France 2021

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France has more Nobel Prize winners in Literature than any other country, with 15 French individuals winning the prestigious award since 1901.

France produced the most expensive bottle of wine in the world, a 73-year-old bottle of French Burgundy, sold at an auction for$ 558,000.

NO KISSING ON THE PLATFORM CHEESE LOVER The French produce around 1.7 million tons of cheese per year in over 1,600 different varieties.

It is actually illegal to kiss while a train is on the platform. The law was introduced in 1910 to prevent the French from delaying the train departures.

TOUR DE FRANCE The world’s greatest cycle race, with around 198 cyclists racing some 3,200kms for 23 days was first held in 1903 in Paris.

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In 2020, the Corona-crisis Didn’t Stop French-Serbian Relationship From Growing

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A WO R D F R O M

It is a pleasure to introduce this “In Focus” special edition on France. The eve of 2021 is the perfect moment to take a look at what 2020 brought to our French-Serbian bilateral relations irst of all, it seems impossible to speak about 2020 without mentioning the Covid-19 crisis, which was an unexpected blow for us all. If one lesson has to be learnt, it remains the value of multilateralism and international cooperation that France has been advocating for years: to keep people and goods flowing; to compensate,

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among EU countries, for the economic impact of the virus in a spirit of solidarity; to find scientific solutions, vaccines, against the epidemic; to make treatments available to all, in particular the poorest...

After a moment of shock when Europe was hit in March, a reflex of solidarity dominated in the EU and from the EU. The EU as well as individual

H.E. JEAN-LOUIS FALCONI Ambassador of France to Serbia

member-states sent medical help as soon as it was technically feasible. The EU alone granted 93M€ in 2020 to Serbia in order to face the short and medium-term consequences of the Covid-19 epidemic. This was a crises response which came in addition to the regular funds that are granted through the Instrument for pre-adhesion assistance, i.e. 200 to 300M€ per year in average.

Solidarity will also remain a key word in 2021: the European Union will continue to remain alongside Serbia to eradicate the SARS-COV-2 virus. Currently, Brussels and the EU-memberstates are working on a solution to ensure that Covid-19 vaccines that arrive

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Photo: Predsedništvo Srbije / Dimitrije Goll

on our territory can also be available to the Western Balkans, in addition to the COVAX mechanism at a global level.

French-Serbian political relations remained very active during 2020, despite the lockdown. As an illustration of this goodwill at the political level, even in the midst of the sanitary crisis when borders were closed and flights suspended, let me remind that Serbian authorities and Air Serbia helped us organize several humanitarian flights from Belgrade to Paris. These gestures were unforgettable for those who safely reached their homes in these dire circumstances.

French-Serbian political relations remained at their highest level during all of this year, while both of our head of states were engaged in a fluid dialogue. President Aleksandar Vučić flew to Paris on 10-11 July 2020 in order to hold bilateral consultations with President Emmanuel Macron, ahead of the first high level meeting on Kosovo in 18 months, in presence of all of the relevant stakeholders. Both heads of states also spoke several times on the phone since, in sign of solidarity and to comment on current developments on the world stage.

This privileged relationship contributes to a positive bilateral atmosphere.

Despite the worrying epidemiological situation in France and in Serbia, Franck Riester, Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness visited Belgrade on November 26 to sign an intergovernmental agreement on the development of strategic economic projects between our two countries. This document confirmed France’s commitment to financing projects in Serbia in the area of transports and energy in particular and endorsed Serbia’s choice of using French companies to carry out the first phase of the Belgrade metro project, as well as the automatic running of Serbia’s electricity distribution network.

This brings me to our cooperation in the field of economy. Beyond the important milestone which I just mentioned in the area of transports and energy, I am pleased to see that French companies remained committed to

their projects in Serbia in all circumstances. It is for example the case of Suez-Itochu, which is carrying out the Vinča waste management project, as well as Vinci, which is actively working on the modernization of the Nikola Tesla International Airport of Belgrade.

Broadly speaking, French companies are active or interested in developing their activities in Serbia. At this point in time, about 100 French companies are based here, employing about 12 000 workers. This being said, we are not sure yet how deeply the lockdown of the 1st semester impacted our bilateral trade. It was following, in 2019, a very positive trend, with over €1 billion-worth of trade. In the long run, I’m quite sure that the sanitary crisis will not impact this favorable tendency.

As a matter of fact, France should be more visible in Serbia, in the coming years, in the field of economy and sustainable development, thanks to new financing facilities brought upon, inter alia, by the French Agency of Development (AFD) which is based in Belgrade since September 2019 and active in the Western Balkans. AFD is particularly engaged in Serbia on environmental friendly projects, in the field of transport, energy efficiency and renewable. These projects, which we will most certainly promote next year, will pave the way for further EU-integration and compliance with its green agenda.

In the field of culture and cooperation, the pandemics forced us to switch

In 2021, we hope to remain as close as possible to all our friends and partners in Serbia who appreciate French culture, as well as the 100 000 children and adults who learn French

on line and to adapt to the difficult circumstances. Luckily, there was a short window of opportunity in September and October, where various French artistic companies took part in high profile cultural events in Serbia, such as the Belgrade Dance Festival or the Belgrade International Theatre Festival. The French Institute of Serbia is also supporting debates and discussions on topics which are dear to us, such as EU-integration, environment, gender policy, etc. In 2021, we hope to remain as close as possible to all our friends and partners in Serbia who appreciate French culture, as well as the 100 000 children and adults who learn French. Among many other things: in March, stay tuned for the “Month of Francophonie”; we will also support and accompany Novi Sad a European capital of Culture 2021. French films will be casted all year long in cultural centres across the country and we will continue to ensure a French artistic presence in most major festivals of Serbia, provided this is compatible with the sanitary measures in place.

I’ll finish by reminding that France cannot be separated from the European Union and, in this regard, my country highly supports the EU-integration of Serbia, including through project-financing, short and long term expertise. Many observers noted that the EU-integration of the country was currently not speedy enough. I would like, for my part, to insist on the fact that this is not a fatality – when there is a will, on both sides, there is a way. A new government is in office since the end of October and has expressed the will to speed up the reforms that were agreed upon, including in the sphere of rule of law, which is crucial for further integration. I have a personal experience of EU enlargement policies, saw its ups and downs. I firmly believe that 2021, with the implementation of the new methodology of the accession process and the commitment on both sides at the highest level, will bring further progress in the integration process of Serbia to the European Union, in line with European standards and values.

