energy efficiency is more pressing than ever as the world looks to decarbonize industry and infrastructure. Electric motors are an integral part of daily modern life. And while you may not see them, they power the pumps that supply us fresh water, drive the HVAC systems that keep us cool, operate the presses that shape the sheet metal for the body of our cars, enable sustainable transportation and are used extensively in food production. The challenge is that too many of the world’s motor-driven systems are based on outdated and inefficient technology that wastes energy. “Investing in the latest energy efficient technology can have a major impact,” said Morten Wierod, President of ABB Motion. “Research highlights that if the world’s 300 million industrial motor-driven systems were replaced with optimized, high-efficiency equipment, global electricity consumption could be reduced by up to 10 percent. That’s more than 90 percent of the annual consumption of the entire EU.” ABB is at the forefront in de-

livering technology that is already helping customers across Southern Europe use less energy and cut carbon emissions. In Serbia, the second largest hydro power plant, HPP Bajina Bašta is improving availability and increasing total energy efficiency. Thanks to the ABB MEGADRIVE- LCI (~21MW) and transformers for the soft start of 2 x 315MW synchronous machines in the reversible hydro power plant, ABB is helping HPP maximize the energy production by delivering additional 5-6 GWh per year through better efficiency and readiness of the hydro turbines. Italian firm, Farina Presse, has developed a new KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) press used in heavy industries, like metal. The system is equipped with a torque motor that recovers energy through an ABB regenerative drive, slashing consumption by more than 40 percent. The energy wasted by a conventional press in the form of dissipated heat amounts to 388,000 kWh: the KERS press eliminates 300 tons of CO2 emissions. It would require planting 4,500 trees to absorb that

ABB is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes

amount. "These examples are strong evidence of ABB's commitment to climate protection in close synergy with our customers in industry and infrastructure," said Alessandro Pueroni, Lead Business Area Manager Motion Southern Europe & Italy at ABB. "One of the pillars of our 2030 sustainability strategy is the commitment to reduce the

ELECTRICTY

45% OF THE WORLD’S ELECTRICTY IS USED TO POWER ELECTRIC MOTORS IN BUILDINGS AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS greenhouse gas emissions of our customer's operations by more than 100 million tons, working side-byside with institutions, governments and universities. In this respect, we urge all stakeholders in our countries, including businesses and media, to join their efforts to fight climate change and join the Energy Efficiency Movement."

the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. For more www.abb.rs

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VENETO & SERBIA: A STRATEGIC COOPERATION

Many Veneto companies have a strong relationship with Serbia and some of them have also decided to invest in it. Serbia’s geographical position is quite appealing, as it is in the centre of the Balkans, while the country’s skilled workforce make Serbia the ideal location for entrepreneurs that want to expand their business in Eastern Europe INTERVIEW

ANNALISA BISSON International Relations Director, the Veneto Region

etal and machinery production and fashion contribute the most to Veneto’s exports as foreign sales of these sectors contributed to a large extent to the regional export growth in the first six months of the year. As for the target markets, there has been a significant increase in sales to all the main trade partners, with France, Germany and the USA topping the list.

You recently took on the role of International Relations Director of the Veneto region in a very complex time for your region. How would you rate Veneto’s economic recovery? Has the pandemic changed the international relations programmes of the Veneto region?

ACTIONS

FOR EACH AXIS, THERE ARE SPECIFIC AREAS OF INTERVENTION AND AN ACTION PLAN WITH PROGRAMMES AND ACTIONS IN PLACE — The pandemic has affected the whole world and it is turning into something that we have to live with. Since the onset of Covid-19, all of us had to cope with fear and uncertain-

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ty regarding the future and, under these circumstances, some leaders managed to handle the situation in a very pragmatic way. Veneto is one of the European regions that had a good plan in place which helped both our territory and the people to live in such a difficult time. The economic performance is quite encouraging and in the first semester, our export recorded a 24% growth compared to 2020, but if we look at 2019 – the year before the pandemic – there was a 5% increase which is a very good result. Veneto’s GDP growth should be around 6.4% by the end of 2021 and the projection for 2022 currently stands at +4.7%. Veneto has always had a natural inclination to international relations due to its history and proximity to Eastern Europe. Despite the pandemic, we are very focused on building new alliances with foreign countries and reinforcing the relations with our historical partners. We had to revise our priorities during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Still, Veneto is enhancing and boosting boosting its ties at the international level as we believe that open markets lead to success and prosperity.

