SPECIAL EDITION
"World Markets and Opportunities"
BELGIUM
2013
The Kingdom of Belgium is a federal
monarchy. It is a founding member of the
EU. Brussels is the capital of Belgium and
hosts the EU's headquarters as well as
those of several other major international
organisations such as NATO.
The population density of
Belgium is 365 per square kilometre
as of March 2013. The most densely
inhabited area is Flanders.
Belgium is a Federal State made of
Communities and Regions: Dutch-speaking
Flanders in the north, francophone Wallonia in
the south and bilingual French-Dutch capital
Brussels. The German community in the East.
Belgium has three official languages, which
are in order of size of the native speaking population
of Belgium: Dutch, French and German. Many other
languages are spoken by Expats living in Belgium.
Belgium has weathered the global crisis quite
well, notably with a relatively good unemployment
performance. GDP expanded 0.10 percent in the
second quarter of 2013 over the previous quarter.
Belgium is famous for its chocolates, which are appreciated
the world over. A favourite dish is mussels and chips (French
fries) which, according to legend, are a Belgian invention. The
country also produces over 1 000 brands of beer.
Folklore plays a major role in Belgium's
cultural life: the country has a comparatively
high number of processions, cavalcades,
parades, 'ommegangs' and 'ducasses',
'kermesse' and other local festivals, with an
originally religious or mythological background
King Philippe is the reigning King of the Belgians, having ascended the
throne on 21 July 2013. He is the eldest child of King Albert II and Queen
Paola. Royal family: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde have four children.
interview
H.E. Mr. Alain Kundycki, Ambassador of Belgium to Serbia
Progress Made,
Still More to Do
I think that Belgian companies that are operating in Serbia are satisfied
with their investments in general. Still, they have experienced some
difficulties and surprises with the regulatory framework, dealing with
the administration, bureaucracy and red tape. That’s something that is
hampering their development in Serbia
diverse and intense. In political terms, we are
cooperating with Serbia on its EU integration
plans. Also, I would say that the most visible of our bilateral relations is perhaps in
the economic area.
• In which segments is cooperation between
the two countries most developed?
- I’ve been very blessed, I would say, that during
my mission in Serbia some very important Belgian investments have taken place. The main
one is, of course, the take over of Delta Maxi by
Delhaize which continues to expand its activities in Serbia. Also, we had investments in the
renewable energy field. A rendering plant that
processes animal waste from slaughterhouses
has been built in Inđija which is now fully operational. There are other projects in process
that are being carried out now and some in
the field of wind energy that could materialize very soon. Of course, other Belgian companies are present in Serbia in the sectors of
added that that area had a great potential in
terms of boosting cooperation between Belgium and Serbia. How can Belgium help Serbia with the agricultural industrialization?
- Serbia is blessed with great agricultural assets, the richness of its soil, its favourable climatic conditions and available land. We have
already some companies present in that field,
and there are wider possibilities for further
cooperation. We have had a number of interested companies that came here to look into
these possibilities.
• What are the criteria that Serbians food
producers have to fulfil in order to export in
Belgium?
e are strong advocates of
- The Belgian food market is a very demandSerbia’s becoming a meming one in terms of quality. The Belgians
ber of the European Union,”
are used to and demand high quality food
says H.E. Mr. Alain Kundycki,
in the shops and on their table. That’s the
Ambassador of Belgium to Serbia: “It should
market aspect, but the quality is also backed
be recalled that it was during the Belgian EU
by a strong regulatory framework which is
presidency in 2010 that the European Counaligned with EU standards. Belgium
cil tasked the European Commission to
and the European Union will not acprepare a report on the possibility to
The major advantage of Serbia is its
cept products that do not conform to
grant candidate status to Serbia. At that
workforce, which is very available, maybe European standards. These standards
time there was still some reluctance
are strictly implemented. We are thus
and divergence of opinion within the
a little bit too much for the good of the
two difficulties: on the one hand
European Union and Belgium wanted
country with a very high unemployment rate facing
Serbian standards may differ from EU
to go ahead, so we proposed a solution
ones and second, the implementation
that all member states could agree. I’m
just taking this as an example of our com- agriculture and food industry, public lighting, of existing regulations and standards is ofmitment to Serbia becoming member of EU.” floor coverings, building materials, metalwork- tentimes too loose. The consequence is that
foodstuffs which answer the expectations of
ing industry, to name but a few.
the market but do not meet the standards
• What is your view of the overall quality of
• Earlier this year, you underlined the impor- cannot be exported to EU countries. It’s a
Serbian-Belgian relations?
- I think the relations are excellent. They are tance of agricultural industrialization and lost opportunity.
"W
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
difficulties
Belgian companies have experienced some difficulties
and surprises with the regulatory framework, dealing with
the administration, bureaucracy and red tape.
quality
Belgians want and demand extremely
high quality standards of food in stores
and restaurants.
destination
Serbia is good destination for companies
that look for the other markets to reexport what is produced here.
still in force. And furthermore they conflict
• What experiences have Belgian investors in investors.
I can say that Belgian companies that are with recently adopted regulations. In spite of
Serbia had in terms of the efficiency of their investments, the business climate and benefits operating in Serbia are satisfied with their this being recognized nothing could be done
investments in general. Still, they have expe- about it. So this company has given up trycompared to other investment destinations?
- The workforce here is the main asset. I’ve rienced some difficulties and surprises with ing to solve this quandary and resigned itself
heard from companies that have invested the regulatory framework, in their dealing to pay the fines. Here I have a report from
another Belgian company, I will not menhere that they are very pleased with the
level of the quality of the workforce, with
We have very significant cooperation tion the name, of which I will read an ex“Our general impression is that the
its knowledge and willingness to work
in fields of police, justice and the fight cerpt:
administration here is extremely slow
and be trained. There is a large reservoir
of available workers which unfortunately against crime. This is conducted by the in the decision-making process and the
procedures are slow, blurred and unclear.
for Serbia is a result of its current high
interior ministry
Also there is the lack of will and ability to
unemployment numbers.
Its central location in the Balkans where with the administration, bureaucracy and meet business requirements and demands of
neighbouring countries can easily be reached red tape. That’s something that is hampering investors which leads to a lack of motivation
and the trade agreements that Serbia has their development in Serbia. Let me give you on their part and leads them to seek other
with third countries like Turkey and Russia a couple of examples. I have heard a compa- markets for investments.”
We know that the Serbian government inand the CEFTA which provide privileged ac- ny complaining that it had to deal with some
cess to their markets for Serbian exports are legal provisions that date back to 1960s, to tends to change this and has been working
other factors that make Serbia attractive to the socialist period, which are obsolete but on it, but still there is progress to be made.
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Investors are now impatiently waiting for the
new law regulating building and construction
permits to be adopted by the end of the year.
Another demand from companies is greater
job flexibility. The government is aware of the
situation and I hope that the new Labour law
that has been drafted can be adopted soon.
• Within the region, how important is the role
of Serbia?