A fluid dialogue between France and Serbia French-Serbian political relations remained at their highest level during all of this year, while both of our head of states were engaged in a fluid dialogue.

President Aleksandar Vučić flew to Paris on 10-11 July 2020 in order to hold

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bilateral consultations with President Emmanuel Macron, ahead of the first high level meeting on Kosovo in 18 months, in presence of all of the relevant stakeholders.

How an Ordinary Farmer’s Son Became Louis Vuitton

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Three secrets of success you can still apply today from the world's most valuable luxury brand COM M E N T

TONY LUX CEO of Tony Lux, Marketing Luxury Goods the French Way

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ouis Vuitton. It’s the brand with the Midas touch. $15 billion of revenue generated just last year. 30% of profits margin. And ranked 9th according to Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Most Valuable Brands - still winning during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Maybe this true story can teach us a few things about marketing success?

It may indeed contain proven knowledge that business men have been searching for since time began. And it all started in 1821. That year, in France, the young Louis was born an ordinary man. He grew up in a small village in eastern France. His dad was a farmer. Nothing yet would lead us to think that he would become so successful…

At the age of 13, shortly after his mother died, he made a decision which would change his life. He decided to move to Paris... by feet! He wanted like most people to be respected, successful, admired. But the young Louis was penniless. It took him two years and

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countless temporary jobs to reach Paris. A few decades later on, the rest became history.

In my opinion, here are 3 factors which massively contributed to his success story: Turn your product into a symbol of status for the consumer. The French philosopher Pascal used to call this the libido dominandi. Wearing a Louis Vuitton purse is a way to dominate others. The more expensive it is, the harder it is to get, the higher the perceived domination will be. This was reinforced by their lifetime guarantee: You will never need another purse once you own a Louis Vuitton.

Why it still works today: This prestige effect is universal. It’s the same reason why some consumers choose to buy premium brands rather than colourless, flat, ordinary products. Starbucks is a good example of how even a mass market product can be branded using this technique. “My friends and I are always sitting in strategic plac-

A key moment of Louis' career was when he was asked to make a special order for a celebrity. This special buyer was Napoleon III’s wife

es, where we could be seen by others wearing our Starbucks cup” was quoted in a recent study done on millennials.

Price is a valuable position, so do not cheapen it. In others words, do not worry about the price, worry about the value of your brand instead. You can not really compete on price anyway because another competitor will always be able to charge less. Louis Vuitton handbags are waterproof and fireproof. This is part of why they are so expensive.

Why it still works today: Affluent buyers are willing to spend more if it means getting a proven, higher quality product. Today Rolls Royce deliver less cars but achieve more. Why? Because they offer tailor-made orders.

Turn ambassadors into promoters of your brand, for free. A key moment of Louis' career was when he was asked to make a special order for a celebrity. This special buyer was Napoleon III’s wife. It enabled him to attract elite and royal clientele.

Why it still works today: Oprah has been endorsing books in her latest club book. “East of Eden” is a novel from 1952 that used to sell 52 000 copies a year. After her recommendation, the book sold 1 million copies, just in the first week. From 50,000 to 1 million copies. That is the power of PR from a third, trusted party.

This article is written by the Parisian owner of the marketing agency Tony Lux, original inventor of Marketing Luxury Goods the French Way. Tony is teaching marketing secrets from brands like Dior, Chanel or Louis Vuitton… And how to make them work for your specific business, even if you are not in the fashion, food or luxury industry… For more information visit: www.tonylux.com

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It is Important to Save Both People and Businesses This crisis will pass. It is important to show that we are human, to take care of each other, to save businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises, and to keep everyone calm and level-headed READ THIS ON WEB

I N T E RV I E W

n his interview for the January issue of 'France in Focus', Dragoljub Damljanovic, President of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (CCIFS), points out that in the second half of the year, there was a noticeable growth of business activities in most sectors, and the economy began to gradually recover. In terms of next year, he says that the recovery of the Serbian economy will depend on the recovery of the economy in the European Union and foreign demand, which cannot be influenced by own economic policy instruments.

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What results have your members achieved in the business year 2020? — Our members have faced a very difficult situation. As in many sectors, business activity was reduced to a minimum and it was difficult to maintain the business at all and not lay off employees. Fortunately, in the second half of the year, there was a noticeable growth of business activities in most sectors, and the economy began to gradually recover. On the other hand, some companies will need

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more time to make up for a lost time, because they could not start activities in the second half of this year, and it is questionable whether they will be able to do so before summer 2021, especially in the sectors of like culture, industry, catering, hotel, etc.

So far, the situation was such that companies with localized production have had a better chance than those with a globalized supply chain, but the vast majority of businesses have recorded significant changes in demand and business models themselves will continue to change more or less, with very few companies being in the nochange zone. However, and this something that we, in the Chamber, are constantly highlighting, the most important thing is that the business community makes an effort to help small and medium-sized enterprises, that large systems meet their payment deadlines, and banks offer more flexible terms and help with cash flow.

This crisis will pass. It is important to show that we are human, to take care of each other, to save businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises, and to keep everyone calm and level-headed.

DRAGOLJUB DAMLJANOVIĆ President of the FrenchSerbian Chamber of Commerce

The bright spot of the year 2020 is that the current largescale projects have been barely affected by the crisis

How would you assess the current measures devised by the Serbian government to help the economy? What is their general reach, and how have they affected your members? — I think that the measures to support the economy are satisfactory, but that their technical implementation and documents on how they should be applied were lacking. What is also lacking is greater flexibility in the Labour Law which should allow employees to work part-time or to be temporarily unemployed for a longer period without fear of being fired, thus increasing the percentage of job retention. Serbia faces both economic challenges and unresolved health problems, and it will take time for all of them to be regulated. However, we must take into account that the recovery of the Serbian economy will depend on the recovery of the economy in the European Union and foreign demand, which cannot be influenced by own economic policy instruments.

How did COVID affect the current and planned large-scale French investments in Serbia?