What are the driving sectors of the Veneto region's economy? What are the main driving forces behind your export? — Veneto has a great variety of manufacturing sectors and several clusters with a high level of innovation

and integration where the supply chain is well represented. The Made in Veneto production ranges from food and wine to apparel and shoes, eyewear, wood and furniture, machinery, building materials, electronic appliances and others.

Photos of deserted Venice during the first wave of the pandemic travelled the world. Do you think Venice has changed? How is the tourism sector recovering from the crisis? — It was very heartbreaking to see Venice as a deserted place although the images that were broadcasted all over the world enhanced the beauty and the magic of the city. Tourism is the sector that was affected by the pandemic more than others as it depends on the mobility of people and, even though travelling has resumed, tourism is still suffering the consequences of Covid-19. In 2021, tourism is slowly recovering in Veneto compared to 2020 but if we compare it to the pre-pandemic period, we are still lacking foreign tourists, especially in Venice. There has been an increase in the number of Italian tourists who chose to remain in Italy. Veneto is an ideal tourist destination with its variety of places – mountains (the Dolomites), the coastline with kilometre-long beaches (Jesolo), the countryside (the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene), artistic cities (like Vicenza, Verona and Padua) and of course, Venice with its lagoon.

Environmental sustainability and environmental protection are fundamental to Veneto and Venice, as reflected in the expertise of companies from the Veneto region in terms of environmental protection. What is your view on this topic that is an important part of our daily lives? — Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for our territory as we have to preserve the natural environment and different microclimate areas in our region. Thus, we are committed to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Agenda 2030. Last year, Veneto launched its sustainable development strategy with three different components - economic, social and environmental sustainability. We also identified strategic axes - risk mitigation with health prevention, boosting civil protection, the well-being of people, attractive territory, reproduction of natural capital and responsible governance. For each axis, there are specific areas of intervention and an action plan with programmes and actions in place. Citizens have to play a role in the transition to a more sustainable society and personally, I am very committed to that in my daily routine. I live in Treviso which ranks first in Italy in terms of waste recycling. Treviso has implemented many activities towards achieving important sustainability goals. In 2021, it was one of the five finalists for the European Green Leaf Award, a competition that includes cities and towns across Europe, with a population of between 20,000 and 100,000, that recognizes commitment to better environmental outcomes, with a particular emphasis on efforts that generate green growth and new jobs.

Villa La Rotonda, Vicenza

lic of Serbia signed the agreement in February 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic and in the following months, we had to deal with all the consequences of Covid-19. Now, that the situation is more stable, we are planning to realize some initiatives, virtually and being physically present, to enhance the cooperation with Serbia involving the economic system, universities and cultural organizations as there are many areas of bilateral collaboration. Together with the cabinet of the Serbian Prime Minister, we are working on a roadmap to identify the activities that are considered strategic for both of us. In this regard, the cooperation with Confindustria Serbia and its president Patrizio Dei Tos, who is from Veneto, will provide a great contribution to enhancing our ties with Serbia.

Before you took on your new role in the Veneto region, you built a career in Confindustria. How much do you think this experience has helped you? — The experience I had in Confindustria at a national level for almost thirteen years taught me a lot and contributed to my professional growth. I

Venice

had the opportunity to manage international affairs at a global level and during these years I built an important network of contacts that allowed me to interact with many foreign countries. I improved my capability in intercultural management which is crucial for interacting with people as the approach has to be adapted to the country you are working with.

PLANS

NOW, THAT THE SITUATION IS MORE STABLE, WE ARE PLANNING TO REALIZE SOME INITIATIVES, VIRTUALLY AND BEING PHYSICALLY PRESENT, TO ENHANCE THE COOPERATION WITH SERBIA I had the chance to visit different areas and deepen my knowledge of development plans that many nations adopted to implement investments in specific sectors like infrastructure, agriculture, energy and manufacturing. This unique background allows me to manage the new role as the international relations director of the Veneto Region with expertise and it is a good start for me.

