Von der Leyen: Over 100 million euros of investments in Serbia - President Vučić asks the EU for exemption from steel tariffs
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that membership in the European Union remains a strategic commitment and priority of the country's foreign policy, after meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Serbian president also touched on the challenges in the energy sector. He said that the oil industry is under American sanctions, which practically translate into European sanctions. Vučić added that he has submitted a letter to von der Leyen requesting Serbia's exemption from customs duties and new steel quotas. He predicted a difficult winter in terms of energy, despite the country's large reserves of oil and gas.
However, Vučić praised the role of the European Union as the largest trading partner and main investor in the country. “54.5% of exports from the Western Balkans to the EU come from Serbia, while 48.5% of Serbian exports go to four main countries, namely Germany, Italy, Romania and Hungary. Also, five European Union countries account for about 60% of total investments in Serbia,” he underlined.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Serbia made the choice to join the European Union two decades ago and that "now is the right time to accelerate the pace." According to her, it is necessary to advance reforms in the rule of law, in the field of media and electoral legislation, as well as harmonization with the European Union's foreign policy.
Von der Leyen also said that important steps will be taken to connect Serbia to the EU energy market, citing concrete projects such as the Trans-Balkan Energy Corridor and the Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnector.
"Another benefit is access to the single market. This is the core of our Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. We have already made over 100 million euros of new investments available to Serbia. We are also working on the country's integration into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). This will make money transfers faster, safer and much cheaper," von der Leyen stressed.
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