- Serbia is not only centrally located, it is also
the largest country of the region, in terms of
territory, of population and of borders it has
with the other countries in the region. Obviously, Serbia is a key player for regional stability and its role is undeniably very important.
Serbia is aware of this and in recent times we
have seen several high level Serbian visits
to neighbouring countries and also visits of
those countries’ high representatives to Serbia, just like the one by President of Croatia
Mr. Ivo Josipović, that took place in October.
These are important signals that will induce
further positive developments. We are very
pleased by that and applaud these efforts.
significantly larger regional market which in
turn will be more attractive for investments.
• What do you think of the European integration process in Serbia thus far?
- There have very serious changes for the
better in recent years and in the last twelve
months very significant progress has been
made in the field of the relations between
Belgrade and Priština. This issue is a difficult
one that has impacted negatively on the European path of Serbia so we were impressed
• What is your opinion of the internal results
that Serbia has achieved during the European integration process, and what should
Serbia do more in this respect?
- Legal reforms are important and much has
been done already. However I think more
emphasis should be put on implementation. Sometimes we may observe that work
is done in terms of legislation, but then the
instruments, institutions, qualified personnel,
financial means, etc. necessary for its implementation are missing. A good law on paper
is not a good law if it is not implemented! In
this respect it is important to mention that
the EU is already assisting Serbia with its
programs to achieve this.
• What kinds of cooperation do Belgium and
Serbia have in non-economic areas like education, culture and sports?
- We have very significant cooperation in
fields of police, justice and fight against
crime. This is conducted by the interior ministry. Our police attaché is based in Vienna,
but he comes here on a regular basis and
maintains constant contact with his Serbian
counterparts. As far as culture is concerned,
• How important is it for West Balkan counlet me remind you that Belgium is a federal
tries to cooperate more among themselves in
state in which culture among other governorder to improve the region’s standing in the
mental responsibilities is the competence
economy and other segments?
of the Federal entities. One of these, the
- We see a great potential there. Belgium is a
French Community of Belgium (CFB) has a
very strong advocate of regional cooperation
cooperation program with the University
not just for others but for itself as its history
of Belgrade for the teaching of the French
shows. Belgium and Serbia became indelanguage. A lecturer from the CFB
pendent countries about the same
time. Belgium very quickly realized Sometimes we may observe that work is done in is here on a permanent basis. Furthat for growth and prosperity, we terms of legislation, but then the instruments thermore, in the framework of the
“Organisation internationale de la
needed strong cooperation with our
do not exist for its implementation
Francophonie” in cooperation with
neighbours. An economic union was
established with the Grand Duchy of Lux- and happy to see the determination of the France and Luxemburg, the French Comemburg in the 1920s. Just prior to World War Serbian government to deal with it and to munity supports another important training
Two, the two countries and the Netherlands present practical solutions for a long time program in the French language designed
launched the Benelux idea. And then after problem. This has given concrete results for civil servants who will have to deal with
World War Two, Belgium wholeheartedly have been duly recognized by the Progress European integration matters since French
is one of the official languages of European
participated from the onset in the European report of the European Commission.
There have also been positive develop- Union. In the cultural field I am particularly
integration endeavour which led to the Euroments with respect to judicial reform, the pleased that renowned Belgian artists and
pean Union we know today.
Clearly, regional cooperation, wherever it is fight against corruption, but I think it’s fair to companies respond positively in great numin the world, will always benefit the countries say that we had hoped that more would have bers to invitations to participate to the mathat are part of it. And we think that the coun- been accomplished. But again efforts are go- jor cultural events that are organized here.
tries of the Balkans, with their very similar ing in the right direction and there is no rea- It tells us three important things: first, Bellanguages, have something in common that son to doubt that they will be continued. On gian artists are appreciated in Serbia; seccan help them to cooperate more. You would the other hand, the government has made it ond they love to come here and, third, Belthen have not only individual domestic mar- clear that it is determined to deal with the grade is recognized as an important centre
kets of limited size with populations some- economy and the precarious situation of the for culture and a place to be. I can only fully
where between four and eight million, but a public finances. This also has to be welcomed. agree with that. ■
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
Exclusive distributor for Serbia:
MEDACOM DOO
Tel. 018/200-252; www.berghoff.rs
interview
Mihailo Vesović, Vice President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce
Bolstering Higher Forms
of Cooperation
On November 14, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce will host
the Serbian-Belgian Business Forum which we will realize in
collaboration with the Belgian-Serbian Business Association (BSBA)
T
he Kingdom of Belgium is a moderately important foreign
trade partner of the Republic of Serbia with trade between
the countries constantly showing stability. According to
Vice President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Mihailo Vesović, the trade value between Serbia and Belgium in 2012
amounted to US $359.8 million. Belgium was ranked 22nd among
the 164 countries to which Serbia exported its goods. The total value
of Serbian export to Belgium stood at US $130.9 million which is
a 1.14% share of overall Serbian exports that year. In the observed
period, exports declined by 2%.
the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the
Serbian and Belgian governments in 2009. During the official visit of the Belgian Deputy PM and
Foreign Minister Didier Reynders to Serbia in April this year, and following his meeting with the Serbian PM and several government ministers, the two sides agreed that the bilateral relations between the two
countries were at a high level and also underlined that there was some
room for further improvement of the cooperation through concluding
agreements and bolstering higher forms of economic cooperation.
• How important is Belgium for Serbia as an economic partner? What • What are the most important Belgian investments in Serbia and
which economic segments have the biggest potential to receive more
is the current level of the trading between Serbia and Belgium?
- In terms of import, Belgium ranked 24th out of the 204 countries investments?
- There are close to 20 companies in Serbia which have Belgian
from which Serbia imported in 2012. The value of imported goods
from Belgium, in the period in question, stood at US $228.9 million companies as shareholders. One of the biggest Belgian investments in
which is a 5% increase relative to the same period last year, and it Serbia was the acquisition of Apatin Brewery by Belgium-based multinarepresents a 1.26% share in total Serbian imports. In 2012, our deficit tional corporation InBev. In 2009, Apatin Brewery was sold to AnheuserBusch InBev (a conglomerate which was created following the merger
in trading with Belgium amounted to US $98 million.
between the U.S. company Anheuser-Busch and
During the first eight months of 2013, the
total trade between Serbia and the Kingdom of
There are close to 20 companies Belgian group InBev) and CVC Capital Partners
which acquired all InBev breweries in Central
Belgium amounted to US $297.1 million. Serbian
in Serbia which have Belgian Europe, including the one in Apatin. The most reexports were valued at US $113.6 million, which
cent Belgian investment in Serbia was Delhaize’s
is a 40% increase compared to the same period
companies as shareholders
acquisition of a 100% share in Delta Maxi Group.
last year, while imports from Belgium amounted
With the acquisition of Maxi, Delhaize has managed to expand to Bulto US $183.5 million, a 25% jump from the same period in 2012.