Following one of his last trips to Serbia, the president of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, signed a cooperation agreement with Serbia, with the view of intensifying economic relations. What do you think about that agreement? How important is the agreement to you? What opportunities does it bring and what are its challenges? — The Veneto Region and the Repub-

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CONNEXT 2021: CONNECTING COMPANIES TO THE FUTURE

2-3 December 2021, MiCo – Milan Convention Centre (Milan)

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rganized by Confindustria’s HQ, Connext is the yearly industrial partnership national meeting aimed at strenghtening the business ecosystem. Overall, it represents a unique opportunity for companies and economic partners to meet. Since this is an event that involves some of the crucial strategic factors of growth and develop-

CONNEXT PROVIDES A PLACE WHERE COMPANIES AND GROWING REALITIES WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION ment, it represents a unique opportunity for interaction between pricipal actors in the business environment. Connext provides a place where companies and growing realities will have the opportunity to identify new opportunities for collaboration. Connext is an event that every year gathers SMEs and large companies, multinationals as well as family businesses, start-ups and innovative companies, business networks, Universities, research centres, technol-

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ogy clusters, Digital Innovation Hubs and Competence Centres, training and certification bodies, credit and finance players, the public demand ecosystem and large private clients, Associations, public and private players for the construction of Italian and European partnerships and also foreign companies. The focal point of Connext is the idea of strength of the network to concretely support companies in managing and guiding change, implementing their competitiveness on global markets through high added value paths and new partnerships.

CONNEXT 2021

The event took place on December 2-3, 2021, in Milan at MiCo and was organized in presence, hybrid or a totally remote mode. A virtual component has been provided by a high performance platform that ensured the best 4.0 interactions and a strongly immersive dimension. Through the platform, in fact, it has been possible to visit the company profiles of the participants in real time, plan B2B and participate in webinars and events. Companies have been able to identify the right partner for their needs, propose

skills, products or services to interested companies and receive proposals in line with their profile. An instant messaging tool was able to mutiply contacts between companies while remote matching opportunities allowed companies to virtually meet: even companies not physically present in Milan. The connection with the open innovation platform with RetImpresa Registry blockchain technology gave the companies participating in Connext the opportunity to launch call to action and partnership initiatives aimed at creating supply chains and digital networks for innovation and sustainability, interacting with startups and others actors of the economic system. Alongside, Confindustria organized events with exceptional speakers and international prominent representatives from the economic, academic and cultural world.

DRIVERS

This edition, organized in digital mode in the light of the Covid-19 emergency, included a calendar full of initiatives, divided into 4 Drivers: Intelligent Factory, City of the Future, Sustainable Planet, People, Life Sciences and Progress.

NATIONAL DAY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

Photos: City of Vršac

Dual education: The Fifth National Day of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (PMI Day) organized in Vrsac with Confindustria Serbia’s member companies

THEME

ince 2010 Piccola Industria, Confindustria’s branch aiming to promote the development and growth of SMEs, organizes the National Day of Small and Medium Enterprises – PMI DAY. This is generally an open day for Confindustria SMEs, focused on students and teachers to give them at least for a day the feeling of what it means being an entrepreneur. The main goal of this event is to tell the young generations about the business world, its values and the opportunities within the company world. The central theme of this year's event was sustainable development in line with the goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030: corporate social responsibility, efficient use of natural resources and sustainable development that has in the focus people and the future of young generations. Being the relationship between industry and education a pillar for Confindustria Serbia’s activities, the Association organized for the fifth consecutive year the event, and under the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Belgrade, and this time in Vrsac. The event was attended by the President of Confindustria

Serbia, Patrizio Dei Tos, the Ambassador of Italy in Belgrade, H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio and the Mayor of Vrsac, Dragana Mitrovic. In line with epidemiological measures, this year’s edition of PMI Day was held in a somewhat modified form. Instead of visiting the factories, the students of the high school "Borislav Petrov-Braca" and the school center "Nikola Tesla" had the opportunity to be hosts in their schools and listen the representatives of companies who presented their projects and conveyed useful information. H. E. Ambassador Lo Cascio reminded that integration and cooperation with the local community has always been one of the key aspects of the Italian economy. The ambassador emphasized the openness of companies towards the younger generations, starting with schools. "After a difficult period of the pandemic," said the Ambassador, "the meeting of businessmen with young people is even more important so that a corporate culture that includes patience, vision, sacrifice, determination and spirit of initiative can be passed to young people by those who are more experienced." The President of Confindustria Serbia, Mr. Patrizio Dei Tos stated that “in recent years, there has been

a significant increase in awareness of the importance of education, which, together with innovation and sustainable development, are two key elements not only for the growth of companies but also for the communities. I believe that young people today are surprised when they see that a businessman is someone who is not some distant figure, but that he is also somebody who is active in the company and very often works side by side with the workers." “The number of Italian companies operating in Vrsac tells that we are good hosts and it speaks, as well, about the advantages of our city for investors from Italy. Just as the doors of Italian companies are open today, so the doors of the City of Vrsac are always open for you, but also for all investors”, said Dragana Mitrovic, the Mayor of Vrsac. PMI Day 2021 has been an opportunity to establish a dialogue between the world of business, education and the local community. Representatives of the three companies present in the territory: PALLADIO EAST, SMA, OFFICINA GAME east shared their experience from the world of production with the students of two schools from Vršac, as well as with their teachers and the local community.

