The Netherlands 2021

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THE LOWEST-LYING COUNTRY IN EUROPE It’s mind-blowing to think that over a 26% of the Netherlands is actually sitting below sea level.

What’s more, some 60% of the population is currently living 5m below sea level.

FLOURISHING NATURE Almost 80% of the world’s flower bulbs come from the Netherlands, the country being the world’s leading exporter of flowers, most of which are tulips.

GIN TONIC PLEASE Gin was actually invented in the Netherlands in the 16th century and reportedly became popular in Great Britain after King William occupied the English, Scottish, and Irish thrones with his wife Mary.

STOCK MARKET INNOVATORS Amazingly, the first stock market in the world was invented by Dutch legislators and businessmen back in 1602

THE HIGHEST ENGLISHPROFICIENCY According to the EF English Proficiency Index, the Dutch are top of the class in English.

Between 90 and 93% of the population can speak English as a second language.

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We Continuously Work to Maintain Our Relationship Serbia and the Netherlands are tied in many ways and on many different levels - diplomatically, economically, culturally.. In terms of economic cooperation, the figures also leave no doubt: the EU is Serbia’s most important partner

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t is, in my opinion, only natural for the countries of the Western Balkans to aspire to work together in a similar manner, and I am very glad that the EU-facilitated WB6-process had led to effective strategies and tangible results. The economic potential of the region is substantial, with its favorable climate, strategic geographic location and resilient, resourceful and well-educated population. The true extent of that potential can only be achieved if the countries of the region work together to unlock it.

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Your Excellency, you recently came to Serbia. What do you think about the overall relations between the Netherlands and Serbia?

— Bilaterally, trade between the Netherlands and Serbia is on the rise (totaling nearly €1 billion a year), while the Netherlands is the largest source

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H.E. JOOST REINTJES Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Belgrade

Related to our business relations, we are very much looking forward to reaching €1 billion in bilateral trade and increasing that further

of foreign direct investment in Serbia. Dutch companies are household names in Serbia and impact the lives of people in this wonderful country on a daily basis. Did you know that every time you log on to Kupujem Prodajem to buy or sell something, you’re using a Dutch company? Or that every time you turn on WiFi, you’re using a Dutch invention? Not to mention drinking one of the tasty beers brewed by Heineken right here in Serbia – Zaječarsko, Laško, Amstel! And KLM fly to Belgrade daily. These are just a few examples of how our two countries interlink on a daily basis.

In addition, both Serbia and the Netherlands are known as agriculture countries. The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of the agriculture produce in the world, just after the USA. This is due to the excellent knowledge infrastructure, that is close cooperation between the knowledge institutions, government and the private sector, the so-called "golden triangle". We aim to apply this model to our activities in Serbia through all events and projects we implement in agro sector.

Furthermore, the promotion of the rule of law is an important part of our foreign policy and political DNA, and is one of the cornerstones of our engagement in Serbia. In any country, a functioning judiciary is fundamental - not as a secluded branch of government, but an independent and resilient judiciary as part of a system of checks and balances. Such checks and balances, and the rule of law in general, are a core value which belongs to Serbia every bit as much as it belongs to the Netherlands. It is our shared responsibility to make sure that the citizens of Serbia are aware of this. We

work with institutions, ministries and civil sector organizations to improve the rule of law. We do that by providing assistance through programs such as MATRA and the Multi Donor Trust Fund for Justice Sector Support, active participation in debates and discussions, providing expert assistance to institutions.

What will be the priorities on your agenda in the coming period in terms of further solidifying relations between the two countries?

— For the Netherlands, Serbia’s path to EU accession is priority number one. That’s why we have been working with government and civil society for years to help bring about the necessary changes and reforms, particularly in the area of rule of law, as I already mentioned. That process is very specific to the EU. And it comes with its own challenges and opportunities.

Related to our business relations, we are very much looking forward to reaching €1 billion in bilateral trade and increasing that further. We see an ever increasing interest from Dutch companies and investors in many areas. We are currently working on a number of files that could lead to great things.

This includes our Green Cities Serbia project, through which we aim to facilitate strategic cooperation between a consortium of Dutch companies and cities and Serbian municipalities on urban green solutions. Think green roofs, vertical gardens, parks.

We’re also working hard on increasing cooperation in the water sector.

Serbia is investing heavily in wastewater treatment capacities, port infrastructure, flood risk management and much more. We have centuries of ex-

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pertise and knowledge in those fields and are very glad to share it. The same goes for agriculture. Combining Serbia’s enormous potential and fertile soil with Dutch technology and knowhow is a recipe for success.

How important is Serbia’s role in the region of the Western Balkans? Which segments of the regional cooperation are particularly important?

— The European Union is, in its very essence, a framework for cooperation which aims to ensure peace and prosperity for its member states. Economic cooperation and joint economic development are, and have been from the very beginning, central to that framework. The elimination of barriers to trade, harmonization of standards, increase in connectivity, creation of joint institutions and many other steps that have been taken over the decades, have ensured unprecedented economic development and stability in Europe.

By ensuring better connectivity, improved border-crossing procedures, encouraging labor mobility and many other issues included in the action plan for the regional economic area, the region will become an even more interesting and competitive investment destination for global companies. Most importantly, such cooperation allows for the continuous fostering of open political dialogue between partners, which furthers reconciliation and helps shape a common future for the region within Europe. Serbia plays a crucial and constructive role therein and I’m happy to see it taking a pro-active stance in facilitating regional cooperation.