Serbia mostly exports fruits and vegetables, tobacco, motor vehi- garia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Montenegro, in addition to
cles, yarn and textile products to Belgium, and mostly imports chemi- Romania and Bulgaria where the company had already been doing business. Smederevo-based company Metech, which operates under Belgian
cal products, rubber and plastic products, machinery and devices.
company Metes N.V., is a result of a merger between Metalik Holding
• What are the most important bilateral agreements concluded be- from Belgium and Univerzal Holding from Serbia, both engaged in the
production of all sorts of metal sheeting. Construction of a €350-miltween Belgium and Serbia in the segment of economic cooperation?
- If we are talking about relatively recent international bilateral agree- lion wind farm is supposed to start in the Municipality of Kovačica soon.
ments concluded between the Republic of Serbia and the Kingdom of These are actually two projects which are going to be implemented by
Belgium, there is the Agreement on Debt Consolidation dating back to two companies – Elektrawinds and Elektrawinds-K which is going to
2002, the Agreement on Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Invest- have its registered seat in the Municipality of Kovačica.
Belgian companies are mostly interested in investing in the metal
ments concluded between Serbia and Montenegro and the BelgianLuxembourgish Economic Union which came into force in 2007, and processing industry, renewable energy sources, the food industry and the
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
• What is the cooperation between the PKS and Belgian chambers of
commerce like and how is their work regulated?
- The PKS and the Federation of Belgian Chamber of Commerce have
been cooperating successfully for number of years. The Federation is
an umbrella organization for all chambers of commerce in Belgium.
Apart from that, the Federation represents the interests of over 30
• Could you cite some Serbian companies that operate in Belgium?
- I have already mentioned that the bilateral cooperation between the Belgian and Luxembourgish chambers of commerce abroad. Unlike
other countries, membertwo countries is dominated by the
ship in chambers of combuy/sell arrangements. During
The fact that the Serbian Chamber of Commerce has its merce is not mandatory
the first eight months of this year,
office in Belgium is of great importance for bolstering in Belgium. The Serbian
the following Serbian companies
Chamber of Commerce is a
exported the most to Belgium economic cooperation and supporting Serbian
umbrella organiCROP S&PARTNERS, JT INTERNAcompanies in their appearance on the Belgian market national
zation of businesses which
TIONAL AD SENTA, BLOCKX DOO
has been supporting SerBAČKI PETROVAC, HEMOFARM
AD VRŠAC, PRVI PARTIZAN AD UŽICE, METECH SMEDEREVO, YUBE bian economy for over 156 years, while protecting the interests of
business people through cooperating with line ministries and other
DOO POŽEGA, and FIAT AUTOMOBILI SRBIJA from Kragujevac.
relevant economic institutions. The Chamber also actively supports
• What activities has the Serbian Chamber of Commerce been con- Serbian businesses in their appearances abroad and encourages inducting in terms of establishing economic cooperation with Belgium? ternationalization of business. To this end, the Chamber uses the sup- Since June 2010, and in collaboration with the Kingdom of Belgium port and cooperation with international organizations of chambers of
Embassy’s Economic Affairs Section, the Serbian Chamber of Com- commerce, the agreements we have concluded with foreign chambers
merce has been organizing the visits of the Belgian economic mission of commerce which are our partners, as well as a network of its offices
(Belgian businessmen) to Serbia. Apart from Serbia, Belgian business abroad, including the one in Brussels, thus contributing to presenting
people have also been visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia Serbia as an attractive location for investing and doing business. ■
at the same time. This year, Serbian and Belgian business people from
branches like renewable energy sources, wastewater treatment and IT,
met in Belgrade, on June 20. On November 14, the Serbian Chamber
of Commerce will host the Serbian-Belgian Business Forum which we
will realize in collaboration with the Belgian-Serbian Business Association (BSBA). In cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce of the
Flanders (Voka) Region, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce has implemented a project called PLATO with the aim of boosting economic
cooperation and implementing experiences and advanced technologies in business. The project is about advancing cooperation between
SMEs with the help of corporate managers. The PLATO Serbia project
was funded by the Government of Flanders with the help of the European Commission which declared the project one of the top ten
formats for increasing competitiveness in the SME sector.
Ultrapolymers d.o.o. Belgrade was founded in August 2004, as a sales office
The fact that the Serbian Chamber of Commerce has its office
and daughter company of Ultrapolymers Group NV, Belgium company dealing
in Belgium and that the Head of this office, Gordana Zrnić, has been
with worldwide distribution and compounding of plastics with production sites
monitoring the development of EU regulation is of great importance
all around Europe.
for bolstering economic cooperation and supporting Serbian compaUltrapolymers d.o.o. was first acting as distributor and agent of LyondellBasell
nies in their appearance on the Belgian market. Another important
Industries as a main supplier. Since market demand for new materials growth
work carried out by our office in Belgium is ensuring the reliable
every day, we include in our offer materials of respectable suppliers such as
flow of information which is supposed to help the PKS and its memRavago, Styrolution, Domo, BASF...
bers with being properly informed about the ongoing and planned
Our business goal is to recognize the opportunities and extend product portchanges to EU regulation, as well as for launching relevant initiatives
folio and services and offer it to customers. We are implementing our strategy
in harmonizing the Serbian regulation with the EU. In cooperation
for further grow and strengthening our position on Serbian polyolefin market to
with the Serbian Embassy in Belgium, our office has been actively
remain one of the leading distributors in our country.
engaged in promoting the Serbian economy and its investment and
tourism potential through various presentations and workshops. One
Antifašističke borbe 25/I, 11070 Belgrade, Serbia
of many such events was presented through Mikser and a group of
Tel: +381 11 21 22 035, +381 11 31 49 849, +381 11 31 49 875
Serbian companies which are involved in creative industry under the
Fax: +381 11 31 49 874
title of "Serbia in Redesign: Mikser and Guest”. This was an excepEmail: [email protected], www.ultrapolymers.com
tionally successful event which drew a lot of media attention.
energy sector. Also, there has been growing interest in trilateral cooperation. Serbia’s has a preferential status in trading with the Russian Federation and the countries of the Customs Union (the Russian Federation,
Belarus and Kazakhstan), and this remains very appealing to investors.
belgium | World Markets and Opportunities
interview
Ann-Véronique Mortier, Investment and Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Belgium
Growing Closer
Belgian investors are starting to discover the Serbian market.
A lot of work has been done to attract them by promoting the
market as being attractive. A very useful collaboration exists
for this purpose with SIEPA. The main obstacles are still the big
load of bureaucracy, the non-transparent tender procedures and
the lack of funds
with Delhaize being the biggest
investment. The Belgian companies established in Serbian are
very satisfied with their investment in Serbia. Some of them, as
Metech, are very active in trying to
convince other Belgian companies
to establish themselves in Serbia.
The major problem for attracting
Belgian companies to Serbia, is the
‘psychological distance’ that exist
between Serbia and Belgium. In
other words, there are not so many
links between Serbia and Belgium.
