Serbia

<p>The envisaged long-term impact of the project is to contribute to increase inclusive export growth in the targeted value chains contributing to improved livelihoods and decent employments (more and better jobs).</p><p><strong>T</strong>he project will focus on competitiveness and sustainable export growth of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and improving the capacities of business support organizations (BSOs) to provide quality services to SMEs. Furthermore, the programme will foster regional exchange and knowledge sharing facilitated among SMEs and BSOs from partner countries.</p><p>Agribusiness was identified as a viable priority sector for assistance across all four countries as it provides significant potential for the social inclusion of vulnerable groups and plays a particular role in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).</p><p>To demonstrate tangible changes leading to sustainable and inclusive growth, the project will focus on &nbsp;selected product groups in each country.&nbsp;</p><p>The project is structured around three outcomes formulated as follows:</p><p><strong>Outcome 1: Improved competitiveness and sustainability of SMEs in the agribusiness sector</strong></p><p><strong>Outcome 2: Improved BSOs performance in the agribusiness sector</strong></p><p align="left"><strong>Outcome 3: Regional / sectoral exchange and knowledge sharing and collaboration between sector actors</strong></p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong>The project will start with a 6-month inception phase to ensure that technical assistance responds to the beneficiary countries&rsquo; needs and priorities, project offices are set up and the final product groups for project focus in each country are selected.</p><p>The project will assist SMEs&rsquo; in producing goods according to market requirements, linking them to targeted markets to increase sales, supporting their digital transformation and adherence to sustainability principles/standards. To this end, beneficiaries including government and relevant sectoral institutions will be supported in taking a strategic approach toward the sector&rsquo;s development and BSOs to deliver quality service to SMEs for the selected priority areas.</p>

<p>The Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) is a regional free trade agreement, currently comprising Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia, and Republic of Serbia. Over the last years, CEFTA has been able to remove most intra-regional tariff barriers for goods. With the adoption of CEFTA Additional Protocol 5 (AP5) on trade facilitation and the conclusion of negotiations of CEFTA Additional Protocol 6 (AP6) on trade in services, the region has at its disposal instruments for a further deepening of regional economic integration and alignment with the EU acquis. However, the operationalisation and implementation of reforms agreed at the regional level remains a challenge. This Action will therefore support CEFTA Parties with the cooperation of the CEFTA Secretariat in implementing its regional agenda on the facilitation of trade in goods and services.&nbsp;</p><p>ITC will primarily contribute to:</p><ol><li>Enhance the ability of those invovled in the operationalization of AP 6 (i.e. build the capacity of the recently appointed CEFTA Contact Points for Services; foster Intra-governmental cooperation among relevant agencies; and facilitate linkages between policy makers and private sector); and,</li><li>Provide advisory support to all CEFTA parties with a view to improving compliance of domestic regulations and procedures with AP6.</li></ol>