What opportunities are opening up to cooperate in sectors and segments of ecology, water purification, green cities, etc?

— Minsiter Vujović and I had an very interesting meeting in which we discussed ways to learn from each other in order to exchange expertise and facilitate commercial cooperation. Public awareness regarding importance of the clean environment and its protection is rising world-wide. Serbia is no different. The importance of clean air, water, soil is getting in the centre of public attention. Also in the Netherlands. That is why we have, among other things, adopted a strategy to become fully circular by 2050. Serbia has adopted a similar strategy and is

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The economic potential of the region is substantial, with its favorable climate, strategic geographic location and resilient, resourceful and well-educated population

working hard to invest in the necessary infrastructure and investment to achieve such goals. Minister Vujović and I discussed how to achieve these goals. We would like to especially focus on areas such as water, water and urban greening.

Through the public private partnership of the project "Green Cities Serbia" we are committed to transfer Dutch knowledge, experiences and solutions to our Serbian counterparts in order to develop greener and healthier cities via sustainable network of partners and long-term business cooperation in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

What is the collaboration between the Netherlands and Serbia like when it comes to education, art and culture and what can we do together in that regard?

— Here as well we have many ties and projects, and good cooperation. In the past 4 years there have been 140 activities in Serbia involving Dutch artists in various areas – design, architecture, visual arts, digital culture, literature, performing arts. This shows that there is an interest on both sides for exchange and cooperation. Some

of these activities the embassy organized with partners in Serbia, few examples are guest performances of Dutch artists in festivals in Serbia (Guitar Art Festival, Belgrade Dance Festival), screenings of Dutch films with topics related to our policy priorities (rule of law, European integration, human rights). There are also activities that are done independently and without our involvement. At the moment there is a very interesting group exhibition “Overview Effect” in the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Belgrade, where a wonderful and striking work of Dutch artist Mariëlle Videler is exhibited. It is interesting that culture organizations and podia find a way to connect to each other even in times of pandemic, although I have to be fair and say that number of activities in the past year has been limited.

Worth mentioning here is the Group for Dutch studies at the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade, which recently celebrated its 15th birthday. The Group is very active in promoting Dutch-Serbian relations, and we cooperate with them for a very long time. Apart from this, many young people from Serbia study in the Netherlands. Luckily, the list is too long to fit in one interview.

In Serbia We hope that you have had the opportunity to get to know Belgrade and Serbia. What do you especially like here?

— I arrived to Serbia 3 months ago and I still need to do a lot of exploring. However, there are things that I have already discovered, for example that Serbian wines and food are very good, people are easy going and open, I enjoy this very much. I also noticed that we share a common passion – football. I was lucky that I recently met football player Dušan Tadić, captain of the Ajax Football Club, and of the Serbian national team.

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Stronger and Better Company Every Day

Digitalization and sustainability are seen as big topics, where we lead and want to lead, and this is very relevant for Serbia as well

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ow does life and work in Belgrade look like after a year, in what way does the company contribute to the country’s economic potential and how did the pandemic affect their plans within the digital field, we talked with Jan-Willem Dockheer, CEO of Delhaize Serbia.

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You have been in Belgrade for almost a year. How different is the business atmosphere here, compared to other countries where Ahold Delhaize does business as the leading global retain chain with almost 7,000 stores around the world?

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JAN-WILLEM DOCKHEER CEO of Delhaize Serbia

— Delhaize Serbia is a proud member of the Ahold Delhaize Group with whom it shares fundamental values and business. Large teams with the best people in the market, strong partnerships with suppliers who are leading global and local brands, as well as millions of loyal customers making our brands leaders in local markets around the world. The team I came to, which has more than 13,000 passionate professionals, is a reliable neighbour of the local community in which we operate. The strength and commitment of the people I had the opportunity to recognise during the pandemic within colleagues who served cus-

tomers in Maxi, Mega Maxi, Maxi online, Tempo and Shop & Go stores or do their work from the Distribution Centre and Customer Support, were a clear signal of the environment I came to; truly passionate professionals who care. And looking wider, in the world we see digitalization and sustainability as big topics, where we lead and want to lead, and this is very relevant for Serbia as well. We are typically set up to manage the business locally, so my Serbian team will take many initiatives during the years to come to professionalize our stores further and further, to lead and grow the digital market in Serbia and to take many smart

as short as possible, which is great for best tasty products and is also sustainably better. I am personally driving and looking forward to this ambitious project and I believe that, in the years to come, we will have the best onions, melons, tomatoes, potatoes and a lot more that comes from Serbia in our stores, throughout the entire year and with that we will play an active role in developing the Serbian economy to the next level.

initiatives in sustainability so we leave behind this world in a better state than how we’ve got it.

How much does Serbia use its local potential and what are the possibilities for improvement in that field?

— I would say that Serbia’s major potential is rooted in good soil that is rich in various agricultural crops. Our company is aware of that and that is why we want local, fresh and the highest quality fruits and vegetables from every part of Serbia to arrive in our stores every day. We are strategically committed to work with local suppliers and provide wide range of home-grown fruits and vegetables to our customers for the past several years. Together with more than 80 local suppliers from all over Serbia, in previous years, we have improved our offer and quality of products that you can find in our stores today and, in 2020 alone, we purchased 12 percent more local agricultural products than in the previous year. In order to further support local farmers and help them in their inclusion in large systems such as ours, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, we have organised a series of workshops for local suppliers & farmers and we will keep doing so. We simply want to make the distance from Farm-to-Fork

Together with more than 80 local suppliers from all over Serbia we have improved our offer and quality of products

General digitalisation at the time of the pandemic affected all business segments, including the retail industry. What has Delhaize Serbia changed in its future plans?