— The bright spot of the year 2020 is that the current large-scale projects have been barely affected by the crisis. The project to rehabilitate the landfill in Vinča and the construction of a new storage centre and incineration unit that will generate power and heat, which the Suez-Itochu consortium is working on as part of a public-private partnership, are running smoothly, while Belgrade Airport has started investing and infrastructure works. The decline in air traffic is drastic and will certainly affect the business of Vinci Airports, which is difficult to quantify for now. Financing of the smart grid project with EPS, which will enable significant savings in the power grid in Serbia, has been secured and it is expected to be launched. There is also the launch of the Belgrade subway project. France might finance the system part of the project, because the agreement between the two governments that stipulates funding from French sources for both projects was signed on November 26th this year.

What are the next important steps that the government could take? As a chamber of commerce, are you involved in consultations on these new measures?

— With the help of the above-mentioned particularly vulnerable sectors, we believe that the Government should also consider special incentives for export-oriented domestic producers, especially small and medium-sized domestic companies that have export potential and still do not export. They need assistance in finding clients, first in the region and then beyond, through subsidies for market research or employment of persons who would carry out that in companies that do not have an export sector yet. Now is the time to help small and medium-sized enterprises.

Also, the EU has prepared a serious programme of incentives to support economic growth, mostly focused on the environment, green economy and digitalization. The Serbian government should devise a plan on how to attract as much of that money as possible to jump-start these parts of the economy.

Bilateral chambers were not included in the consultations and we are sorry about that. At the very beginning of the pandemic, following the initiative of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, twelve bilateral chambers sent a letter to Minis-

ter Mali with proposals for aid measures for small and medium-sized enterprises. We are glad to see that most of those measures were implemented. We believe that bilateral chambers, along with a vision from their home countries, have unique expertise that could be of great use for establishing a dialogue with all economic actors and applying best practices.

It is believed that COVID-19, in addition to causing a big shock in the economy, will bring about a big jump in innovation. How ready is the Serbian economy for the post-COVID period?

— This situation certainly opens the way for various research and development programmes primarily in the field of digitalization, but also in other sectors. Serbia has all the necessary conditions, experts, good universities and places for research. I believe that the number of such places will only increase. This is evidenced by the opening of science and technology parks and implementing digital education. All this leads to Serbia becoming a country recognized for creating new technologies. Some of the government's measures that are applicable to the said sectors include reducing the rate of profit tax generated from the income coming from intellectual property that is developed or mostly developed in Serbia from 15 to 3 per cent. This measure is certainly one of the reasons why development companies are moving their development centres to Serbia.

Is it fair to say that the interest of

French investors in Serbia has been renewed and to what extent?

— The interest has grown in the last two years, but 2020 saw a pause in that sense too. We started receiving inquiries again only late this year, primarily owing to the incentive measures of the French government for export companies whose market research is co-financed by the French state. Also, inquiries regarding production in Serbia have been arriving gradually. Some of these inquiries give us the necessary dose of optimism with which we will start in 2021 because there is a possibility that we will welcome new, largescale French investments.

The year 2021 will start with a series of online events which we will try to make as interesting as possible because we are aware of how everyone is sick and tired of staring at screens

What will be the Chamber's key activities in 2021?

— The year 2021 will start with a series of online events which we will try to make as interesting as possible because we are aware of how everyone is sick and tired of staring at screens.

It is still difficult to plan some of our "standard" activities, but we are optimistic and believe that in 2021, we will manage to organize our 10 gala evenings, the French Week and Beaujolais Nouveau, our Event Booster fairs, Bonjour France, etc.

A regional conference on public-private partnerships, a visit to the MEDEF (the Movement of the Enterprises of France), as well as, for the first time, a large food event, which will surely be the talk of the town next year, have already been included in our programme. Also, we are ready to answer to all inquiries of new French companies, which, we hope, will grow.

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We are Entering 2021 With a Lot of Optimism I am proud of the countless CSR initiatives of our members who selflessly helped health care institutions and all vulnerable categories in Serbia, their care for others, solidarity and resilience

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nder the slogan "How can we help you?", during the pandemic, we have invested effort into organizing as many useful online conferences, webinars and club meetings as possible in order to overcome the new situation as easily as possible through joint campaigns, initiatives and solutions.

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What does 2020 look like from your perspective and what expectations do you have for 2021?

— The year 2020 was particularly difficult in many respects - for our member companies, that have been facing unexpected and difficult challenges, and for the Chamber that lived through their challenges and tried to provide them with maximum support. We also had our own challenges that, in addition to the impossibility one part of our core business that is event organization functioning properly, were additionally complicated by the human resources challenges in the Chamber.

As of this year, and that is good news, we are coming out stronger with two more babies in the Chamber, and with

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SANJA IVANIĆ Director General of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce

We had quite operational dialogues between members, the Customs Administration and the Tax Administration

the awareness that we are a fantastic team in crisis.

What are the Chamber’s most important successes in terms of supporting its members?

— I am especially satisfied with the speed of our reactions in a crisis. On the very first day of the state of emergency, after consulting our members from the ranks of small and medium-sized enterprises, we wrote to Minister Mali with a request for assistance measures for SMEs. Twelve other bilateral associations in Serbia joined our campaign of sending a request to the Minister of Finance in a short period, because they recognized the importance of that initiative.

Thanks to the fact that our chamber is a part of the large network of French chambers of commerce abroad, we have managed to organize regional webinars on the topic of agriculture, transport and logistics and energy, with French chambers of commerce in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Owing to these webinars, the chamber members could see how companies in the region were

dealing with the pandemic, compare experiences and hear the opinions of experts and representatives of institutions. Members must know that we are always there for them.

To what extent have the measures implemented so far benefited small and medium-sized enterprises, i.e. your members?

— Even before the implementation of the state of emergency in Serbia, we realized that the global health crisis will affect the business of our members and partners in Serbia. Therefore, we reacted very quickly and took certain actions like send requests to the Government and ministries to take into account the difficulties faced by companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. SMEs make up a large percentage of our members, they are the backbone of the Serbian economy and we need to fight for the support for these companies and help them overcome this difficult period.

I think that the measures to support businesses are satisfactory, but that, especially early on, their technical implementation was not clear enough.

We also need greater flexibility in the Labour Law, i.e. the possibility for employees to work part-time or to be temporarily unemployed for a longer period, without being fired, because that would increase the percentage of job preservation. Generally speaking, except for companies operating in particularly vulnerable sectors, such as our members from the hotel industry or event management, the Chamber members are still holding up well. We hope it stays that way.

How much did the know-up and exchange of experiences with your colleagues in other chambers help you with offering your members quality content in digital format?