Belgian entrepreneurs don’t think
about doing business with Serbia,
T
he Kingdom of Belgium, in
the very heart and administrative centre of Europe,
is only at the beginning
of its relationship with Serbia and
its economy. According to AnnVéronique Mortier, Investment and
Trade Commissioner at the Embassy
of Belgium, this is not because of
Serbia’s negative public image or
any other intervening factor apart
from a lack of direct experience. In
this interview with CorD, Ms Mortier
says it is simply “because Belgians
have nearly never done business
with the Balkans in general.” These
ties, however, are improving and the
two countries are growing closer
with the arrival of Delhaize as well
as more than 40 other investors
from Belgium.
A very useful collaboration exists for
this purpose with SIEPA. The main obstacles
are still the big load of bureaucracy, the
non-transparent tender procedures and the
lack of funds
• How satisfied are you with the
current economic cooperation between Belgium and Serbia?
- Economic cooperation between
Belgium and Serbia is satisfying
as more than 40 Belgian companies are established in Serbia
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
not only because the image of
Serbia is still negative, even if it’s
improving, but because Belgians
have nearly never done business
with the Balkans in general.
• Which segments of the Serbian
economy could attract more Belgian investments?
- Belgium has a lot of expertise in
know-how and specialized machinery for different segments as agri-
business, construction and environment. Many Belgian companies in
those sectors are eager to share
their knowledge with the Serbian
economy once they are ready for it.
Several Belgian delegations in the
agribusiness came to share their
knowledge about the way they organized their business, collaborating with each other instead of considering each other as competitors.
• How appealing is the Serbian market to Belgian investors and what
specific needs do they have?
- Belgian investors are starting to
discover the Serbian market. A very
useful collaboration exists for this
purpose with SIEPA. The main obstacles are still the big load of bureaucracy, the non-transparent tender procedures and the lack of funds.
Belgian businessmen also wonder
why some Serbian businessmen
are not somehow more proactive.
In some sectors as is the environmental sector, laws still have to be
adopted to push the industrial sector to adopt new green measures. In
the wind energy for instance, some
obstacles haven’t been removed yet
by the government to make it possible to realize their investment.
• What are the ways in which the
Belgian Embassy in Serbia has been
helping Belgian and Serbian inves-
tors willing to extend their business
operations to these two countries?
- We organize contact days and
seminars in Belgium to promote
Serbia as an interesting export
market and investment country.
On an annual basis, several delegations of Belgian business men
are visiting Serbia. We organize
B-to-B meetings for them. We also
help Belgian investors once they
are in the procedure of establishing themselves or even after that
by promoting their activities or by
helping them to solve problems if
they are confronted by them. Last
but not least, the Belgian Serbian
Business Association (BSBA) organizes on a monthly basis activities
for its members. Sometimes they
are social, like a chocolate and wine
evening, and sometimes they are
business-focused. The last event
organized was a seminar and stand
at the Ecofair in collaboration with
Energo-Zelena.
The government should focus on approving
and implementing the laws in accordance
to the acquis européen to attract Belgian
investors with their know-how to make it
easier for them to implement it
• What kind of reception do Belgian
investors receive when they come
to Serbia, and what should the
Serbian government do in order to
make the Serbian market more appealing to them?
- The tender procedures are not
very transparent for interested investors and make it more difficult
to attract them. The government
should focus on making the procedures less bureaucratic and more
efficient. They also should focus
on approving and implementing
the laws in accordance to the acquis européen to attract Belgian
investors with their know-how
to make it easier for them to implement it. The Serbian economy
should become less dependent on
the goodwill of the government
and each of its ministries. The
inter-ministerial
collaboration
should become more efficient to
make procedures quicker and less
time consuming. ■
General Manager
tel: +381 31 563 442
fax: +381 31 563 472
Marketing Manager:
tel: +381 31 563 478
fax: +381 31 563 436
[email protected]; www.prvipartizan.com
Prvi Partizan a.d. Miloša Obrenovića 2belgium | World Markets and Opportunities
31000 Užice, Serbia
Cooperation between Serbia and Belgium
Stable Partnership
At the moment the prevalent
form of economic cooperation
between Serbia and
Belgium is a classic buy-sell
arrangement, comprising
80% of Serbian exports to
Belgium and more than 90%
of imports from Belgium.
The next most common form
is finishing services, which
makes up close to 8% of
Serbia’s exports to Belgium
and approximately 2% of
Belgian imports into Serbia
T
he Kingdom of Belgium is a
moderately important foreign trade partner of the Republic of Serbia. Of the 147
countries Serbia exported to in Q2 of
2012, Belgium was ranked 22nd, receiving a 1.16% share of Serbian exports. Similarly, of the 183 countries
that Serbia imported goods from in
Q2 2012, Belgium ranked 23rd, translating into a 1.22% share of overall
Serbian imports. This data hasn’t
changed much since 2006.
Both exports and imports grew
until 2009, when, due to the global
economic downturn, they started to
decline. Exports and imports did grow
somewhat in 2010, but failed to reach
their 2008 level. According to 2011’s
data, Serbia imported US $218.3
million worth of goods and services
from Belgium, exporting US $133.8
million. Serbia has traditionally recorded a negative balance in trading
with Belgium, and during the first six
months of 2012, Serbia recorded a US
$49 million deficit, with an export-toimport ratio of 56.11% – a 5% decline
relative to 2011.
The following Serbian companies export the most to Belgium:
Smederevo Ironworks (formerly U.S.
Steel), JT International AD, Metanolsko Sirćetni Kompleks (MSK), AD
There are approximately 20 Belgian companies
operating in the Serbian market at present
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
Prvi Partizan, BlockX d.o.o., LR Fruit,
MetalHemiko d.o.o., CT Computers
d.o.o., fruit and vegetable processing and preserving company YUBE
DOO, and STAV DOO.
The following Serbian companies
import the most from Belgium: Delta
Sport d.o.o., DOO Tarkett, Yusafarm
DOO, Smederevo Ironworks, KL DOO,
Beohemija, Atlas Copco, HIP Petrohemija, JT International, and Delta Agrar.
Opportunities for industrial cooperation between Serbian and Belgian businesses can be found in the
metal processing industry (machine
building, electronics, vehicle manufacturing), chemical industry and
the agricultural and food processing industry.
At the moment the prevalent form
of economic cooperation between
Serbia and Belgium is a classic buysell arrangement, comprising 80% of
Serbian exports to Belgium and more
than 90% of imports from Belgium.
The next most common form is finishing services, which makes up close to
8% of Serbia’s exports to Belgium and
approximately 2% of Belgian imports
into Serbia.