— Expanding the retail network and constantly raising the business ladder were the postulates of our business strategy even before the pandemic. What the pandemic has brought to the whole world, including us, is the additionally accelerated parallel work on modernisation and digitalisation of all aspects of business, especially e-commerce. Thus, in addition to improving and expanding our stores, Maxi online has also become a part of the business that has shown huge potential.

We have a smart team on all digital developments, we will invest even more and further improve our digital consumer experiences, and with all that we believe we will even help the total

digital growth of the country, which will help convenience in people’s lives who want and need that.

Additionally, I am proud of the team that is developing a state-of-the-art new loyalty programme. By the end of the year, our customers will be able to see a fully digitalised loyalty programme that will show what "personalised offers" really mean and a concept that will enable customers to benefit from exactly those products that suit their purchasing habits and save money.

In addition to the business impression, how did you personally experience Belgrade?

— The great team of people who welcomed me showed me the strength and energy I can expect in my work.

On the other hand, Belgrade provides many other contents, surprises and very pleasant living conditions. I like to use walks by the river and in the city for relaxation, the interior of the region, city and its streets still leave me a lot of space to explore. Especially now when Covid fades away luckily, I look forward to be among Serbian people, in restaurants, in cafes, in events and on the mountains in winter. Living in Serbia has been a great experience, I like the way Serbs relax and enjoy life, I can learn a lot from this, and it can only get better with Covid leaving us - so life is good here.

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Serbia Offers a Lot of Opportunities

Close to 17,000 people work in Dutch companies in Serbia

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he Netherlands is by far the biggest investor in Serbia with almost €4 billion worth of FDI. They are successful in a wide range of sectors from agriculture, shipbuilding and beer brewing to IT, manufacturing, consultancy, design and many others.

We talked to the Director of the Dutch-Serbian Business Association, Djordje Petrović, about cooperation between these two countries.

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How would you rate the economic cooperation between the two countries generally and especially during the coronavirus pandemic?

— I think that the economic cooperation between the two countries has been on a high level, in the period from 2010 to 2020. The Netherlands is by far the biggest investor in Serbia with almost €4 billion worth of FDI. Close to 17,000 people work in Dutch companies in Serbia, and many of those companies and products they make are household names that people in Serbia encounter every day. Dutch companies are successful in a wide range of sectors - from agriculture, shipbuilding and beer brewing to IT, man-

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ufacturing, consultancy, design and many others.

Even though it was a quite challenging period, during the pandemic, the cooperation didn’t suffer too much.

In late 2020, we had a meeting of the Dutch business community in Serbia and many companies told us they had been planning to make new investments in Serbia this year. At this moment, the DSBA has almost 50 members and we are proud of this success which we have achieved in a relatively short time, especially when you bear in mind that we are not open to everyone, but only to the Dutch companies operating in Serbia and Serbian companies that have close economic ties with The Netherlands. We recently had the General Assembly of the DSBA where we also welcomed new members, including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the oldest airline in the world, who re-launched its Belgrade-Amsterdam flight after 30 years.

What else could the Government of Serbia do this year to help businesses to overcome the crisis as quickly as possible, especially when it comes to SMEs?

DJORDJE PETROVIĆ Director of the DutchSerbian Business Association (DSBA)

The Netherlands is by far the biggest investor in Serbia with almost €4 billion worth of FDI

— Reducing payroll tax and contributions and fostering better cooperation between institutions in paying attention to the needs of businesses, as well as implementing subsequent actions in accordance with those needs, would help SMEs a lot. It is very important to have a level playing field, simple administrative procedures and legal certainty. It is of crucial importance that the government continues implementing measures that work towards improving the business environment and state services in general.

As a businessman who helms a business association that can bring Dutch investors to Serbia, what do you consider the biggest advantages of investing in our country?

— Serbia offers a lot of opportunities and I really mean that. Every way you look, more can be done for domestic and foreign investors. Due to the pandemic, many supply chains have been disrupted and big European companies are now trying to find alternatives for their suppliers from the Far East. Serbia has a great geographical location, highly skilled workforce and people who are adaptable and easily trained

to learn any new skill, so I think that a really big opportunity lies in that.

Many investors find it interesting that goods originating from Serbia and exported to the EU customs area are subject to preferential customs regimes. Serbia has been a party in the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and has concluded bilateral free-trade agreements with the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkey and the European Free Trade Association (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein). The country is also a beneficiary of Japan’s GSP (preferential duties on importation to Japan), while the U.S. government designated Serbia as a beneficiary of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), providing duty-free access to the U.S. market in various eligible categories.

To what extent does the association cooperate with institutions and organizations and are you satisfied with that cooperation?

— 2020 was supposed to be the year when we would hold an official presentation of the DSBA to the government institutions. However, due to the pandemic, that was not feasible, so we

bilities that Serbia has to offer and we will also actively work on that in the future. We think that the existence of the DSBA will send out a good signal for more Dutch companies to come and invest in Serbia.

We can learn from Dutch a lot about the business, innovation and how things should be done in a structured way. On the other hand, the Dutch can learn from us a lot about adaptation, resourcefulness and improvisation.

hope that we would be able to do that in the second half of this year. We think that cooperation and exchange of the know-how between the DSBA and government institutions will be beneficial to both sides.

