Minister of Economy and Regional Development Nebojsa Ciric will visit Rome today to attend a session of the Serbia-Italy Business Council and acquaint prospective investors with Serbia’s investment possibilities.

Ciric is travelling to Rome at the invitation of Italian Minister of Economic Development, Infrastructure and Transport Corrado Passera.

The Business Council, comprising renowned businesspeople, was founded in 2010 with the aim of improving economic cooperation, proposing measures and activities for cooperation between the two states and promoting investment in Serbia.

Ciric will talk with Passera about strengthening bilateral economic relations, further development and possibilities for investments and increasing their trade volume.

For years Italy has been one of Serbia’s key partners in the political, economic and strategic sense.

Bilateral economic relations between Serbia and Italy are characterized by long-term, intensive and complex economic cooperation in almost all remits, which is determined by Italy’s position and importance as a well-developed state and an EU member.

With its trade exchange with Serbia in 2011 Italy was second-ranked, while in terms of import it was third-ranked.

Italy is one of the largest investors in Serbia, among the top six in the country.

It has invested around €800 million so far and opened 400 companies, banks and insurance companies in Serbia which employ over 20,000 workers.

So far none of the Italian companies or banks have withdrawn from our market, which affirms that Serbia can guarantee stability to potential investors, the Ministry says in a statement.