There are approximately 20 Belgian companies operating in the
Serbian market at the moment. Until
Export to import ratio, in %
Trade exchange between Serbia and Belgium, in million USD
80
300
200
60
59.01
100
40
0
-100
61.29
74.36
59.18
45.17
55.18
66.55
57.19
45.24
20
-200
2005
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013-VII
Export in USD
Import in USD
recently, the biggest Belgian investment in Serbia was international corporation InBev acquiring the Apatin
Brewery. Another substantial investment was the acquisition of A Bank
(formerly Alko Banka) by KBC, which
is the third biggest insurance and
banking group in Belgium, with €32
billion in capital, 50,000 employees
and 12 million clients.
In 2009, the Apatin Brewery
was sold to Anheuser-Busch InBev
(a conglomerate created following
the merger between U.S. company
Anheuser-Busch and Belgian group
InBev) and CVC Capital Partners,
which acquired all InBev breweries in
Central Europe, including the one in
Apatin. CVC Capital Partners is a global private equity and investment advisory firm founded in 1981. To date,
the company has managed to raise
and manage funds of more than €18
billion. CVC funds own 51 companies
worldwide, including Formula 1, Samsonite and Cortefiel, and employ more
Balance in USD
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013-VII
Opportunities for industrial cooperation
between Serbian and Belgian businesses can
be found in the metal processing industry,
chemical industry and the agricultural and
food processing industry
than 280,000 people. Anheuser-Busch
InBev (ABI) operates in 130 countries
and has 120,000 employees. The
company’s revenue stood at €26.5 billion last year.
Leading SITC segments in exporting to Belgium
The most recent Belgian investment in Serbia was the acquisition
of a 100% share in Delta Maxi Group
by Delhaize Group for €932.5 million,
including Delta Maxi’s liabilities of
€300 million. Following the acquisition of Delta Maxi Group, and taking
into account the number of Delhaize
stores in Greece and Romania, Delhaize Group is now among the leading retailers in Southeast Europe.
On June 7 this year, the Belgian
Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Mr. Alain
Kundycki, attended the official signing
of the Memorandum of Cooperation
between the mixed Belgian-Dutch
company WindVision and the Municipality of Kikinda. The Memorandum
stipulates the construction of a biomass energy facility that will produce
heat. This is “a method that suits both
the needs of the citizens and companies, without having to resort to fossil
fuels for energy”. The overall investment is estimated to be in the region
of €15.2 million. ■
Leading SITC segments in importing from Belgium
Road vehicles
8%
40%
9%
10%
10%
22%
Metal-based
products, not
specified elsewhere
Miscellaneous
finished products, not
specified elsewhere
Fruits and
Vegetables
Furniture and
furniture parts
Other
Clothing
Road vehicles
55%
Plastic materials in
their primary forms
6%
8%
10%
10%
12%
Medical and
pharmaceutical
products
Operating machinery
and devices
Other
belgium | World Markets and Opportunities
Economy of Belgium
Coping with Crisis
Belgium’s economic freedom
score is 69.2, making its
economy the 40th freest in the
2013 OECD Global Index and
18th among the 43 countries
in the Europe region. Still,
the global financial crisis has
caused a sharp economic
slowdown in Belgium
Belgian Federal
Parliament
U
ntil last year, Belgium had
weathered the global crisis
quite well, notably with a
relatively good unemployment performance. However, stillweak domestic demand, rapid fiscal
consolidation and slow export market
growth weighed on the economic recovery. The global financial crisis has
caused a sharp economic slowdown
in Belgium. The general government
deficit reached 3.0% of GDP in 2012,
excluding the potential deficit impact of the recapitalization of Dexia
(the Franco-Belgian financial institution active in public finance, providing retail and commercial banking
services to individuals and SMEs,
asset management, and insurance).
After the cut-off date of the autumn
Continued
strong
protection
of the rule of
law and the
foundations
of economic
freedom is
reflected in
Belgium’s
high scores
in property
rights and
freedom from
corruption
Belgium GDP Annual Per Capita Evolution
Date
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
GDP Per C.
€34,000
€33,700
€32,700
€31,600
€32,400
€31,600
€30,200
€29,000
Annual Change
0.9%
3.1%
3.5%
-2.5%
2.5%
4.6%
4.1%
3.6%
Source: CountryEconomy.com
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
forecast, the federal government had
frozen around 0.1% of GDP in expenditures to address the budgetary impact of the economic slowdown, but
this could not prevent Belgium from
missing its own deficit target of 2.8%
of GDP. Towards year-end, revenues
slowed down more than anticipated,
while small spending overruns occurred in social security. In response
to turmoil in the banking sector and
the subsequent contraction in overall economic activity, the government
stepped in to support the financial
system and implement a fiscal stimulus package. However, the economic
recovery that began in mid-2009 has
been uneven, and structural weaknesses that include a rigid labour
market and high taxation continue to
hinder international competitiveness.
Fiscal consolidation is advancing well,
but public debt is still high. Fiscal consolidation has already been sizeable,
and the government is committed to
secure a structural budget balance
by 2015. This is appropriate to avoid
further consolidation measures in
case the economy deteriorates further,
which could pose a risk to growth.
Looking ahead, maintaining (at
least) a structural budget balance
over the medium-term would ensure a rapid reduction in public debt,
creating room to finance part of
ageing-related spending increases.
The recent reform of early retirement programmes will increase the
internationally low effective retirement age – a key to contain pension
spending ‑ but the system still gives
insufficient work incentives to older
workers. The recent reform of fiscal
federalism arrangements is transferring more spending and tax responsibilities to the communities and regions. However, it does not clarify the
medium-term burden sharing of fiscal
consolidation efforts between government levels.
Population ageing is boosting
cost pressures on the health system.
The system delivers accessible care
and broadly satisfactory health outcomes. Nevertheless, its performance
is reduced by practice and efficiency variation across providers, high
consumption of drugs and perhaps
supplier-induced demand. Health responsibilities are fragmented across
government levels and sickness funds
have too passive a role. The strict
regulation of the supply of health services risks rendering the system too
inflexible as ageing changes demand
patterns. Long-term care has a high
reliance on care in institutions.
Boosting the labour supply is a key not matched by a commitment to the prin- tal domestic income. Government spending
driver of growth. Reforms of the unemploy- ciple of limited government. Expansionary has levelled off at 53.4 per cent of total doment benefit system and special provisions public spending has generated significant mestic output, but budget deficits over 4 per
for new graduates are expected to improve budgetary pressure. With government debt cent have caused public debt to reach levels
the efficiency of the labour market. However, nearing 100 per cent of GDP, reducing the equivalent to about 100 per cent of GDP.
The cost of establishing a company has
other factors still hold back the labour mar- chronic deficit needs to be a high priority.
Laws are well codified, and the judicial been reduced to below 20 per cent of the
ket, including high sectoral minimum wages,
labour market traps created by the high tax system is generally respected, but the courts level of average annual income, and starting a
wedge and the decoupling of wages from can be slow in practice. Similarly, intellectual business takes only three days and four procedures. Although employment regulations
productivity.