Regarding other bilateral organizations, we have already established relations with most of them and that part functions well. Exchange of the experiences and knowledge that our members have is highly important and beneficial, so we hope that in the rest of the year, we will have an opportunity to again see each other in person and organize more live events.

Is there room for improving the existing cooperation and if there is, in which sectors? What can the Dutch learn from us and vice versa?

— There is room for improvement in just about everything, as well as in the Dutch-Serbian cooperation. We think that more Serbian companies could enter the Dutch market and offer their products there. To that end, we already spoke with the Serbian ambassador to The Netherlands, H.E. Mrs. Ksenija Milenković about that. We also think that more Dutch companies could be informed about all the possi-

We think that more Serbian companies could enter the Dutch market

What activities of the Dutch-Serbian Business Association would you like to single out this year?

— This year, we will have the opportunity to see each other again in person after some time, since we plan to host a Benelux networking cocktail reception on 24th June with our colleagues from the Belgian-Serbian Business Association. We hope that the rest of the year will allow us to have more networking events, but also that we will have the opportunity to organize educational events for our members. Also, as I have mentioned before, this year, we will hopefully meet with relevant government institutions, introduce the DSBA to them and launch a fruitful cooperation with them.

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Building Economic Bridges

I consider myself to be in a very privileged position. I work for the country I was raised in, the Netherlands, in the country my parents were raised in, Serbia

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y job is to help build economic bridges between the two and connect people and businesses to achieve great things. I firmly believe that combining Dutch innovation, creativity and pragmatism with Serbian resourcefulness, craftsmanship and skill is a recipe for success.

In fact, that is proven on a daily basis by the diverse and very successful Dutch business community in Serbia.

Companies bring together the best of both worlds, and employ more than 17.000 people, in order to brew excellent beer, build ships, promote urban greenery, create IT solutions, solve water management issues and grow produce that we enjoy every day and much more. A person in Serbia comes into contact with something Dutch that makes their life more enjoyable 4-6 times a day, ranging from using WiFi, booking a holiday, to going to the supermarket or ordering a beer. We’ll be launching a campaign called ‘’Dutch Drops’’ soon, where we’ll be introducing you to all things Dutch.

What excites me in that regard is that we are seeing a considerable increase in interest from new companies in the Netherlands to join the Dutch business community in Serbia

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OLIVER ŠAROV Senior Policy Adviser for Economic Affairs & Trade Embassy of the Netherlands

DSBA started by four companies in 2018, and now is approaching 50 members and brings together SME’s and companies like KLM, AholdDelhaize and Heineken

and those who are located here already are thriving and expanding. The numbers show that. When I started in this position four years ago our bilateral trade was ca. €700 million. We are now fast approaching €1 billion. The Netherlands is a more important export market for Serbian companies than countries like Turkey, the US and China according to the Serbian Statistics Office. The Dutch-Serbian Business Association, started by four companies in 2018, is now fast approaching 50 members and brings together SME’s and companies like KLM, Ahold-Delhaize and Heineken.

Why is all this important? Because it helps this country develop through knowledge-transfer, employment, sustainable business practices and increased investments. It also sends a clear signal. A signal that the reforms that are being successfully undertaken to safeguard macro-economic stability, improve the business environment and increase transparency and accountability pay off and are incredibly important.

In the eyes of investors, Serbia can and is showing itself to be a reliable, stable and promising destination for business. Now is the time to double-down and ensure that a clear track-record

in rule of law reforms and increased transparency amplify that impression further still. The potential to increase our cooperation is enormous and ranges from waste water management, port infrastructure, medical equipment, urban greening, IT to agriculture.

On our part, we are pro-actively working to facilitate B2B, B2G and G2G cooperation, promote Serbia as an investment destination, and support reforms – to build bridges. At the moment we are focusing on water, agriculture and urban greening. For the latter, keep an eye out for our Green Groove campaign that highlights our activities in the scope of the Green Year – bee gardens, a green business coalition, anti-smog tower in Knez Mihailova and urban garden. This all makes working at the Embassy, and particularly in the economy and trade field, a very busy but exciting and energizing place to be.

While the pandemic, and I will only mention that horrible thing once, has slowed everyone down to an extent, it is now time to pick up where we left off and move forward with renewed energy. Make sure you ‘’stay in touch with the Dutch’’ on our social media and follow the exciting things we are doing.

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The success of European Strut & Support Manufacturer Our cooperation with Dutch companies, customers and suppliers is good and based on long-term collaboration C O R P O R AT E

uropean Strut & Support Manufacturer (ESM) is a Dutch company founded in 2013 under the name Todebo, with production facilities based in Serbia. ESM engages in serial production of metal construction parts and components for wholesalers and wholesale customers. We talked with Tom de Boer, the company's founder and Managing Director, about how the coronavirus pandemic affected the company's operations, business development and cooperation with other Dutch companies.

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How did ESM survive the year of the coronavirus and what kind of effect did it have on business?

— In terms of production, 2020 was a year rife with challenges. Apart from the "nervousness" on the CRU (metal stock exchange) and a slight increase in the price of steel, it was business as usual until March. However, right at the beginning of the lockdown, when the forecast for Q2 2020 remained unchanged, I consulted our customers about how they saw developments and they all had the same message "please, continue to produce and deliver". The message was clear and at the Zoom meeting with our team Serbia, I said "take care and charge full steam ahead". Despite many uncertainties, internal challenges and our trucks, that transported raw materials and finished products, being delayed for several days at the EU borders, we successfully delivered goods on time, which in 2020, brought us excellent OTD and PPM customer rat-

ings. This success is largely due to my colleagues, of whom I am very proud, and who have continued to work in extremely difficult circumstances, while following the Covid protocol.

