FIC held its Regular Annual Assembly
EU integration and harmonisation with EU legislation are key priorities
As of 20th December 2022, the Foreign Investors Council held the regular annual session of the Assembly, adopting the Annual and Financial Reports for 2022 and statutory changes related to the election method and length of FIC Board of Directors members’ mandate. In her opening address, the FIC Vice President and General Manager of Roche for Serbia and Montenegro Mrs. Ana Govedarica emphasized that 2022 has been a huge milestone for the FIC as the organization celebrated two decades of work. “We’re proud of the growth achieved and grateful to members for their engagement,” adding that “the year behind us has been far from easy, but the FIC has remained engaged and flexible, consistently seeking opportunities to improve the economy and whole society in Serbia.”
The FIC modified priorities in the recommendation list compared to last year’s issue due to new circumstances: intensification of negotiations with the EU on membership status, harmonization of domestic regulations with European standards, and speed up work on White Book recommendations, bringing inflation back within the target corridor, completion of the restructuring of infrastructure companies, especially in the field of energy and optimization of the fiscal burden and public expenditures to prevent the country’s public debt growth.
The Assembly meeting allowed for tracking past activity records and adopting the Annual and Financial Reports for 2022. This year FIC marked the 20th anniversary of the foundation and working on enhancing the business and investment climate in Serbia. Also, this year, the FIC flagship project, the White Book, was launched in a new format within the framework of the Working Group of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the FIC for implementing the White Book recommendations. Further, FIC established the ninth, Tourism & Hospitality committee, thus making it known that this sector has a significant perspective in the Serbian economy. FIC Serbia continued intense dialogue with all the relevant stakeholders in Serbia, including the Government, the European Union, international financial organizations, the diplomatic corps, business associations, and other similar bodies. FIC initiated the regulatory initiatives in significant areas such as taxes, renewable energy, land conversion (without fees), broadband law, and e-invoicing. Several professional conferences and education were organized, including the Open Balkans initiative presentation. FIC members participated in the significant number of important events and conferences. More information in the FIC Annual Report for 2022 available for free download on the FIC website (www.fic.org.rs).