THE CENTRAL THEME OF THIS YEAR'S EVENT WAS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN LINE WITH THE GOALS OF THE UNITED NATIONS AGENDA 2030

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From the archives from our past events

CONFINDUSTRIA ACTIVITIES WORKING GROUPS

Confindustria Serbia, guided by the needs of its members, and to achieve its mission based on promotion, expansion and development of its members, as well as on the exchange of experiences between members, has established four working groups: Human resources, Young entrepreneurs, Construction industry and Textile and footwear industry working groups.

HR Forum

HR Forum (Human resources working group) was established in September 2018 with the aim to promote a modern approach to human resource management, starting from the educational system, through the legal framework, to advanced methods and techniques for the efficient management of human resources. In 2022 there will be 3 HR Forum meetings, focusing on the following topics: employee relations, labour law and education.

Young entrepreneurs

Confindustria Serbia will have in 2022 a new coordinator of the working group ded-

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icated to young entrepreneurship on the model of Confindustria Italy. New b2b meetings will be held in partnership with UMPSUdruženje mladih privrednika Srbije.

Textile and footwear industry working group & Construction industry working group

The Construction industry working group & the Textile and footwear industry working group were established in April 2019. These two working groups aim to promote the Italian supply chain in the construction/ textile and footwear sector. Three meetings of each working group will be held during 2022 to foster collaboration among Confindustria Serbia members operating in the construction/textile and footwear sector, identify common interests, problems and obstacles and exchange the experiences and best practices between members.

STRATEGIC PROJECTS

Digital initiatives

Digitization is an undeniable and irreversible trend in the business landscape. Com-

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panies find themselves deciding whether to "undergo" the effects of digitization, adapting to the best, or whether to guide the process by leveraging digital technologies to drive business transformation. Based on this assumption, since 2016, Confindustria Serbia has started organizing yearly conferences on the digital economy, business opportunities and challenges created in a globalized and more digital world. Besides proceeding to the sixth edition of our yearly conferences, Confindustria Serbia will continue working with e-commerce platform Shoppster on the "Made in Italy corner ". We aim to enlarge the number of Italian products at disposal and offer many more Italian companies easy access to the Serbian market.

Energy & Environment

Given the Green deal approved in the European Union and the importance of environmental sustainability on businesses, Confindustria Serbia will reopen the discussion of a regional approach to energy stability and prices, sustainability and renewable energy, and regional interconnections in the

From the archives from our past events

energy field. With a conference planned in Belgrade for February 2022 and organized in collaboration with Confindustria Italia and Confindustria Est Europa, we hope to highlight opportunities and challenges that companies and governments will face in the following period.

EDUCATION

Confindustria Serbia and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia will continue to cooperate this year to introduce an education system that would be adjusted to the needs of companies and thus create more business opportunities for young people in Serbia. At the invitation of the Ministry, Confindustria Serbia has become an active participant in the working group of the Ministry, which is working on the implementation of activities from the Master Plan for the implementation of the Law on Dual Education. The working group will focus on promoting the dual education system to meet the needs of employers. Our association started cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development during the first PMI Day organized by Confindustria Serbia in Sremska Mitrovi-

ca in 2016. The partnership will be further developed with more cooperation on the dual education system between universities and businesses.

BUSINESS MISSIONS

The pandemic has somehow stopped the practice of business missions. Even though technology permitted us to create bonds among companies via platforms and other means of communication, in 2022, we foresee several business missions starting in May 2022, guided by a few exciting and specific projects with Confindustria Bergamo. More business missions will be organized in collaboration with Confindustria Udine and Confindustria Veneto Centro. A dynamic 2022 is also foreseen through the joint coordination of more than thirteen member associations outside Italy, which are brought together by Confindustria Est Europa.

PMI DAY

Strengthening SMEs through cooperation with the education system

In order to promote the development and growth of SMEs, Confindustria in Italy has organized the National Day of Small and

Medium Enterprises - SME DAY (PMI Day) every year since 2010. This is an "open day" for Confindustria SMEs, focused on students, teachers and the local community. Its goal is to tell the new generations about the business world, its values, and its opportunities through guided tours inside the companies. During this day, young people can visit a company, learn directly from the entrepreneurs about its history and objectives, and see closely how the business is carried out. Confindustria Serbia joined this initiative in 2016 when the member companies from Sremska Mitrovica opened the doors of their production facilities to students, teachers, and the local community to share their insight into the world with young people of production, relations with employees. After that, the Open Day was organized in collaboration with Italian companies from Zrenjanin, Velika Plana, Jagodina, Sabac and Vrsac. Given the needs registered among Confindustria Serbia member companies, the office will also be focused on strengthening the relationship between universities and companies, exploiting at the maximum the introduction of a dual education system with universities.