What lessons did you learn in 2020?

— Many of them. I do my business mainly from the Netherlands, and almost all of our customers and some suppliers come from the EU, so we are already quite used to video calls. We have also expanded network communication within our organization, which we also want to continue doing in the future. It wasn’t always personal, but it was quick and efficient. The corona time was a big test for our five ISO standards because we had to avoid as many personal contacts as possible and hence we were much more dependent on those procedures, instructions and related processes that were not really corona-proof. All in all, we simplified the communication, production and logistics system, which resulted in us working faster and more efficiently.

How would you rate your cooperation with Dutch companies and what is the advantage of doing business with them?

— By the way, we classify ourselves as a Serbian company of Dutch origin, and so do my colleagues, because 99% of our customers and a large segment of suppliers come from the EU. Our cooperation with Dutch companies, customers and suppliers is good and based on long-term collaboration.

The company’s name - European

TOM DE BOER Founder and Managing Director

One of the first plans is to find a new location in Sremska Mitrovica where we will expand in accordance with the increased volume of work and our production needs

Strut & Support Manufacturer (ESM) – is recent and says a lot about your business.

— True, the new name speaks more about the company than the earlier one - Todebo (an acronym of my name) - and is key to preparing and realizing our other expectations and plans. The new name tells you exactly what we are - European, strut support and manufacturer.

Since founding the company, you have been constantly investing and working on improving your business.

Do your clients know how to appreciate that?

— Yes, that was a difficult decision, but I believe that the only way forward is to constantly invest in people, systems and partially automate. Last year, we invested more than ever. We implemented a robot welding cell and changed the NC for CNC machines. Accordingly, we will increase our capacity and guarantee continuous quality in all circumstances. Our common goal is that together we can produce easier, faster and more while, at the same time, facilitating the production process for our production colleagues.

What are your plans?

— We have recently defined short- and long-term plans for the next 5 years.

To begin with, I can say that one of the first plans is to find a new location in Sremska Mitrovica where we will expand in accordance with the increased volume of work and our production needs. We will be happy to inform you about other news and plans in one of your next issues.

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The Netherlands is the Biggest Investor in Serbia

Total trade with the Netherlands in 2020 amounted to 784.6 million euro, which is a 4% growth compared to 2019

C O O P E R AT I O N

rade between the Republic of Serbia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands is carried out in several economic sectors - agriculture, metal processing industry, renewable energy sources and the IT sector. Agriculture is of special importance for the economic development of Serbia. Its position is valuable because it is not only the driving force behind rural development, but it also has great economic, social and ecological significance.

The fact that the European Union enters the final phase of shaping the single market, which vision, in basic outlines, was announced more than five decades ago, carries great importance for Serbia.

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Projects related to the creation of a single market contain a complex set of measures at the institutional, economic, technological and organizational level, and for Serbia, the EU represents a potential market of about 500 million consumers who are ready to spend almost a quarter of their earnings on food. Cooperation in the field of agriculture is especially promising.

Agriculture is one of the areas where cooperation between Serbia and the Netherlands could be much more intensive, since the Netherlands, although a small country, is the second-largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, right after the United States.

According to the data of the Serbian Bureau of Statistics, the total trade

The total trade with the Netherlands in 2020 amounted to 784.6 million euro

with the Netherlands in 2020 amounted to 784.6 million euro, a 4% growth compared to 2019 (755.5 million euro).

Serbian exports to the Netherlands fell by 2% compared to 2019 and amounted to 368.2 million euro. In trading with the Netherlands, Serbia has recorded a deficit of 48.2 million euro. The export to import ratio is 88.4%. The total trade in goods with the Netherlands in 2019 was valued at 755.5 million euro, which was an 11% growth relative to 2018 (682.5 million euro). In that period, our exports increased by 16% compared to 2018 and amounted to 376.3 million euro. That year, Serbia still recorded a deficit in trading with the Netherlands which stood at 2.9 million euro.

The import to export ratio was 99.2%.

Serbia mostly exported the following products to the Netherlands in the Q1 of 2021 - circulating pumps for heating systems; ships and vessels for the transport of goods and passengers; frozen raspberries without added sugar; protein concentrates without milk fats; parts and accessories for motor vehicles (8701-8705); liquid pump parts and finished textile products. Serbia mostly imported the following products from the Netherlands in the first quarter of 2021 - medicines for retail sale; polyether alcohols in primary forms; road tractors for semi-trailers, pork, styrene and onion bulbs, fresh or chilled.

Based on the data collated by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia - Customs Administration, by 2020, 3,673 companies from Serbia did business with the Netherlands. Ac-

cording to the data from the Agency for Business Registers of the Republic of Serbia, 485 active companies, which are majority owned by the Dutch citizens, i.e. legal entities registered in the Netherlands, are registered in Serbia.

There are numerous initiatives from both the Dutch and Serbian sides for further improvement of economic cooperation, through collaboration and investments in the food industry, chemical industry (production of drugs and plastic materials and plastic products), production of construction materials, wood industry and furniture production, machinery and metal industry, transport and logistics (transport of goods and passengers), textile industry and high technologies (especially in the field of services), where the two countries have already established good re-

Export

Import

In order to attract even more investments from the Netherlands, Serbia needs to work on promoting its economy and economic potentials

lations which now need to be further developed with the aim of joint entry into third markets, i.e. with an emphasis on programming services in production processes, transport and automotive industry.