The modern, private enterprise economy have gradually become less burdensome,
Belgium’s economic freedom score is
69.2, making its economy the 40th freest
of Belgium has capitalised on its central the non-salary cost of hiring a worker remains high. Inflation has been modest, but
in the 2013 OECD Global Index. Its overgeographic location, highly developed
price-control policies continue to affect a
all score has increased by 0.2 points from
last year, primarily reflecting notable im- transport network, and diversified industrial range of products and services.
Belgium has low tariffs along with
provements in freedom from corruption
and commercial base
other members of the European Union,
and the management of public spending that counterbalance declines in labour property rights and contracts are generally and non-tariff barriers are relatively low. With
freedom and monetary freedom. Belgium is secure, although enforcement actions can a few exceptions, the investment regime is
ranked 18th among the 43 countries in the be protracted. Corruption is minimal, and the largely open. The Financial Crisis Law passed
Europe region, and its overall score is above government prohibits and punishes all forms in June 2010 grants the government stronger powers to step in during crises. Following
of bribery.
the regional and global averages.
The top income tax rate is 50 per cent, the 2011 nationalization of the Belgian unit,
Continued strong protection of the rule
of law and the foundations of economic free- and the top corporate tax rate is effectively uncertainty remains high with regard to Dexdom is reflected in Belgium’s high scores in 34 per cent. Other taxes include a value-add- ia, a Brussels-based Franco–Belgian bank. ■
property rights and freedom from corruption. ed tax (VAT) and an estate tax. The overall
Sources: Heritage.com,
These institutional strengths, however, are tax burden amounts to 43.8 per cent of toOECD Economic Surveys 2013
belgium | World Markets and Opportunities
Belgian culture
In the Centre of Europe
Belgium is essentially a country of medium-size and small
cities, many with long histories. In the central parts of these
cities, rows of terraced houses are built among a network of
ancient churches and marketplaces. Opulent buildings often
feature a Belfry in the central marketplace, or, as in Brussels,
a city hall and corporation houses
A
lthough the name of the
modern state refers to the
original Celtic inhabitants
after the Roman conquest
in 44 B.C.E., the population was
romanised and adopted the Latin
language. Latin gave rise to a series
of dialects including, in the southern part of the country, the Walloon
dialects. The name "Walloon" derives
from a Germanic word meaning "foreign," and refers to the Roman Empire. Flemish culture came to northern Belgium as a consequence of the
Germanic invasions of the fourth century. In the central and southern regions, the Germanic invaders formed
small kingdoms and adopted their
subjects' culture.
Until the eighth century, conquests and divisions modified the
borders of these kingdoms. The last
division took place at the treaty of
Verdun (843) between the grandsons
of Charlemagne, who divided the
Holy Roman Empire into three parts,
of which the central part, Lothar-
Pieter Paul
Rubens
(1577–1640)
was the
most famous
painter of
his time,
receiving
commissions
from
European
sovereigns
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
ingia, encompassed the territories
between the Netherlands and Italy,
including present-day Belgium. However, Lotharingia was absorbed into
the German Empire, and the idea of
a state between France and the German Empire did not resurface until
the fourteenth century. The Burgundian princes inherited, conquered,
bought, or received in dowry most of
the fiefs constituting the Netherlands,
Belgium, and northern and eastern
France. They established their court in
Brussels and brought the French language to their states. The possessions
of the dukes of Burgundy were inherited by the Habsburg dynasty in 1477.
In the middle of the sixteenth
century, a religious civil war led to the
division of the Low Countries into two
parts. The north became the Netherlands, a Dutch-speaking, Protestant
state. The south remained Catholic
and was associated with the Habsburg
dynasty until the French conquest in
1794. Under the Habsburg rulers, the
use of Flemish progressively declined,
but the position of French was reinforced during the French administration (1794–1814). After the defeat of
Napoleon, the Congress of Vienna established the kingdom of the Netherlands, including present-day Belgium.
However, the policy of King Willem I
van Oranje Nassau (1772– 1843) of
favouring the Dutch language and the
Protestant religion, led to the revolution of 1830, after which Belgium became independent.
Literature
Sometimes it is denied that there
is a Belgian literature, with only Flemish and Walloon or French and Dutch
writers who happen to be Belgian citizens. However, authors such as Charles
de Coster (1827–1879) and Emile Verhaeren (1855–1916), wrote in French
on Flemish themes. Another important
Francophone writer from Flanders was
the symbolist Maurice Maeterlinck.
The main nineteenth-century Flemish
Emile Verhaeren
writers were Hendrik Conscience and
Guido Gezelle. Flemish and Francophone writers contributed to important
literary movements such as symbolism,
surrealism, and magic realism. Important themes are the hardness of life,
the questioning of the nature of reality,
and the quest for original ways to get
through life. The distrust of authority
was present in one of the oldest Flemish tales, Reynard the Fox, in which the
small fox outsmarts the larger animals.
Graphic Arts
The golden age of graphic arts
lasted from the fourteenth century
to the seventeenth century and was
embodied mostly in painting. The
Flemish Primitives school of painting (fourteenth and fifteenth centuries) made the region the main artistic centre of Europe outside of Italy.
Artists such as Jan Van Eyck (1395–
1441) and Rogier Van Der Weyden
(1400–1464) were interested in spatial composition and psychology and
rendered the colours and textures of
living and material objects with realism. The main artistic figure of the
next century was Pieter Breughel the
Elder (1525–1569), with his lively
paintings of peasant life.
Pieter Paul Rubens
Pieter Paul Rubens (1577–1640)
was the most famous painter of his
time, receiving commissions from European sovereigns. His main focus was
on the human figure. Rubens influenced Anthony Van Dyk (1599–1641)
and Jacob Jordaens (1593–1678). The
graphic arts declined until the late
nineteenth century, when James Ensor and René Magritte (in the twentieth century) revived the avant-garde.
The most innovative works of living
artists can be seen in contemporary
art museums in Antwerp and Ghent.
Performance Arts
The Franco-Flemish style dominated European music in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries,
with composers such as Josquin des
Prez and Orlando di Lasso. In the
twentieth century, the most famous
Belgian musician was the singer
Jacques Brel. Several living classical
composers are active. The harmonica
player Toots Thielemans is the most
famous jazz musician. The Blindman Kwartet combines jazz, pop,
and classical music. The presence in
Brussels between 1959 and 1987 of
the French choreographer Maurice
Béjart stimulated a new generation
ral spaces. While the north has many
isolated farms between villages, the
southern farms tend to be grouped in
villages on both sides of a road.
Josquin des Pre
The FrancoFlemish style
dominated
European
music in the
fifteenth and
sixteenth
centuries,
with
composers
such as
Josquin des
Prez and
Orlando di
Lasso
Art Nouveau
house
of choreographers. The main theatrical centres are De Singel in Antwerp
and the Kaai Teater in Brussels. Several theatres and orchestras are supported by the government.
Architecture
Belgium is essentially a country of
medium-size and small cities, many
with long histories. In the central
parts of these cities, rows of terraced
houses are built among a network of
ancient churches and marketplaces.
