EU PRO Programme funded by the European Union and the Republic of Serbia
  • Republic of Serbia
  • UNOPS

Belgrade, 2 October 2018

European Union invests almost five million Euros in the development of economic infrastructure

Within its overall support worth 9.6 million Euros allocated to the infrastructure development through the EU PRO development Programme, the European Union (EU) will provide more than 4.8 million EUR for the realisation of 21 projects[1] in local self-governments[2] in South Serbia, with the aim of improving competitiveness at local level by upgrading conditions for business and attracting new investments.

Four and a half million Euros of the approved funds has been allocated through the Public Call, which was open from 25 April to 11 June 2018, for the realisation of nine economic infrastructure projects in Bojnik, Kragujevac, Paraćin, Priboj, Smederevo, Sokobanja Svilajnac, Šabac and Užice. The projects involve infrastructure equipping of industrial zones, i.e. construction of access roads, improvement or construction of communal and tourist infrastructure. In that manner, the investment potential of these local self-governments will be upgraded through cooperation with interested investors, with the aim of achieving economic growth and opening new jobs. The projects will be co-financed by local self-governments in the total amount of 905,392 Euros, so the overall investment in the development of economic infrastructure amounts to five and a half million Euros.

The support of the European Union to creating conducive business environment also includes the development of project-technical documentation as the prerequisite for expanding economic infrastructure. Eighteen applications were submitted for the Public Call, open from 25 April to 11 June 2018, out of which the Programme Steering Committee approved twelve projects to be financed by the EU with a total amount of 274,695 Euros. The projects to  be implemented in Bela Palanka, Čačak, Doljevac, Knjaževac, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Kučevo, Niš, Smederevo, Topola, Vladičin Han and Vranje will enable the establishment and operations of industrial zones and technological parks, upgraded work of business incubators, start-ups, congress and training centres, as well as agricultural development. Local self-governments will participate in financing these initiatives with a total amount of 130,891 Euros.

By supporting these projects, the European Union contributes to the improvement of business and investment climate in Serbia, while strengthening competitiveness and creating conditions for achieving better economic results. The projects are expected to contribute to the realisation of at least 20 new investments and opening of about 1,600 new jobs.

The results of the public calls are available on the EU PRO website – see the list of approved economic infrastructure projects here and the list of approved projects for project-technical documentation here.

 

[1] These projects are part of the EU support to infrastructure development that includes 77 projects with a total value of 9.6 million Euros.

[2]Local self-governments where the projects will be realized: Bela Palanka, Bojnik, Čačak, Doljevac, Knjaževac, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Kučevo, Niš, Paraćin, Priboj, Smederevo, Sokobanja, Svilajnac, Šabac, Topola, Užice, Vladičin Han and Vranje.