The total net investments made by Dutch companies in Serbia in the period 2010-2020 amounted to 4.1 billion euro, which makes the Netherlands the no 1 foreign investor in Serbia. In 2019, the largest total net investments made by Dutch companies in Serbia amounted to 707 million euro. In order to attract even more investments from the Netherlands, Serbia needs to work on promoting its economy and economic potentials through various seminars and workshops in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce of the Netherlands.

Balance Source: The State Statistical Bureau

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by MINA VUČIĆ

Aiding the Nation Despite the corona pandemic, the Dutch economy is in relatively good shape

ECONOM Y

he COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a historic blow to the Netherlands’ economy, but a swift policy response, effective support to people and firms, and a workforce with comparatively strong digital skills have helped the country to weather the crisis relatively well. It is important to use the recovery to address long-term challenges including housing shortages, imbalances in the labour market and environmental pressures. The crisis hit the Netherlands after years of strong growth, and a high degree of digitalisation and teleworking prior to the

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pandemic dampened the blow. Past fiscal prudence provided room for a strong government response, and swiftly implemented support measures for firms prevented a wave of bankruptcies and meant unemployment rose only slightly.

Up until now, the Netherlands' government has adopted two emergency aid packages to mitigate the direct effects of COVID-19 on the economy and to provide temporary liquidity support to businesses, including loan support and tax deferrals, in order to avoid large scale increases in unemployment and insolvencies. The country’s

The outlook for the Dutch economy is favourable and permanent damage from the coronavirus crisis will remain limited

government has committed to firmly uphold the 2030 and 2050 mitigation goals, which ensure a green foundation under the economic recovery from COVID-19. The National Climate Agreement commits the government to reduce domestic GHG emissions by 49% in 2020 and the Climate Act includes a binding target to reduce domestic GHG emissions by 95% in 2050.

The outlook for the Dutch economy is favourable and permanent damage from the coronavirus crisis will remain limited. The economy will also grow more than expected, by 3.2 % this year instead of the 2.2 % growth expected

in March. Despite the Corona pandemic, the Netherlands’ economy is in relatively good shape as the support policy worked well to dampen the effects on the labour market and production and to prevent major permanent damage. Economic growth could be even higher if Netherlands residents start spending the massive amount in savings they built up last year, however the population isn’t happy to run and spend their money so fast, which is understandable.

The Dutch Central Banks stated that the Growth in the euro zone’s fifth largest economy is expected to rebound to 2.2% in 2021 and 4.2% in 2022, following a historically deep 3.8% contraction due the COVID-19 pandemic last year. Additionally, there were major concerns that the coronavirus crisis would lead to an increase in unemployment. Those concerns proved to be largely unfounded as the Dutch government currently expects a decrease in unemployment, followed by an increase to 4.1 % of the working population next year. That is about the same level as the average unemployment in the years before the crisis.

The Netherlands, just like the rest of the EU states, has sent a plan to the European Commission for spending, including grants and loans to receive the unprecedented joint borrowing by the organization and rebuild the economy, as well as make it greener and more digital after the COVID-19 pandemic. To get the money, The Netherlands has to

earmark 37% of the funds to reduce CO2 emissions and 20% to make the economy better prepared for the digital age through investment and reforms that will get piecemeal financing from the EU until 2026.

A country’s economy is made in its regions, as that is where companies, knowledge institutions, governments and civil society organizations come together, and form specific clusters and strengthen the business climate.

The Dutch provinces have produced a post-COVID 19 recovery plan for their

The Dutch provinces have produced a post-COVID 19 recovery plan for their regional economies

regional economies. It aims to recover and revitalize regional economies through an investment program aimed at sustainable innovation in the areas of labour market, circular economy, energy transition and digitalization. The government is currently preparing its policies and measures for the economic recovery, including green investments required to strengthen the economy's sustainability. The package will be announced mid-September. It is expected plans will also be aligned with the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility.

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Heat Transition

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The next three to four years will be an exciting time for geothermal energy in the Netherlands. The great opportunities represented by geothermal energy in the heat transition for the Netherlands also face some sensitivities for public acceptance ccording to the Climate Agreement, the first 1.5 million households must be natural gas-free by 2030. However, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency concludes after a new analysis that this does not seem feasible due to the high costs. A tour of the experts shows where the problem is, but also offers perspectives.

Which districts will depart from natural gas before 2030? Municipalities determine this in the Heat Transition Vision that they must have ready by the end of 2021. Making districts free of natural gas stands and falls with making the demand for heat sus-

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tainable. The built environment is responsible for 28 percent of our energy consumption. 69 percent of that is for heat. Why are we still at the beginning of the heat transition while we are already so far with electricity?

New sustainable options for natural gas require an investment that does not seem to be easy to recoup at the moment. Everything is more expensive than the current gas supply. Affordability seems to be a major spanner in the works of the heat transition.

There are a number of basic strategies for the Heat Transition Vision.

Municipalities are charged for this per district and must choose what

Heating networks play a crucial role in making the heat supply of the built environment more sustainable

is the best alternative to natural gas in a specific situation. In order to get everyone involved, it must become financially interesting, not only for the end user but also for the entrepreneur. Many questions from municipalities are about this and the answer is not yet complete. The subsidies and schemes that are further elaborated in the context of the Climate Agreement and the new Climate Act are decisive for the feasibility of the Heat Transition Visions.

Heating networks play a crucial role in making the heat supply of the built environment more sustainable.