— For several years now, digitalization has been a priority for French chambers of commerce abroad. The global platform that connects members was launched 2 years ago and an increasing number of members use it for contacts with companies worldwide. I am especially proud of the cooperation we have with colleagues from 6 other Central and Eastern European countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Croatia), with whom we set up a sort of crisis headquarters back in March, which meets every two weeks to exchange experiences and information. This initiative helps us to overcome this crisis year more easily, but also to lay the foundation for future business, because together we organized a large number of sectoral webinars for French companies to motivate them for nearshoring and choosing Eastern Europe as the best destination.

On the other hand, with colleagues from the German and Italian chambers, we continued the traditional organization of joint events, but we just broadcast them online. We had quite operational dialogues between members, the Customs Administration and the Tax Administration. These are institutions that hesitated a bit when we proposed this new way of functioning, but the results were such that we will continue to organize such events in this format. In 2021, we have more ideas for joint initiatives as our trio works great because our members share similar interests.

What questions do your members most often ask you today? What has changed since the start of the pandemic?

Except for companies operating in particularly vulnerable sectors, such as our members from the hotel industry or event management, the Chamber members are still holding up well

— During the strongest wave of the Covid-19 virus, at the end of March and during April, our members contacted us with various inquiries, most of which were related to imports and exports, border blockades, difficult customs procedures at the EU entrance and obtaining permits for their workers during the curfew. Fortunately, these difficulties are no more, so the inquiries are mainly related to the resumption

We plan to continue with hold webinars in the early 2021, considering that people are bit jaded when it comes to online events, hence we are going to try to make these events as attractive and useful as possible. And as soon as sanitary inspectors allow it, we are starting with our live events because we are craving socializing. We are going to start preparing for our Gala evening, the arrival of Beaujolais Nou-

of activities, opportunities to export to France and the EU, providing information regarding legislation regarding remote work, networking, as well as our plans for 2021. Business meetings and networking are also an important part of our activities and members contact us with initiatives for joint organization of webinars and workshops in the areas in which they specialize. I would say that all of us, both our members and we, in the Chamber, are in a combat regime and that we are actively working on the recovery of companies and the economy.

veau, our Event Booster fairs, Bonjour France, and certain novelties like a big food event.

On the other hand, one of our priorities is presenting Serbia and its economic potentials to French companies, which we have been successfully implementing through conferences and B2B meetings. We are planning to hold several conferences next year, including a regional one in Belgrade, on public-private partnerships. We hope that next year we will be able to continue our activities in France, especially organizing B2B meetings with companies. In the meantime, online activities will continue, as early as January 26. We are participating in the e-Business Booster Forum Europe, where we are animating the workshop called “Serbia, a new industrial hub in the heart of Europe”, and participating in B2B meetings.

What are the Chamber’s plans for 2021?

— 2019 was a great year for us. I believe that 2020 was just a short break, and that in 2021, all started projects will continue, and many more will be launched too.

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Almost Two Decades at the Leadership Position The company stands as one of the largest French investments in Serbia

chneider Electric has more than 18 years of successful operation in the Serbian market. Together with its Development Center, which gathers energy and computer engineering experts developing the ADMS software, the most advanced solution for energy system management, leads the

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digital transformation of energy management and automation in homes, facilities, data centers, infrastructure and industrial sectors.

We talked with Ksenija Karić, Schneider Electric Serbia and Montenegro General Manager, about the company’s position in the local market, products and future plans.

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KSENIJA KARIĆ General Manager of Schneider Electric in Serbia and Montenegro

Industrial software undergoes transformation that will change rules of the game, and Schneider Electric is one of the pioneers of that transformation

Schneider Electric is one of the most successful French companies in the country, which, despite challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, has additionally strengthened its positions. What are the foundations of your strategy?

— The current circumstances have forced companies to reconsider their business operations, and the pandemic has shown that those with a business model based on new technologies and innovation quickly adapted to the new situation and remained competitive.

Schneider Electric develops sophisticated technologies and solutions for energy management and processes in a safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable manner, setting high quality standards, which we constantly upgrade. We work continuously on developing new solutions, because prompt reactions to market needs and projections of its needs are a key feature of the companies such as ours that have been operating for a long time and have many decades of tradition.

Industrial software undergoes transformation that will change rules of the game, and Schneider Electric is one of the pioneers of that transfor-

mation. Our solutions enable clients to operate better thanks to the predictive maintenance. It means that a client, based on an analysis of various parameters and data on business operations, receives information about the system status and thus projects potential delays. These solutions provide correct diagnostics, enabling preventive actions and also serving for business performance optimisation, brining huge cost-saving. In a word, Schneider Electric’s strategy is based on strengthening local competitiveness and industrial software solutions, helping clients to attain industry of the future.

City leaders around the globe have been seeking technology-enabled smart city solutions. For existing cities, going ‘smart’ can be difficult.

What is your response to that?

— Climate change cannot be solved without transforming cities and buildings, because they account for 70% of worldwide emissions. As defined by the Paris Agreement, all buildings must be net zero-carbon by 2050, and this process will be based on several critical patterns - buildings must become ultra-efficient, fully electric and systems will have to be ready to rely on renewable generation and work with flexible residential-owned energy sources, connected to modern and digitalized grids, to increase overall system resiliency.

Additionally, the combination of efficient, fully electric and digitalised distribution networks, distributed generation, energy storage and electric mo-

bility will help smooth and control energy demand, and full digitalisation of power grids will enhance cities’ overall resilience through automation and real-time information.

For example, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, utilizing Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure throughout the facility created total digital connectivity and continuous 24/7 control. In its first 12 months in operation, the facility saved 18% on their energy costs, representing the model in sustainability we should follow.

The ADMS software, developed and upgraded in the company’s Development Center in Serbia, is perceived as the most advanced solution for power grid management in the world. It largely affects Schneider Electric’s position in the local market.

— Schneider Electric Development Center is engaged in research, development and engineering of software in the area of power distribution system management. This center, unique in the world, gathers over 900 experts in power and computer engineering and has a long-term collaboration with universities, power utilities, manufacturers and IT integrators worldwide.

Its main product is ADMS (Advanced Distribution Management System) software, the most advanced solution in the world for managing power distribution systems, as confirmed by US consultancy GARTNER as well, which has rewarded it as the best global software product seven times in a row. The software performs diverse analytical functions for calculating and optimising opera-

tions of power distribution companies and provides tools for efficient monitoring, design and optimisation of distribution systems. It significantly reduces operation costs, while increasing safety and sustainability of power systems. It is in operation in over 80 companies and around 170 Dispatching Control Centers worldwide, supplying a total of 400 million customers.