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WE PLAN A LOT OF ACTIVITIES

After four years as director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Warsaw, I arrived in Belgrade in January of this year. I immediately found myself very well, feeling, as I expected, familiarity and proximity to Italy in many aspects of Belgrade’s daily life INTERVIEW

ROBERTO CINCOTTA Director of the Italian Cultural institute in Belgrade

COOPERATION

ince the early days spent in this city, I have been trying to walk every street of Belgrade to find the hidden spots and properly catch glimpses of a history full of artistic reminiscences. For me, it is crucial to have constant contact with the city to get closer to it and feel part of its existence. It really wasn’t difficult for me to integrate into the office of the Institute here in Belgrade. The staff – recently reinforced with the arrival of my colleague Francesca Calamaro - is very competent and sharing my enthusiasm for our linguistic and cultural promotion.

I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE IN BELGRADE, AND I WILL GIVE MY BEST TO INTERACT AND COOPERATE WITH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS Because of the current situation, many events and activities took place online, such as our Italian language courses, meetings with writers and intellectuals, seminars, special events such as the Day of Remembrance, the Day of Italian Design, some concerts, and the publication of videos on our Youtube channel. We have been able to intercept users who are not resi-

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dents in Belgrade and are equally passionate about Italy, eager to follow our cultural offer. I am thinking, for example, of the Serbian version of the audiobook dedicated to the Divine Comedy, created in 33 different languages around the world. I have met the managers of numerous Serbian cultural institutions, and established cordial and friendly relationships, distinguished by a collaborative spirit and a great willingness to organize high-level cultural events together. Puccini Festival Foundation will set "Madam Butterfly" at the National Theater, and Italy will participate in numerous festivals and cultural events such as the Belgrade Jazz Festival, Belgrade Dance Festival, Budi Festival, Jazz Festival, Vizualizator Festival of photography, etc. We have conceived and are carrying out editorial and academic projects with the departments of Italian language from the universities of Belgrade, Novi Sad and Kragujevac, with the Faculty of Architecture and that of Applied Art. We have collaborated in classical music festivals throughout Serbia, such as the Art Link Festival, and collaborating with institutions of the level of the Kolarac Foundation, while we have hosted personal and collective exhibitions of painters and photographers in the Institute as part of two exceptional centenaries: the seven hundred years since the birth of Dante Alighieri and the hundred years since the birth of Leonardo Sciascia. We also supported theatrical performances dedicated to fashion, cooking, design, literature, in close synergy with the Italian

Embassy, first of all, and then with the Italian Trade Agency, with the Italo-Serbian Chamber of commerce and of course with Confindustria Serbia, with whom we plan to organize numerous cultural events. Next year will open in January with an important festival of contemporary Italian cinema: CinemaItaliaOggi Balcani, created in collaboration with Cinecittà Istituto Luce and Jugoslovenska Kinoteka, during which nine very recent Italian films will be shown and screened not only in the capital city but also in Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Niš. We are also working on editorial projects such as the Serbian edition of Carla Fracci's autobiography, in collaboration with the Belgrade Dance Festival, or the participation of the Institute at the Belgrade Book Fair. We will also dedicate several literary, photographic and cinematographic events to Pier Paolo Pasolini as part of the centenary of his birth. We will intensify Italian participation in the most significant possible number of periodic cultural events in Serbia. Without neglecting the collaboration and support for teachers and students of Italian at all learning levels. We are planning important cultural events in Novi Sad with the city institutions, an important art exhibition at the Civic Museum with very prestigious loans from the famous Galleria Borghese in Rome. We will set up an opera and organize concerts and shows theatrical. Please consult our website constantly: we look forward to seeing you at our events.