In many places in the Netherlands with concentrated buildings, a heat network can be used well. At the moment, four percent of the homes are connected to a heat network. This is expected to grow to 10 to 30 percent in the coming years.

The development of heat networks goes hand in hand with the development of geothermal energy in the built environment. Geothermal energy is an essential source of heat for making the demand for heat in the Netherlands more sustainable. More than twenty geothermal heat projects are currently under development in the built environment.

Summer events in Amsterdam msterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades, legacies of the city’s 17th-century Golden Age. Its Museum District houses the Van Gogh Museum, works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, and modern art at the Stedelijk. Cycling is key to the city’s character, and there are numerous bike paths There is always something to do in Amsterdam. As one of the world’s most dynamic cities, Amsterdam’s social calendar is a whirlwind of festivals, fairs, concerts, markets, performances, exhibitions and more! Here are some of the best annual events in Amsterdam.

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JUNE AND JULY 11 June to 11 July - Amsterdam will be one of 12 cities hosting Euro 2020 (postponed to 2021) football matches as part of the UEFA 60th-anniversary celebration.

July (TBC) - Julidans celebrates all that contemporary dance has to offer.

9-11 July (TBC) - Trek Food Truck Festival moves about the country serving myriad tasty treats touching down in Amsterdam in July.

July to August (TBC) - Kwaku in Zuidoost brings colour and frivolity to Nelson Mandela Park. It's all-set to go ahead in 2021. Check their website for details.

24-25 July (TBC) - Milkshake dazzles.

31 July to 8 August - Pride paints the city with rainbow hues. No need to choose, just do it all in true Amsterdam style.

AUGUST 5-8 August - Is electronica or hip-hop, grime and R&B more your thing?

Take in techno and dance acts at Dekmantel.

7 August - The good times continue to cruise on with the Canal Parade, an all-out fun and fabulous party in the city centre - the major event of Pride Amsterdam. Don your best rainbow hues as you cheer on the spectacular floats as they make their way along the city’s adored canals.

7 August - Get down with the crew at Appelsap.

13-22 August - Fans of classical, jazz and world music won’t want to miss the unique Grachtenfestival where orchestras and bands play along and on Amsterdam’s canals.

27-29 August - Uitmarkt, a festival that launches the city’s premier museums, theatres and music venues’ new cultural programme.

Late August - Bijlmerbios is an outdoor film festival in the city’s vibrant southeast.

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by MINA VUČIĆ

T R A DI T ION

King’s Day

Go with the Flow

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ne of the most important days of the Dutch year is King’s Day. This is when around a million people gather and descend down the city streets to celebrate the birthday of their king. King Willem Alexander was born on 27th of April and so there are many parties, flea markets and, of course, the king himself visits one or several cities with his family. The bucket list for this national event is to wear something orange, visit one of the many free markets, and most importantly, toast for the king with an Oranjebitter. Every street, canal, balcony and terrace is covered with orange-clad revelers – so don’t expect

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to get anywhere in a hurry. Just take your time and go with the flow.

Originally, the Deutch celebrated Princess’ Day for Wilhelmina’s birthday which was on the 31st of August.

The feast involved many children’s games and decorated streets. When Wilhelmina became the new queen after her father’s death, it was changed to Queen’s Day. King Willem Alexander has followed in this tradition. He was born on the 27th of April and this became the official King’s Day in 2014.

The Dutch royal family bears the name: House of Oranje. This literally means the color orange. As a result, it has become Holland’s national color.

On King’s Day people wear orange

tors or locals don’t have a boat to get on, they can still enjoy the nautical fun from dry land. The corner of the Prinsengracht and Amstelveld is a great spot to watch the parade of King’s Day boats go by, or of course one of Amsterdam’s 1,500 bridges. Also, while most of the visitor attractions in Amsterdam close down on King’s Day, some museums remain open for those who want to soak up some culture or simply get some respite from the crowds, The Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Anne Frank House will all be open on King’s Day! A lot of energy is required for the day as parties begin the night before, with numerous clubs and open air fes-

tivals, which kick off at midnight. From huge open-air dance events to small stages set up in neighborhood cafes.

Believe it or not a staggering 135,950 tickets went up for sale for the 12 major King’s Day dance festivals in 2015!

The Dutch sure know how to party.

Every feast requires a toast. On King’s Day, the people make a toast to the king with Orange Bitter, a bright orange liqueur. The drink was created in 1620 to celebrate Prince Fredrick Henry’s victory. Initially it was not well-known but after William of Orange became the first king, it was produced once more. Since then, Orange Bitter has been closely associated with the Dutch royal family. Definitely, a must try celebration. Proost!

Flea markets are held in parks and streets, with many people offering their unwanted possessions, music or other entertainment for sale

clothes, often even donning orange wigs or make-up. One man’s trash is another’s treasure, and King’s Day is certainly a day for treasure hunting. On King’s Day, people are allowed to sell things on the street without requiring a permit. Flea markets are held in parks and streets, with many people offering their unwanted possessions, music or other entertainment for sale.

In Utrecht, the flea markets even start the night before King’s Day. Believe it or not, an average street seller makes 90 euros on the birthday! Not bad!

Amsterdam’s canals are flooded with a sea of orange on King’s Day, as thousands of brightly decorated party boats fill the famous waterways, gliding their way through the city. If visi-

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THE NETHERLANDS

by MINA VUČIĆ

Equality For All The Netherlands stand as a freedom role model C U LT U R E

he culture of the Netherlands is diverse, reflecting regional differences as well as the foreign influences built up by centuries of the Dutch people's mercantile and explorative spirit. The Netherlands and its people have long played an important role as centre of cultural liberalism and tolerance.