Schneider Electric’s strategy is based on strengthening local competitiveness and industrial software solutions, helping clients to attain industry of the future

Does the recent relocation of the company confirm its ambitious plans?

— Absolutely. Both ambitious and longterm ones. Schneider Electric and the Belgrade office of the Development Center are now under the same roof, at one of the most sophisticated locations in the capital - GTC Green Heart.

We implemented our solutions in the area of power distribution and Building Management System in the building, connecting various systems such as power distribution racks, access control, heating, air-conditioning, lighting, etc., into a unique, automated real-time monitoring and management system, accessible via an app when we are out of office as well. Such automated system contributed to the improvement of operation and energy efficiency, with significant overall cost reduction.

We have created a modern concept of work – ‘Workplace of the future’, and provided our employees with a convenient working environment and the most optimal working conditions, upon the highest global standards. We will strive to keep the leadership position we have held for almost two decades, while setting standards and delivering highest-quality products and services.

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France has Invested 1.2 Billion Euro in Serbia

In 2020, the total trade between the two countries amounted to 902 million euro; Serbia mostly exported frozen raspberries to France, and imported medication for retail sale

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rading between Serbia and France has grown significantly in recent years. The total value of the trade in 2019 amounted to 1.2 billion euro, which is 11 per cent more than the year before. In 2019, Serbia exported 469.8 million euro worth of goods to France, and thus recorded an increase of 5 per cent compared to 2018, while the value of the goods imported from France amounted to 700.4 million euro. In 2019, according to the data collated by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia, 4,714 companies in Serbia did business with France.

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CONSEQUENCES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The coronavirus pandemic affected all segments of society, and thus

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France occupies the 5th place among the countries with the largest net investments of non-residents in Serbia

the trade between Serbia and France, which in the first ten months of 2020, was lower by 8% compared to the same period in 2019. In the mentioned period, the value of the total trade stood at 902 million euro. Out of that, the total export in goods amounted to 385.9 million euro, while Serbia imported 516.1 million euro worth of goods from France.

During 2020, Serbia exported mostly frozen raspberries to France, followed by pneumatic tires for automobiles and motorcycles; propylene; DC motors with a power of up to 750W, and those with a power of up to 37.5W; paper, cardboard bags and sacks; upholstered seats with wooden skeletons; medicines for retail and plastic pipes and hoses.

In terms of imports, Serbia imported mostly medicines for retail sale from France, including those containing insulin; parts of liquid pumps, skin & body care and makeup products, followed by cars like used diesel-powered cars of up to 2,500 cubic metres of engine power, as well as new petrol-powered cars (up to 1,500 cubic metres).

THERE ARE 310 COMPANIES WITH MAJORITY FRENCH CAPITAL IN SERBIA

France occupies the 5th place among the countries with the largest net investments of non-residents in Serbia.

According to the data collated by the National Bank of Serbia, France made 1.2 billion euro worth of investments

in Serbia in the last ten years. Also, 310 companies with majority French capital operate in Serbia.

The two most important projects implemented by Serbia and France together are the Nikola Tesla Airport-Vinci Airports, as well as the Public-Private Partnership Agreement stipulating the construction of a municipal waste processing plant and regulation of the VinÄ?a landfill. The contract relating to the first project was signed in 2018, and is valid for 25 years. During the concession period, the contract stipulates the payment of an annual concession fee in the amount of EUR 220 million over 25 years, and the concessionaires have committed to invest EUR 732 million in the airport. The contract relating to the second project was signed in 2017, is also valid for 25 years, and stipulates investments worth 300 million euro.

So far, France and Serbia have signed six agreements, which cover economic cooperation between the two countries.

The potential for an even better cooperation between France and Serbia lies in the food and textile industries (both through the export of finished products and in production cooperatives and finishing work), as well as in the IT industry and the new technologies sector. Many French companies have also expressed interest in projects related to thermal power plants, the construction of mini-hydropower plants, as well as in investing in solar power plants and other renewable energy sources.

by MINA VUČIĆ

The Calm Before the Storm Unemployment reaching sky-high figures, as Covid-19 has no mercy

rance was always one of the leading European economies in the 21st century.

The country has a greatest value is in its exports of goods and services, showing significant rises in the past decade in manufacturing operations, food & beverage, machinery and equipment as well as chemicals.

Unfortunately, the nation is facing a major challenge of recession due to the consequences of the Corona pandemic. The whole production capability of the country slowed down as a result of the decreased global demand.

Furthermore, the manufacturing, constructions, and other industries in the country have temporarily shut down their industrial operations.

After a first country-wide lockdown in the spring of last year, France entered yet another closure this autumn due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, such restrictions had ground the entire economy to halt and led GDP to decrease by 5.9%. France has closed bars, cancelled trade fairs and imposed more rules on restaurants. The hospitality industry – already bruised by the lockdown earlier this year – is now facing new hurdles as they once again have to close doors to the public, with warnings that up to 15 percent of businesses in the sector could disappear by the end of 2020.

President Emmanuel Macron stated, “There is no such thing as a prosperous economy in a poor health situation, with a virus actively circulating.

I am telling you very clearly, no health care system can hold up if there is no strong economy to fund it. The economy must neither stop nor collapse. I therefore invite you, to the extent of each person’s possibilities, to participate in this effort by working, by sup-

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porting companies which, near you, have innovated through remote orders, take out, or home delivery.”

Key companies operating in France whose business operations are significantly affected due to COVID-19 include AXA Group, Air France-KLM Group, Auchan Retail, Christian Dior SE, ENGIE Group, Total SA, Saint-Gobain S. A., Schneider Electric SE, Sanofi SA. The European Commission announced the approval of the France's plan to guarantee up to $350 billion in state aid to ease the economic burden due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, this investment for the support of the country's economy further provide the companies to overcome the economic effect of coronavirus. The nation’s challenge will be finding solutions that work not only for big firms but the more than 580,000 smaller businesses that have received loans.

Job losses are unfortunately accelerating. More than 35,000 lay-offs have been announced since the start of September, according to Trendeo, a Paris-based consultancy, while government figures show that average weekly lay-offs are some 80 per cent higher since September than from March to the end of August.