CONCERT “MELODY OF A FRIENDSHIP” United by Arts: Celebrating SerbianItalian entrepreneurial and cultural relations

he concert “Melody of a Friendship”, held on November, 19th 2021, had the aim to unite two cultures, Italian and Serbian and two European cities, Belgrade and Rome, through melody, success and talent of two Serbian artists. Thanks to modern technology, the public in Belgrade and Rome had a unique opportunity to enjoy music simultaneously, even if physically distant. The concert was thus held in Rome in the prestigious auditorium Conservatorio Santa Cecilia. In Belgrade, the public was able to enjoy music in the City Hall via live video streaming. Ilija Marinković, violinist and Nataša Veljković, pianist, exhibited some of the rich 19th-century European classical music repertoire: Kreisler, Franck, Liszt, Saint Saëns, Chopin, Paganini. This period in music history was marked by strong emotional expressions and very subjective perception of life: escape to fantasy, spirituality, pain, exotic worlds, folklore and with a particular emphasis on the development of virtuosity in playing instruments and the creation of “musical genius”. The musical evening was also combined with the Italian baroque visual arts accessed via QR codes provided by Intesa Sanpaolo art collection: Caravaggio, Caroselli, Cavallino, Gentileschi, Giordano, Guarini, Solimena, di Maria. The evening was opened in Rome

by H. E. Goran Aleksić, ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in Italy and the director of the Conservatory Santa Cecilia, Roberto Giuliani and in Belgrade by H.E. Italian ambassador in Belgrade, Carlo Lo Cascio, Confindustria Serbia president, Patrizio Dei Tos and the assistant of the City of Belgrade mayor, Andreja Mladenović. As a representative office of the confederation of the Italian industry in Serbia, Confindustria Serbia aims to improve not only economic relations but also the cooperation between the two countries in all sectors. This project also proves that culture and economy can cooperate and are also the best allies in creating a better society for all. The concert has been organized

by the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Rome and Confindustria Serbia with the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Belgrade and the city of Belgrade with the support of Banca Intesa and many other partners: Light studio/Artemide, Agriser, Express SEE, Penta Ge.Co. Construction, 2B logistics, Sekulović CPA, Pusula Winery.

WHAT INSPIRES US

CONFINDUSTRIA SERBIA AIMS TO IMPROVE NOT ONLY ECONOMIC RELATIONS BUT ALSO THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IN ALL SECTORS

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is not always taken for granted and easy, since this is a very masculine world, but I am not alone, the pink share in this business is soaring and it has brought quality to the sector. I was born and raised among the vineyards that today I cultivate, this is where I wanted to return after my studies and the spirit that drives me in my business is to preserve what I have experienced in the years of my growing up. I felt the strong call of home, which I have never really abandoned with my heart, and I wanted to invest in a sector that my family has touched from afar and which has now become my daily life. What I learned at university helped me to create a less traditional way of doing business and really bring innovation. What I care about most of all, however, is to be able to leave my children a legacy made not only by the company, but by the place where they too are growing up. To make this a reality, it is inevitable to invest in the territory and lean towards sustainable choices for nature and man.

NEW APPROACH WITH AGRITOURISM At La Vigna di Sarah we deeply believe that only through direct experiences can we fully savor what our territory can offer. What I have tried to do is to give our visitors a new approach, one that remains impressed, to taste our products, but above all to enjoy the incredible beauty of what surrounds me CORPORATE

SARA DEI TOS Head of winery Le Vigne di Sarah

“I

feel privileged to have the opportunity to give voice to my ideas that are reflected in the nature and the territory that surrounds me, but above all to see them grow and evolve. Knowing that people can taste my products and

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experience on their tables, at least in some part, what happens here in the company every day is really exciting for me”, said Sara Dei Tos, Head of Le Vigne di Sarah winery.

A woman as head of a modern winery and an agritourism: how do you feel in this role? How did the idea come about? How much do you think the territory you come from influenced your choice? — Being a woman who runs a winery

Relaxation areas among the vineyards and a nocturnal harvest: you are obviously not lacking in creativity. Can you tell us more about these two opportunities that La Vigna di Sarah offers? Do you have something else planned for the next period? — At La Vigna di Sarah we deeply believe that only through direct experiences can we fully savor what our territory can offer. What I have tried to do is to give our visitors a new approach, one that remains impressed, to savor our products, but above all to enjoy the incredible beauty of what surrounds me. Sleeping in a wine barrel, which we call lunotta, is something unique, which leaves its mark. We are able to design a tailor made stay at our agritourism according to the specific needs of our guests. Sport, nature, culture, food and wine. Our territory lacks nothing and I am very happy to be able to offer it to those who come to visit us. This is also found in the festival that characterizes the practice of the nocturnal harvest, a unique event in the wine scene of the area. It is a moment in which local people merge through their work with the

INNOVATION

people who consume the products offered. It is nice to see harvesters and guests mix in carrying out the same gestures that will bring the fruit of their work into the glass: unity given by wine. And the priceless quality of this practice always stands out. During the year we also try to give not only to guests, but also to the people who live in the area, moments to experience the places of everyday

WHAT I LEARNED AT UNIVERSITY HELPED ME TO CREATE A LESS TRADITIONAL WAY OF DOING BUSINESS AND REALLY BRING INNOVATION life differently. At La Vigna di Sarah we have also organized markets, picnics, concerts, yoga sessions and hikes. We want to bring the territory to life and we are committed to this. By following our social networks, you will always be informed of the latest news about what is on the plate next.