The symbols of Dutchness—wooden shoes, lace caps, tulips, and windmills— are known throughout the world, but they tell only a small part of the story of contemporary life in the Netherlands. This country is all about freedom and liberty, the country’s culture, rooted in the acceptance of others.

Twenty years ago, just after the stroke of midnight on April 1, the mayor of Amsterdam married four couples in City Hall as the Netherlands became the first country in the world with legalized same-sex marriages. This is one of the first steps the Netherland’s took to promote their free spirit.

Amsterdam has long been hailed as a leading champion of LGBT rights – not only in the law but also in spirit. The city’s love affair with tolerance began as far back as 1811, when homosexuality was decriminalised un-

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der Napoleonic law. A hundred years later, one of the world’s first openly gay bars, The Empire, was already serving cosmos in Amsterdam; and the official Dutch LGBT organisation, was founded in 1946. While New York holds the badge of honour for throwing the first gay-pride event in 1969, the Dutch launched their own Pink Saturday shortly thereafter, in 1979. Still

hosted in a different city every year, Pink Saturday’s mission is geared towards activism.

Every year in early August, Amsterdam celebrates the equality of straight, gay, lesbian and transgender people.

The Canal Parade is of course the most famous event at Pride in Amsterdam.

A string of gaudily decorated boats sailing on the Prinsengracht canal and

part of the Amstel. The parade is held on the first Saturday in August and draws countless visitors every year.

Amsterdam’s famous canals are at the centre of the city’s highlights and home to the world-renowned Canal Parade where the floats actually float and the public line the canals to take in the spectacle. Thousands of people stand along the canals to see the parade and celebrate equal rights for all. It is Holland’s way of showing that it welcomes and accepts people of all sexual orientations, including gays, lesbians, and transgender. The city is a vibrant rainbow of events in gay and straight venues alike, with dance parties, film screenings, sporting events, debates, exhibitions and much more.

Pride Amsterdam is official added to the Intangible Heritage Inventory of the Netherlands as the essential part of the Dutch culture. The Netherlands shows a very high level of social acceptance to the LGBT community. Through the years, social acceptance towards LGBT groups has been increasing and the Netherlands received top rankings in several surveys into the attitude towards the groups.

Pride Amsterdam remains one of the biggest and best celebrations of gay pride around the globe. It traditionally starts on the last Saturday of July and lasts until the first Sunday of August, attracting more than 350,000 participants and visitors who stay and play in Amsterdam.

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TOURISM

The City of Freedom You won’t regret a stay in Amsterdam

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eople from all over the world travel to Amsterdam for its liberal culture and quirky sights. As one of Europe’s most open-minded cities, Amsterdam offers an array of accommodations, bars, and festivals, as well as a thriving cannabis culture with over 200 coffee shops in the city center. The city has only 821.000 inhabitants, however, it gets visited by around 14 million tourists each year. Around 4.5 million of those are Dutch tourists and more than 9.5 million are foreign visitors.

Believe it or not, in the 13th century, Amsterdam was a small fishing village located behind a dam which protected the city from the water enter-

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ing from the Amstel river. At that time, it was located at the lade of the Amstel. And this is when the name of one of the most famous cities in the world was formed-Amsterdam.

A crazy fact about Amsterdam is that it is a city which is built on polesa lot of them- a total of eleven million, placing the city a meter or so below sea-level. The train station of Amsterdam Central alone needs 9000 poles to be supported whereas a normal house needs only 10. These wooden poles of 15-20 meters are placed in a sandy layer which is around 11 meters deep. However, Amsterdam’s Royal Palace sits on more than 13,500 wooden piles. As this city actually lies below sea level, it has managed to stay above the water

cally disappear in the Amsterdam canals every year. Only 8.000 – 10.000 get picked out by a special boat from the municipality, the rest dissolve in the waters. The city has over 400 km of bike lanes and several storage facilities to keep your bike safely at a nominal charge. It’s plain and simple: Bikes have the right of way.

Yet another wild fact about Amsterdam is that there are more than 2,500 houseboats, many of which you can stay in instead of a typical hotel.

Located along the canals and Amstel River, these floating homes are built

thanks to its iconic canal system and wooden poles as support. Unfortunately, the swampy marshes beneath make for poor foundations and have resulted in several cracks in staircases and slanted buildings over the years.

As many already know, Amsterdam’s symbol is the bicycle. There are more than 1 million bicycles in the city, however the population is only around 821.000 people. The city has a long-running reputation as a cycle-friendly city, so it’s not surprising to hear frantic bells ringing from cyclists throughout the day. Over 60% of its residents cycle every day, and there are about 3 bicycles for every car on the road. Yearly around 100.000 bikes get stolen, and spontaneously, 25.000 bikes are thrown out or simply magi-

on a concrete pontoon and have all the features of a normal house, such as restrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms.

A definite must try for the adventurous tourists! Poezenboot often draws a crowd of cat lovers as it is the only houseboat in the world used for abandoned cats. Also known as Catboat, this floating sanctuary is about 650 meters southwest of Amsterdam Central Station. It’s open to the public and entrance is free, but donations are welcomed to provide for the cats’ welfare.

All in all, buy a ticket to Amsterdam, you won’t regret it!.

There are more than 2,500 houseboats, many of which you can stay in instead of a typical hotel

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Netherlands The

FOCUS ON

2021