The crisis has thrown France into a serious period of unemployment.

Short-work and partial unemployment have allowed the country to stay afloat, but the numbers remain alarmingly high and new solutions need to be found. The government also expects unemployment to jump even further next year, as the jobless rate reached 9.7% this year, drifting away from French President Emmanuel Macron’s target of a 7% unemployment rate in 2022. It compares with an 8.1% unemployment rate in 2019.

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ECONOM Y

There is no such thing as a prosperous economy in a poor health situation, with a virus actively circulating

INSEE said that marked the single biggest quarterly increase on record going back to 1975, but it was largely because the rate had been skewed in the previous two quarters because people were not able to look for work due to a mid-March to mid-May coronavirus lockdown. The International Labor Organization doesn’t define being unemployed as “not working” but being available to work and actively seeking for a job - which was virtually impossible in many industries during lockdown.

There are certain measures France introduced to fight the growing unemployment. Long before the pandemic Macron undertook significant labor reforms which became known as the Macron Laws. The main advantage of these laws is the increase in flexibility and the quicker reaction time when it comes to tackling different kinds of challenges within companies and their employment. During the pandemic the laws increased, including giving their workers one week of annual leave during the crisis, encouraging labor lending as a way to avoid contract termination and strengthening social democracy.

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Activities of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce in 2020 With the aim of promoting the French-Serbian economic exchange and enable communication between member companies, CCIFS annually organizes close to forty different events

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AC T I V I T I E S

he leading French-Serbian business network, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, is an institution that brings together French companies in Serbia as well as Serbian and other international companies that have trade relations with France or with French companies. The Chamber is also a reliable partner to all companies from France that want to obtain information or start a business in Serbia.

their business with their experience, contacts and ideas. Also, the winner acquires the right to membership in the Chamber which will provide higher visibility for the company and more business contacts.

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„SKILLS OF THE FUTURE" PANEL DISCUSSION

STARTUP ACCELERATOR

For the third consecutive year, the Startup Accelerator competition was successfully realized. This is a programme that envisages free mentoring support for startups and companies founded no more than a year ago.

The winner was the startup company, White Lemur and its project SOMA, which deals with the production of biodegradable material from agricultural waste to replace polystyrene in industry. The winner will receive the support of the Chamber's Board of Directors, who will help this startup with

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The Chamber is a reliable partner to all companies from France that want to obtain information or start a business in Serbia

In cooperation with the Centre for Career Development of the University of Belgrade, a panel discussion for students titled "Skills of the Future" was held in the Ceremonial Hall of the University's Rectorate. Last year, CCIFS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Belgrade and accordingly initiated a panel discussion for students, where panellists discussed ongoing topics related to employment, skills and abilities that facilitate youth employment, as well as global connectivity and the impact of new technologies on jobs in the future.

Rector of the University of Belgrade, Ivanka Popović, gave a welcome address and officially opened the event.

MONTHLY ACTIVITIES

In early 2020, CCIFS organized a workshop on the French anti-corruption law, Sapin II, as well as a series of online training sessions under the auspices of the Training Centre. Faced with the new situation caused by the coronavirus, the event's format was changed and for the first time in 2020, CCIFS organized a series of webinars for its members. In cooperation with colleagues from 6 French chambers in the region, we held regional webinars too. Weekly newsletters were sent containing the most important general and economic information which a parallel between France and Serbia. Online meetings of CCIF's clubs (Transport and Logistics, Infrastructure and Construction, CFO, HR, Digital and CSR) continued unhindered, at which the Chamber's members exchanged experiences.

THE LAUNCH OF THE "HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?" CAMPAIGN

In the context of the ongoing crisis, CCIFS has launched the „How we can help you?“ campaign. During the

dividuals and companies become part of our business community and have access to a network of contacts, as well as numerous events that we organize.

state of emergency and after, the entire CCIFS team was available to the Chamber members at all times, intending to provide them with the best possible assistance and support during the crisis. CCIFS was the initiator a public request sent to the Minister of Economy, Siniša Mali, asking for the implementation of additional measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises. The initiative was supported by 12 bilateral foreign chambers of commerce and organizations in Serbia. At the same time, and in agreement with member companies from the construction sector, CCIFS sent a letter to the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure with proposals to facilitate doing business amidst by COVID-19 pandemic. Also, a survey was conducted to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the operational and financial activities of the Chamber members in the Serbian market.

'HOSPITALS READY FOR THE FUTURE' PANEL DISCUSSION

On October 22, a panel discussion was held on the topic "Hospitals Ready for the Future", which aim was to present the expertise of French and local companies in the sector of building new and reconstructing old hospitals through the implementation of the most technologically advanced projects. Special focus was on energy ef-

The French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has been continuously working to provide support to French companies that want to develop business activities in Serbia. We help companies from France in examining the market potential, finding clients and partners, opening a branch and expansion into the Serbian market in general. CCIFS is ranked in the third-highest category in the network of French chambers of commerce abroad because it provides a complete service to French companies interested in doing business on the Serbian market - from providing initial information about the market to opening and assisting in running a company. The Chamber has been operational for 8 years and since 2019, it has been an official partner of Business France, the state French export promotion agency.

As part of support to startups, we opened the LeBooster Business Centre in our premises in Belgrade that has offices, office spaces in the co-working space, virtual offices and conference rooms in a unique French touch environment. Companies can register their headquarters at our address, or rent a desk for a certain period with our Chamber providing the entire logistics, business and networking offer. By operating from our LeBooster Centre, in-

'WATER SECTOR SMART SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT' PANEL DISCUSSION

'Water Sector and Digitalization: Smart Solutions for Sustainable Development' was the topic of a panel discussion held on December 22, 2020. The panel was held on the Zoom platform, and the participants included representatives of numerous municipalities from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. During the conference, state-of-the-art water management solutions were presented that enable sustainable community development

SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FRENCH COMPANIES

LEBOOSTER – CCIFS BUSINESS CENTRE

institutions. Measures relating to taxpayers were presented, listing all possible channels for communication and access to information, as well as novelties regarding the protocol on cooperation with the Treasury. The Tax Administration also gave clarifications regarding the application of the Law on Corporate Income Tax and the Law on Personal Income Tax.

