July 9 - Serbia and Friuli Venezia Giulia are the two territories united by a strong connection, strengthened by the presence of the Serbian community in Trieste, but also by the many Italian companies active in the Balkan country. During the visit of the FVG Region delegation in Belgrade, led by Regional President Debora Serracchiani, three cooperation agreements were signed at the headquarters of the Italian diplomatic mission. In addition to the governor of the region, the Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Manzo and the Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Zorana Mihajlovic took part in the event. The first agreement was signed by the consortium "Corridoio Italia-Serbia," formed by the logistics port in Pordenone, and the Serbijatransport consortium. The protocol was inspired by the project "Destination Kragujevac," which focuses on infrastructure and logistics activated between Finest and the logistics port in Destra Tagliamento. The agreement will study and analyze traffic and dumping issues, and will focus on creating a "desk" for the regulation of road transport traffic. Finest and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia in Belgrade, which captures the entirety of Serbia’s economic reality, signed a cooperation agreement for the renewed bilateral exchange of information, and the pursuit of initiatives aimed at internationalizing companies to ultimately increase in foreign trade. Finally, another agreement was signed between the Area Science Park and the Serbian Ministry for Education, Science and Technology for the activation of training and assistance programs in technology transfers, territorial innovation systems, the definition of R&D programs that could receive EU funding within the project Horizon 2020, and the enhancement of financial instruments such as micro-credit.

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES EXCEED €3.5 BILLION

The agreements build on the sound economic relations already in place between Friuli Venezia Giulia and Serbia. Friuli Venezia Giulia companies are "actively operating in Serbia, making a significant contribution to the more than €3.5 billion commercial interchange and €2 billion of investments. These figures make Italy Serbia’s leading trade partner and the largest foreign investor," pointed out President Debora Serracchiani in an interview published by the Belgrade daily "Blic."