On the occasion of the signing and entry into force of the Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Embassies of the Republic of Serbia in London and the United Kingdom in Belgrade organized a joint cocktail party via video link for officials, chambers of commerce representatives and business communities members of both countries, on 23 June 2021.
In addition to Ambassadors H.E. Sian Macleod and H.E. Aleksandra Joksimović, the guests were also addressed by Ms Tatjana Matić, Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and Mr Graham Stuart MP, Minister for Exports in the Government of the United Kingdom.
In her address, Minister Matić underlined the importance of the Agreement signed between the Republic of Serbia and the United Kingdom, assessing that its conclusion marked a new era in our trade relations. She also underlined the importance of an even more intensive exchange of bilateral contacts and invited British officials to visit Serbia.
As Minister Graham Stuart pointed out, the signed Agreement was a reflection of the common ambition aimed at further improving trade, which amounted to 682 million GBP last year, and which doubled in the past ten years. He recalled recent meetings with officials of the Republic of Serbia and expressed a joint commitment to strengthen bilateral economic relations. The Minister communicated the interest of the UK to participate in the infrastructure development projects in Serbia, stressing the important role that the British Export Promotion Agency had in that sense. Concluding his address, Minister Stuart once again underlined the UK commitment to promoting overall bilateral relations with Serbia, emphasizing that the signed Agreement represented a strong impetus for future cooperation.
In addressing the guests, Ambassador Joksimović pointed out the importance of further strengthening mutual trade exchange, both for bilateral relations and for the overall post-pandemic recovery of our economies. As she accentuated, the signed Agreement represents a framework for doing business under the conditions that were valid for both sides until the end of last year, with an additional incentive for the development of even more dynamic economic relations between the Republic of Serbia and the United Kingdom. “The signing of the Agreement is yet another confirmation of good bilateral relations and the foundation for the development of future cooperation in the post-Brexit period,” Mrs. Joksimović said. At the end of her presentation, the Ambassador stated the excellent results of our economy, despite the pandemic, and conveyed the expectations of international institutions on even more dynamic growth of Serbia in the current year.
The reception was attended by Martin Vickers, Member of the House of Commons and the UK Prime Minister’s Special Trade Envoy for Strengthening Trade Relations with the WB, Louis Taylor, Chief Executive Officer at UK Export Finance, Andrew Page, Director of the Western Balkans Department at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Remigi Winzap, Member of EBRD Board of Directors, representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, prominent members of the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, as well as representatives of the British companies Bechtel, Mineco Ltd and Apeiron Capital Ltd.