THE FRENCH WEEK

The CCIFS’ main role is to ensure that its members have access to the network of companies, exchange experiences and know-how

ficiency, digitalization and construction of new COVID hospitals and centres. The conference was attended by State Secretary from the Ministry of Health of Serbia, Mirsad Đerlek, representatives of exhibiting companies, the Chamber members, representatives of clinical and health centres of Serbia, directors of general and specialized hospitals, etc.

'DIALOGUE WITH THE TAX ADMINISTRATION' ONLINE CONFERENCE

On October 23, 2020, an online conference called "Dialogue with the Tax Administration" was held following a joint initiative of CCIFS, CCIS and AHK, with the view of continuing the dialogue between companies and state

This is one of the most important events, which promotes French products, expertise and culture, through a series of events that take place in several locations in the capital and other towns. The goal of the French Week is to promote historical, cultural and business ties between France and Serbia, while the period when it is held corresponds to a widely popular custom in France - the welcoming of the young French wine Beaujolais Nouveau. The French Week is known for its diverse and rich content and provides guests with the opportunity to participate in traditional events - to learn some of the secrets of French cuisine, taste good wine during the ceremony of welcoming Beaujolais Nouveau, and taste famous French cheeses and other delicious delicacies. This year's events were organized exclusively online, including the Online Job Fair, Skills Lab - an event for students, and webinars of member companies.

Also, an exclusive online meeting was organized with the director of CCIFS, Sanja Ivanić, and the head of the economic department of the French embassy, Fabrice Blazquez, for representatives of French companies interested in exporting to and opening companies in Serbia.

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by MINA VUČIĆ

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C U LT U R E

The Vanished Smile Mona Lisa's smile doesn't change, but your mindset does

er tricky smile and timeless allure have inspired academic study and artistic emulation for more than five centuries. The Mona Lisa-world’s most famous yet surely mystical painting has become France’s most valuable cultural heritage, but the story of Leonardo da Vinci's perplexing portrait is even richer than it looks.

Mona Lisa, also called Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, was painted sometime between 1503 and 1519, when Leonardo

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was living in Florence, and it now hangs in the Louvre Museum, Paris, where it remained an object of pilgrimage in the 21st century. The sitter’s mysterious smile and her unproven identity have made the painting a source of ongoing investigation and absolute fascination. The name Mona Lisa, or Monna Lisa, as the Italians prefer to spell it, roughly translates to "My Lady Lisa."

Leonardo da Vinci never completed the portrait though—when he died in 1519, it was one of many unfinished works left to his assistant.

The sensuous curves of Mona Lisa’s hair and clothing are echoed in the shapes of the rivers and valleys behind her

The painting presents a woman in a half-body portrait, which is surrounded by a distant landscape. However, this description is too simply described, when it comes to Leonardo’s composition. The three-quarter view, in which the woman’s position is mostly turned toward the viewer, broke the standard profile pose used in Italian art and quickly became the new trend for all portraits, still used today in the 21st century. The subject’s softly sculptural face shows Leonardo’s skillful handling of sfumato which is the use of fine shading, and reveals his understanding of the musculature and the skull beneath the skin. The delicately painted veil, the finely drawn tresses, and the careful rendering of folded fabric demonstrate Leonardo’s deep observations and inexhaustible patience.

Moreover, the sensuous curves of Mona

Lisa’s hair and clothing are echoed in the shapes of the rivers and valleys behind her. The sense of overall harmony achieved in the painting—especially apparent in the Lisa’s faint smile— reflects Leonardo’s idea of the cosmic link, connecting nature and humanity, making this painting an enduring record of Leonardo’s vision. Her eyebrows are a matter of debate; some claim the subject's lack of eyebrows is representative of high-class fashion of the time, others say her not present eyebrows, are proof, that Mona Lisa is an unfinished masterpiece.

The portrait has passed a long journey since its creation in the 16th century. French King Francis I acquired the artist’s work after his death and it became part of his royal collection.

For centuries the portrait was secluded in French palaces, until insurgents claimed the royal collection as the property of the people during the French Revolution. Napoleon, had Mona Lisa

hanging in his bedroom in the Tuileries Palace for about four years, beginning in 1800. It's said his fascination with the painting inspired his affection for a pretty Italian named Teresa Guadagni, who was actually a descendant of Lisa Gherardini. The painting was then installed in its current home – the Louvre Museum, at the turn of the 19th century. It was first placed into display in 1815, inspiring a series of mystical events and breaking a lot of hearts. Mona Lisa made men do strange things, there were more than one million artworks in the Louvre collection; she alone received her own mail, with daily love letters. In 1852, an artist named Luc Maspero supposedly threw himself from the fourth floor of a Parisian hotel, leaving a suicide note that read: "For years I have grappled desperately with her smile. I prefer to die." In 1910, a crazy lover came before her solely to shoot himself as he looked upon her, and for a long time

The sense of overall harmony achieved in the painting— especially apparent in Lisa’s faint smile—reflects Leonardo’s idea of the cosmic link, connecting nature and humanity

her fans were so ardent that she was placed under police protection.

On August 21, 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre. Thousands of people stormed into the museum to stare in shock at the blank wall where she once hung and leave flowers, notes, and other remembrances. Because he'd been caught buying stolen Louvre pieces before, Pablo Picasso was brought in for questioning. But the true thief would not be caught until 1913.

Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia was a proud Italian nationalist who smuggled the painting out under his smock because he felt it belonged to his and da Vinci's homeland, not France.

After hiding it for two years, Peruggia was busted trying to sell Mona Lisa to a Florence art dealer.

Although the oil-on-wood panel painting measures just 77 by 53 cm, Mona Lisa's influence on French and world-wide art culture is massive, her value being absolutely priceless.

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by MINA VUČIĆ

Un Croissant, s'il Vous Plait The French symbolic pastry is nothing but pure crunchy heaven T R A DI T ION

hen you think about a fresh, flaky croissant, you probably conjure up images of Paris. A lazy morning on the Left Bank, a small round table, reading Le Journal with a steamy cup of café au lait, and of course, that croissant. That warm, buttery croissant.

Crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, stuffed with whichever sweet or salty accessories you enjoydelicious on all sides and in every way imaginable. Now, ask yourself where it’s from. Go deep. Go beyond the simple answer of “the little bakery around the corner” and search for the origin, the true birthplace of that oh-so-famous French delicacy.

Did you know that the first production of croissant dates back to 1683?

Oh, and also, did you know that, the croissant you’re enjoying as you lovingly stare at the Eiffel Tower? It’s not French.