Opulent buildings often feature a
Belfry in the central marketplace, or,
as in Brussels, a city hall and corporation houses. In nineteenth century,
many working-class cities were built
in mining and industrial areas. In
some cities, new middle-class suburbs were linked to urban centres by
large avenues. The stylistic height of
this expansion is illustrated by the
Art Nouveau houses built by Victor
Horta. In the first half of the twentieth century, garden cities were built
to provide humane lodgings for the
working classes. Today, as the population continues to leave the central
cities, one-family houses are organized in small suburban villages. There
is some contrast between the north
and south in the use of traditional, ru-
Comics
With more than 700 comic strip
authors, Belgium has more comic strip
artists per square kilometre than any
other country in the world. It is here
that the comic strip has grown from
a popular medium into an art in its
own right. Nowhere else comics are so
strongly rooted in reality and in people's imagination. Smurfs, Lucky Luke,
Tintin, Largo Winch… All those comic
characters were born in Belgium.
Belgium has numerous well-known
cartoonists, such as Hergé (The Adventures of Tintin), Peyo (The Smurfs),
Franquin (Spirou et Fantasio, Marsupilami, Gaston), Willy Vandersteen
Lucky Luke
(Spike and Suzy), Morris (Lucky Luke),
Edgar P. Jacobs (Blake and Mortimer),
Jef Nys (Jommeke) and Marc Sleen
(Nero). More recently, Jean Van Hamme
(XIII, Largo Winch, Thorgal, etc.), Raoul
Cauvin (Les Tuniques Bleues, Agent
212), François Schuiten and Benoît
Peeters (Les Cités Obscures) are
among the most read cartoonists.
Belgium is home to some of the most
important European comic magazines
and publishers, with Dupuis (Spirou
magazine), Le Lombard (Tintin magazine) and Casterman. The Belgian
Comic Strip Centre, a true temple dedicated to comic strip art, is an undisputed masterpiece of the Art Nouveau.
Located in the heart of Brussels, in a
majestic Art Nouveau building, created by Victor Horta in 1906, the Belgian
Comic Strip Centre opened its doors to
the public on October 6th 1989. ■
Source: Every Culture, Belgum.be
ComicsCenter.net.
belgium | World Markets and Opportunities
People and tradition
The Two Belgiums
A history of linguistic and
cultural division runs through
modern Belgium, with the
country partitioned along
north-south, Flemish-Walloon
lines. This has been a source
of social friction, but, as is
fitting for a country that
lies at the heart of the EU,
Belgium’s ethnic divide has
fostered a country rich in
culture and history
M
odern Belgium’s two predominant cultural and
linguistic groups are the
Flemish and the Walloons.
The Flemish, comprising more than
half of the Belgian population, speak
in a dialect of Dutch and live mainly in
the north and west of the country. The
Walloons, making up about one-third
of the population, speak various dialects of French and live in the south
and east. The vast majority of both
groups are Roman Catholic.
Belgium was part of Gaul in Roman times and was inhabited by Romanised Celts. Gradually the land was
infiltrated by groups of Gothic Germans, until finally in the 3rd and 4th
centuries AD a new wave of Germans,
the Salian Franks, began to migrate
down from the northeast. Eventually they pushed back the Romans and
held a line corresponding generally
to the present north-south, FlemishWalloon divide – a natural line formed
by what was then dense woodland.
Only later, in the 5th century, after
the withdrawal of the Roman frontier garrisons, did many Franks push
southward and settle much of Gaul
proper. The northern Franks retained
their Germanic language (which
would later become modern Dutch),
whereas the Franks who moved south
adopted the language of the culturally dominant Romanised Gauls – the
language that would become French.
Much of modern Belgium’s history consists
of the Flemish community’s struggle to gain
equal status for its language, and to acquire a
fair share of political influence and economic
opportunity
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
This language-based frontier between
the northern Flemish and southern
Walloons has remained virtually unchanged ever since.
The linguistic boundary is demarcated by law and passes roughly eastwest across north-central Belgium
along a line just south of capital city
Brussels. North of that line, all public
signs and government publications
must be in Flemish, which has official status; the same situation prevails with French south of the line. In
Brussels, which is officially bilingual,
all signs and publications must be in
both languages.
Much of modern Belgium’s history consists of the Flemish-speaking
community’s struggle to gain equal
status for its language, and to acquire
a fair share of political influence and
economic opportunity in a society
dominated largely by the Walloons
after the country’s independence in
1830. In the 20th century, the Flemish
successfully obtained legislation to
further these aims, but linguistic and
other differences with the Walloons
remain a source of social friction.
Roughly 59% of Belgium’s inhabitants belong to the Flemish community,
40% to the French-speaking community and 1% to the country’s Germanspeaking minority. Dutch is the official
language of the northern Flemish
region, known as Flanders, and is one
of the two official languages of the
Brussels-Capital Region, which lies
geographically on the Flemish side
of the divide but is officially neutral.
The 40% of the population who speak
French reside mostly south of the
divide in the Walloon region, known
as Wallonia (which, like Flanders, is
a political entity). Although French is
Wallonia’s dominant language, and is
spoken in the Brussels-Capital Region,
Wallonia is also home to Belgium’s
German-speaking minority. German,
recognised as the third national language, is not used frequently in the
national administration.
French was introduced as the language of the political elite by feudal
lords of French origin, particularly the
dukes of Burgundy, who chose Brussels as their main city of residence.
French was in turn adopted by the
bourgeoisie in the 18th century, and
in 1830 became the official language.
Through a combination of education
and social promotion, French replaced
the local dialects of Wallonia and
Brussels, although it failed to take as
strong a hold in Flanders. In Wallonia,
a series of Romance dialects were spoken rather than a single language, but
never gained official status. Although
Brussels was originally a Flemish city,
the influence of French has always
been strongest here, with only a tenth
of the population speaking Dutch.
In
Dutch-speaking
Flanders
(where the language is referred to
commonly as Flemish), official Dutchlanguage institution the Taalunie
guarantees the international unity
of the language. There is, however,
a great diversity of Flemish dialects,
each differing in vocabulary and pronunciation. French is also spoken in
Flanders by a minority of people in
the upper- and upper-middle classes,
as well as along the linguistic border
and around Brussels. The presence of
these Francophone minorities in some
parts of Flanders has been a source of
political conflict, and in the 1980s led
to the resignation of a number of central governments.
Roughly 59% of Belgium’s inhabitants belong
to the Flemish community, 40% to the Frenchspeaking community and 1% to the country’s
German-speaking minority
Much of Flanders’ mythology involves the Lion of Flanders. The lion
has been the symbol of the counts of
Flanders since the time of the Crusades, and has become the symbol of
Flemish emancipation since gaining
cultural autonomy in 1972. The oldest
elements of Flemish symbolism were
developed as Belgian “myths” before
the emergence of the Flemish movement. A successful 14th-century revolt
of cities in the former county of Flanders against a count from the French
royal family became an expression of
early Flemish/Belgian nationalism.
