Australia-Serbia Services Trade Forum held in Melbourne

On the 23rd October 2018, the ASCC hosted the Australia-Serbia Services Trade Forum at the International Chamber House in Melbourne. In addition to the specific focus on Serbia as a country, the event played more broadly into services trade in the region of Central & Eastern Europe. The event received the official endorsement of Chris Hayes, Federal MP for Fowler.

Serbia is one of only two Western Balkans countries currently going through the accession process with the European Union and according to the recently adopted European Commission strategy is on track to join the block in 2025 subject to meeting all relevant criteria. Once part of the EU, Serbia would stand to benefit from the EU/Australia FTA currently in the process of being negotiated.

The forum featured keynote speakers from Austrade (Dr Chuyang Liu), PwC (Ben Lannan) and Global IT Factory (Gary Foster) followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dr Aron Perenyi (Swinburne University). More than 30 Victorian based businesses and members of the South East European community attended exploring opportunities in the region.

The presentations covered regulatory frameworks, barriers to entry and a case study presented by Global IT Factory, a Melbourne based company operating key parts of their software development and service business in Serbia. Other key business opportunities include professional services, education, outsourcing and tourism. The event concluded with a networking session with Serbian wines and canapés on offer.

The ASCC would like to thank its sponsors Global IT Factory and RAS Trade as well as event partners Austrade, PwC, Swinburne University, International Chamber House and SBS Serbian Radio for their ongoing support.

ASCC Australijsko srpska privredna komora

GLOBAL IT FACTORY

Ambasada Australije Beograd

Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova Republike Srbije

Ministarstvo finansija Republike Srbije

Australian Serbian Chamber of Commerce

Australia Serbia Services Trade Forum

Global IT Factory

Embassy of Australia in Belgrade

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia

Ministry of Finance of Serbia

RAS Trade

Austrade

PwC

Swinburne University

International Chamber House in Melbourne

Radio SBS

Dr Chuyang Liu

Ben Lannan

Gary Foster

Aron Perenyi

outsorcing