French investors interested in investing in Serbia – Car and food industries the most attractive

Serbia has favorable conditions for attracting French investors interested in investing in machine and car industries, energy and environmental protection, said the president of the Union of Chambers of Commerce of France (CCI France), Andre Marcon.

– French investors are also interested in the agricultural and food industry in Serbia, with a projection of EUR 400 million of investments thanks to the EU funds – Marcon said in his interview for the Cord magazine and pointed out that Serbia was the economic center of the Western Balkans, and that the position opened a market of more than a billion consumers to it.

– The EU integration process and the access to the fund for the reform and development are favorable conditions for attracting French investors – Marcon stated and noted that the reforms carried out by the Serbian Government should be supported in order to improve the competitiveness of the local economy.

He cited the increased flexibility of the Labor law and the Law on Bankruptcy Procedure as positive examples, as well as the Government's readiness to improve public finances.

– These are important factors for drawing in foreign investments. However, our citizens are still not quite familiar with your country and its potentials, which is something you should be working on – Marcon recommended.

According to him, the opening of the Hutchinson factory in Ruma and Tigar Tyres, the local branch of Michelin, are good examples of the cooperation between France and Serbia.

Marcon said that, relative to 2009, the trade between Serbia and France was two times bigger thanks to the signing of the agreement on the strategic partnership in 2011, as well as several other agreements on the bilateral cooperation. While talking about investments in the car industry, Marcon said that there was room for a large number of investment projects and that French companies made up around 10% of international enterprises in that sector.

Vlada Republike Srbije

Hutchinson d.o.o. Ruma

Tigar Tyres doo Pirot

Union of Chambers of Commerce of France

Andre Marcon

Labor Law

Law on Bankruptcy Procedure

Hutchinson

Michelin