Have you ever hosted people from Serbia? What is your experience in this regard? — I hosted several people who came from Serbia and it was very pleasant. The attention and curiosity they have reserved for the company, the food, but above all the wine and the territory have been very lively. Tours organized with tastings were definitely the part that most involved them. Personally, I hope that most of our customers can enjoy the experiences as thoroughly as our dear Serbian guests and that they show their same interest in Prosecco Superiore and its territory. Being able to receive people of this magnitude is essential not only for my company, but also for all related activities. I like being able to count on a network of companies that love to collaborate and cooperate to give their customers the best possible service. We have done this with these guests, making their experience even more unique. Have you ever been to Serbia? What

impression did he make on you? — I have been to Serbia many times, mainly for work, but it has always turned into a pleasanat trip. I feel your country is in constant movement, it is difficult to keep up with your desire to do and grow. The dedication in what you do, enthusiasm and how you transmit it to those you host, is admirable. It is something that I would like to import also in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore area! You live in a country full of contradictions, with a past that has left a mark, but thanks to this you have a great desire to redeem yourself and I tell you, you are succeeding in it! Serbia is emerging at breakneck speed and one that we should all be looking at. When will we have the pleasure of seeing your wines on the shelves of Serbian wine bars? — Starting from december you’ll find the wines of La Vigna di Sarah on the shelves of some wine shops in your country. Specifically at: Wine & Pleasure!

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BUSINESS CLIMATE AND EXPECTATIONS IN 2022 We asked members of Confindustria how do they rate this year from the point of view of their business, and the second one, what are their expectations for the next year.

EXPECTATIONS ARE POSITIVE

ANNINO DE VENEZIA General Manager AUNDE SRB d.o.o

he year closes with a clear desire for normality which, however, is undermined by two opposing factors: The lack of understanding of the seriousness of the Covid infection for which many citizens do not get vaccinated; and the second one is coming from the continuing turbulence of the markets that have a new enemy to face: the disproportionate increase in raw materials. AUNDE SRB is a solid reality in Serbia, not only in Pomoravlje. Despite the competition from North African countries that work with wages half of that of Serbia, expectations are positive. As General Manager and aligned with our Shareholders, my strong motivation is to continue investing in Serbia, despite the objective difficulties we face daily. The government has supported companies that needed help during the pandemic spikes, and this is a fact that must never be forgotten. Competition is fierce, and costs are rising. Therefore, solutions must be found that allows you to continue investing. This is what we are trying to do to give continuity to our beautiful Serbian company.

ADAPTING TO THE NEW NORMAL DRAGAN PEJČIĆ BDO Business Advisory doo, Director/Strategic & Other Advisory

rom our business advisory standpoint, we have experienced the economy adapting to the ’New Normal’ across industry sectors. Except those segments that have been hard hit by pandemic-related restrictions, such as city hotels, tour operators, and entertainment & hospitality businesses, most other indutries seem to have restored their pre-crisis operations returning to an upward financial trend. This is particularly reflected in the volume of our operations in major service lines including M&A advisory and equity & assets valuations. The M&A market has bounced back in 2021 combined with an enhaced interest of businesses in the range of valuation services. In the M&A business line, there has been a steady flow of prospective IT deals coming from both strategic investors and PE & VC funds with an eye of the booming local SW development/outsourcing sector. On a smaller-scale, the start-

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up ecosystem—where we have positioned ourselves as one of the pioneers of financial advisory—has grown in its appeal to tech and other investors be they VC funds, CrowdInvesting, or individuals acting as ’business angels’. Internationally, an inflow of FDI into the country has apparently suffered from global economic shocks. There are multiple mid- to

large-scale investment projects put on hold due to the e.g. semi-conductor crisis in the automotive industry and supply chains restructuring going on globally. While adversely affecting foreign investment in the short-term, these could pose the opportunity for the country to bring in more FDI seeking to re-locate to geographical regions in the proximity to their European customers. Unlike past economic crises, the global pandemic-driven slowdown has been largely trigerred by health issues. That said, expectations for the year 2022 are shaped by the global COVID-19 exit

WE EXPECT A GRADUAL RECOVERY

policies. In a realistic scenario—providing for travel & business restriction lifts across the board—it is likely to see businesses returning to their pre-pandemic operation volumes. Notwithstanding the economic recovery. The aftermath of the crisis is yet to be addressed over the years ahead. In specific, we except massive M&A activity in the tourism sector followed by deals in the ’green economy’, including renewables and waste management, that has been placed on top of the policymakers’ agenda.

