Published on Monday, 06 February 2012 14:43
The EU has donated EUR 2.2bn to Serbia in the last decade, daily Večernje novosti writes.
According to the Serbian government’s EU Integration Office, the Serbian citizens saved up to EUR 200mn since the visa-free regime was introduced. On the other hand, Serbia only has a positive trade with Cyprus, Latvia and Lithuania while it imports more than it exports when other EU member states are concerned.
Serbia imported goods worth EUR 6.59bn and it earned EUR 4.05bn from exports in 2011.
The EU is Serbia’s biggest trade partner and 56 percent of the total trade is carried out with the EU member states.
Serbia imports oil, gas, cars and auto parts, medicines, coal, phones, detergents, toilet paper, electricity from the EU member states and exports steel, corn, frozen fruit, wires, cables, electric conductors, car tires etc.
Serbia mostly exports its products to Italy, Germany, Romania and Slovenia and imports majority of products from Germany, Italy and Hungary.
Investments have decreased in the last two years due to the economic crisis. Around EUR 17bn has been invested in Serbia since 2011. 60 percent of the total amount came from the EU.
The EU has donated around EUR 2.2bn to Serbia in the last ten years, mainly for reforms in the judicial system, local-self government and medical services, refugees, combat against corruption and construction.
Source B92