That year, Austria was under attack by the Turkish Empire. Outside of besieged Vienna, the Turkish assailant found that time was slipping past and decided to dig an underground tunnel to enter the city. The Vienna bakers, the majority of whom worked underground, heard noises and called in the army. The Turks were discovered and retreated.

The bakers were thanked and honored, and they decided to make bread in the shape of a crescent moon which is the symbol found on the Turkish flag.

And here is where ladies and gents, the croissant was born! One hundred years later, Marie Antoinette who was the Austrian Princess at the time, married Louis XVI and proudly introduced the croissant to the French aristocrats. It was only at the start of this century that the butter-puff

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Did you know that, the croissant you’re enjoying as you lovingly stare at the Eiffel Tower?

It’s not French

croissant was created. A bit later in the same century, a French Baker name Sylvain Claudius Goy wrote a recipe in 1915, that would cement the technique that remains at the heart of baking the modern croissant. His use of yeast differentiated his rolls from traditional puff pastry’s and gave birth to the croissant of present day-a national product of the French.

Enough of history, lets move on to the creation process. The ingredients of the famous crispy delicacy are quite basic; butter, flour, water, eggs, milk, yeast, sugar, and salt. However, laminating the created dough is what gives croissants its crispy, airy and crunchy layers. It’s the process of folding the dough several times with alternating layers of fat. Bakers in France usually use butter, oil or margarine before rolling and cutting the dough into triangles. This folding technique creates hundreds of paper-thin layers of butter trapped between hundreds of paper-thin layers of dough. When the laminated dough is baked in the oven at very high heat, the liquid trapped between the layers evaporates, and the steam puffs the individual layers. The number of layers in a croissant actually depends on the number of folds and can reach sky high numbers. It depends on the amount of turns the baker uses before rolling and cut-

ting the laminated croissant dough into triangles. So if a baker folds his dough 3 times each turn for a total of 3 turns, the resulting croissant dough will have 27 layers while 4 turns results in a croissant dough with 81 layers, crazy right!

Visiting France and trying this symbolic snack brought some controversy in the past century as industrialization of food took over. There’s a widespread belief, especially among tourists, that when you walk into a French boulangerie, you’re buying a superior quality croissant, which is freshly baked. Although this used to be true before the ’70s, unfortunately it is not the case anymore. It’s estimated that more than half of French bakeries buy pre-frozen industrial croissants made by machines who later bake them onsite and sell them to customers. The best way to try the home-made, freshly baked pastry is to go to patisserie that have the “Bulanger de France” label on them.

To finish on a delicious note, we will give you the go to spot in France to try the unforgettable pastry. A family business for more than 20 years, Maison Pichard is the ideal place to go for a traditional yet memorable croissant.

In 2011, owner and baker Frédéric Pichard won an award for best croissant in Paris, and a single bite into his perfectly flaky and airy creation will tell you just why. Enjoy!

by MINA VUČIĆ

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TOURISM

The Museum of Paris

Louvre is the book in which we learn to read or numerous years now, France wins the most visited tourist destination in the world, with numbers reaching 90 million per year. From the boulevards of Paris to the fashionable seaside resorts of the Côte d'Azur, the nation offers some of the most beautiful scenery one can see and the most delicious dishes one can taste, attracting these enormous amounts of visitors, who know what’s good. In this piece, we will focus on the great Lou-

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The most recent estimation state that the Louvre currently is close to having 7500 paintings

vre Museum, which is a home to numerous priceless masterpieces and the nation’s cultural heritage, welcoming over 15,000 visitors per day, 70% of whom are foreign tourists.

Two centuries ago, the former residence of the kings of France was turned into one of the greatest museums in the world. Louvre has one of the riches collections with over 380,000 pieces of art, 35,000 of which are on display, spreading over 60,000 m2. Some of the most famous being the Mona Lisa, La Vénus de Milo, le Radeau de la Méduse, la Liberté guidant le people and many more… The Louvre Museum is an extraordinary place that must be visited during a stay in Paris.

We find the Louvre in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, close to the les Halles district. It has won the award for most visited museum in the world for many consecutive years now, attracting close to 10 million visitors annually.

It is impossible, as a human being, to see the entire Louvre museum in just one day. In fact, even a month of exploring this space wouldn’t be enough, it would actually take you 100 days to see every piece of art in the Louvre, if

you spend 30 seconds at each piece, all day every day, without sleep, breaks or mealtimes. The Louvre was originally built as a grand fortress in Paris, and was later turned into a royal palace in the 16th century before becoming a museum in 1793.

The Mona Lisa artwork is responsible for a large portion of the visitors that make their way to this museum each day and year. So much so, that the painting is now kept behind a glass barrier, and there are barricades preventing anyone from getting too close to the famous diva. Apart from this popular, mystic master piece, the most recent estimation state that the Louvre currently is close to having 7500 paintings. Of this amount, over 66% are creations by artists who are French locals. The Louvre's collection of paintings dates back to the reign of Francis I of France, who sought to create a gallery of art in his château at Fontainebleau rivaling those of the great Italian palaces. He acquired masterpieces by leading Italian masters Michelangelo, Raphael and invited Italian artists to his court, some of which being Leonardo da Vinci, Rosso, and Primaticcio.

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Donors and art patrons have played a key role in the museum's history. Of these, the association known as the Société des Ams du Louvre (the Friends of the Louvre) is the most important.

Created one hundred years ago, it has purchased a considerable number of works from all periods and schools, many of exceptional artistic value.

Back in the 20th century, during the second world war, the Nazi’s raided businesses and homes across France and other European countries, and re-

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moved artworks at their discretion.

This stolen art was then kept in the museum as a store room. In 2018, the museum put on display all of the series of paintings that were once looted by the Nazis!

One can recognize the Louvre by the grand glass pyramid. The architectural piece in question was only added to the Louvre’s grounds very recently in the 1980s. Surprisingly, it was not a French architect who was selected for the job, but rather a Chinese man named I.M.

It would actually take you 100 days to see every piece of art in the Louvre

Pei. The main pyramid has become an important and recognizable part of the Parisian skyline, and there are three smaller versions of the structure in the surrounding courtyard.

Vincent Van Gogh once said, “Someday my paintings will be hanging in the Louvre.” The greatest museum of all time. filled with culture, history and heritage, where spending a day, maybe even a few, will leave any visitor enlightened and inspired to their deepest core.