RADE BERBAKOV Managing Director Serbia, GLM GROUP / GLM-RS doo

he year 2021 was complex, and I can say interesting from various points of view. The first part, in the automotive sector, was promising. I believe that the state institutions have done their part successfully and that, in addition to subsidies, they have guaranteed stability and predictability. In addition, our company has made significant investments, and as a result, we have also increased the number of employees. Instead, in the second half of the year, we faced various challenges related to the complex situation of the sector as a whole. In recent months, prices have risen in almost all sectors, but what worries us are the increases in the costs of energy, transport, and raw materials. For the first half of the year, we plan and expect to maintain an activity level equal to the last three months of the current year, after which we expect a gradual recovery which should strengthen in the last quarter of the year. We believe that our company has a reasonable prospect of growth in Serbia, and this is based on the concrete conditions we already benefit from. With this in mind, we are focused on further improving internal processes, hoping that energy prices will return as far as possible to the levels of the first six months of 2020, or at least approach a more acceptable and affordable level for businesses.

GLOBAL COMPANIES ARE STILL MORE DESIRABLE EMPLOYERS ALEKSANDAR HANGIMANA Managing Shareholder, ManpowerGroup SEE

ccording to the NBS, in the first half of 2021, there was a net inflow of foreign direct investment amount to 1.6 billion euros, which indicates that foreign investment growth trend continues. This is important because, from a candidate perspective, global companies are still more desirable employers than domestic ones. Having in mind previously mentioned, as well as the human capital market, which is increasingly candidate driven, the good news is that domestic companies more and more recognize the importance of investing in people development. In this way, qualitative market growth is expected, which should bring Serbia closer to the most competitive European countries and make Serbia popular work destination for highly qualified workforce.

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AMS OSIGURANJE: TRAVEL SAFELY TO YOUR SKI VACATION EVEN DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC You have planned a ski vacation abroad, but you are afraid to travel because of the coronavirus pandemic, which is ongoing in most countries? Don't worry, you can purchase AMS Osiguranje's Travel Health Insurance policy, which, in addition to covering the medical costs of skiing injuries, also covers the medical treatment of diseases caused by the COVID-19 virus

hile listening intently to the needs of its clients, AMS Osiguranje has expanded the range of its services and now provides additional coverage in case of the COVID-19-related diseases, by covering the expensive costs of treatment abroad, caused by this virus. Don't leave things to chance – purchase our Travel Health Insurance policy and rest assured that we will

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cover the extremely high costs of medical treatment abroad instead of you. Whether you need an urgent medical intervention, medication or medical aids, as well as many other health services covered by your insurance policy terms and conditions, all you need to do is to report the insured event by calling the phone number that is cited on the policy. In addition to the agreed coverage

of the costs of medical treatment of injuries you sustained while skiing abroad, our policy will, if stipulated in the policy, also cover the medical costs related to the COVID-19-related illnesses, which includes required medical examinations by authorized doctors, testing in case of infection for the purpose of emergency medical assistance, diagnosis of a COVID-19 infection, outpatient treatment, hospital treatment or emergency medical evacuation to the country of residence, in accordance with the insurance conditions. AMS Osiguranje is the right choice for you because you can now safely and easily buy our travel health insurance policy with additional COVID-19 coverage on our website quickly, at a 30 percent lower price. Thus, the insurance premium for an individual policy, with the COVID-19 coverage, for a seven-day skiing trip in Europe, will cost you only 2,757 dinars. The savings are great, especially if you go on a family trip because, in that case, the premium is only 6,064 dinars for the same period. All you need to do is set aside a few minutes and from the comfort of your home, in only a few simple steps, purchase our travel health insurance and go on vacation worry-free. You can find detailed instructions for the online purchase of our travel health insurance policy on our website webshop.ams.co.rs . For more information, call 0800-009-009, or you can come to our offices at 16, Ruzveltova Street in Belgrade or to any of our 250 branches across Serbia. AMS Osiguranje wishes you a bon voyage and carefree vacation!