The Flemish national day celebrates
the victory of the Flemish militias over
the royal French army at the Battle of
the Golden Spurs, which is named after the trophies collected from slain
French knights. The Flemish national
anthem (“De Vlaamse Leeuw”) was
composed in 1847 and was adopted
as the Flemish movement's anthem
in 1900 before becoming the Flemish
community’s official anthem in 1973.
Another important Flemish event
is the National Song Feast (ANZ), a
mixture of Flemish songs and modern
expressions of culture that has been
held annually in Antwerp since the
early 1930s. And every year on the last
Sunday of August, the Flemish movement gathers for the Yser pilgrimage
to World War I battlefields, which, due
to the Flemish movement’s Christian roots, carries a main slogan with
strong religious connotations: “No
more war, autonomy, and truce of God.”
The Walloon movement, meanwhile, has taken the French rooster as
its cultural symbol. Belgium’s Francophone community celebrates its national day on 21 September, although
it is not emphasised as heavily as similar events in Flanders – Wallonia did
not even adopt an anthem of its own
(“Li Tchant des Walons”) until 1998.
Away from Flanders and Wallonia,
back in the middle ages Belgian capital Brussels adopted Saint Michael
as its patron saint, with the image of
him killing the dragon as its coat of
arms. However, when Brussels became
a separate region, its leaders felt they
had to find symbols to support the
separate identity of the region, opting for the yellow iris and setting the
Brussels-Capital Region’s celebration
day during the season in which that
flower blossoms. ■
Sources: Britannica, EveryCulture.com
food & drink
Bread and potatoes are Belgium’s traditional staple foods. Most meals include pork, chicken
or beef, and seafood is popular in the north of the country. The national drink is beer, but wine is
imported in large quantities. In northern cities, popular dishes include mussels with fries, as well as
waterzooi, a broth of vegetables and meat or fish. Throughout Belgium, French fries are eaten with
steaks or minced meat. Cooking is done traditionally with butter rather than oil, and there is also
high consumption of dairy products. Immigration has ensured a diverse range of ethnic restaurants,
which is gradually changing the eating habits of residents in culturally mixed areas.
belgium | World Markets and Opportunities
Belgian Tourism
Holidays in Many Forms
Two of the big tourist
attractions in Belgium are
the Ardennes and the coast.
Belgium plays an important
role in the gastronomic life
of Western Europe. The
Belgians are well known for
their exuberant lifestyle, and
they take pleasure in their
guests enjoying themselves
B
elgium fires one's imagination.
Tourists from all over the world
are attracted to Belgium and its
cosmopolitan capital, Brussels.
It is no surprise then, that Belgium has a
lot to offer the foreign tourist. Belgium
means holidays in many forms. You will
be able to briefly escape the daily grind,
with a weekend in a Belgian city, but
you can also plan a true voyage of discovery throughout Belgium.
Two of the big tourist attractions in
Belgium are the Ardennes and the coast.
If you like hiking, cycling, sport, nature
and tranquillity, you will undoubtedly
want to go to the Ardennes, Belgium's
lungs. If you more likely to be tempted
by sun, sea, sport and enjoyable bustle,
then there is the lure of the coast.
Those with a craving for art and
culture or architectural beauty will be
pampered in cities of art. Those who
would like a taste of our gastronomy,
cultural events and nightlife will have
their every wish satisfied. As a result,
the many cities of art - with Brussels at
the top - are able to depend on an ever-
FRAHAN-SURSEMOIS
increasing interest from tourists.
Belgium plays an important role in
the gastronomic life of Western Europe.
The Belgians are well known for their
exuberant lifestyle and they take pleasure in their guests enjoying themselves.
The restaurants are outstanding, and
what is more agreeable to finish a beautiful day, than the enjoyment of a Flemish meat casserole with a Trappist beer
from the Ardennes?
The Ardennes, situated in the south-east of
Belgium, are one of nature's unspoilt areas,
rich in fauna and flora
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
The Ardennes
The Ardennes, situated in the southeast of Belgium, are one of nature's unspoilt areas, rich in fauna and flora, with
vast forests of broadleaf and fir, hills and
fast flowing rivers. Visitors can wander
through the many picturesque villages
nestling in the valleys where traditions
and folklore still live on, and where the
region's arts and crafts can be enjoyed.
Springtime in the Ardennes is the
season for walking, cycling, fishing,
canoeing and kayaking. Horse riding,
climbing and mountain biking are other
examples of popular sports in the Ardennes. The keen mountaineer has an
exciting choice of challenges. In winter, the Ardennes are a fun paradise for
downhill and cross country skiers, or
perhaps you prefer tobogganing and
snow scooter racing. There is action,
even underground. Some of the caves
are certainly worth a visit.
Amid the greenery lie the silent witnesses of the past of the Ardennes, such
as castles, forts and citadels. They come
to life again during special events and
displays where knights and their shield
bearers turn the neighbourhood into a
battlefield.
There are accommodation facilities
to fit every budget. There is a choice of
holiday cottages, shared accommodation, chalets and 'bed-and-breakfast'
accommodation. Alternatively, why not
spend the night in a beautifully restored castle.
The Belgian coast
The coast's 65 kilometre long stretch
of sandy coastline has 15 resorts, each
with its own character and unique atmosphere. The sandy beaches are ideal
for children. The beaches shelve gently
out to sea, and life guards ensure everyone's safety. Sunbathers have found that
they acquire a healthier tan here than
in southern Europe, thanks to the iodine
and salt in the air.
The Belgian coast offers a wide
range of sport and recreation facilities.
Here you can hire a bicycle or a buggy,
or go sailing or fishing. The wide beach
is ideal for ball games, horse riding and
beach surfing.
The summer months are the busiest period for the coast. However, other
seasons have their own charms, even
if sunbathing is not part of it. There
are plenty of alternatives on the coast.
Close by, there is Bruges, one of Belgium's finest cities of art. A visit to this
historic city is a must.
Cities of Art
For a small country, Belgium has a
remarkable number of cities of art: Bruges, Brussels, Antwerp, Bergen, Liege,
Ghent… Each of these cities has a lot in
store for you and is a choice destination
for a city trip.
Do you like the idea of coming face
to face with the paintings of Rubens,
Ensor or Van Eyck in the Royal Museum
of Fine Arts in Antwerp? Or do you want
to go straight to the Rubens House Museum? Alternatively, does a visit to the
house of the Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta, in Brussels, have greater appeal? Perhaps you simply prefer to stroll
through the picturesque little streets of
Bruges.
All cities of art in Belgium have sufficient diversity and quality 'in-house',
to provide you with an agreeable stay.
What's more, this not only applies to
museums and monuments. After a visit
to the museum, the enjoyment of a delicious meal with a glass of wine or Belgian beer in one of the many restaurants
is a must. When in Antwerp, you can take
a trip afterwards in a horse-drawn carriage through the old city centre. In Bruges, a boat trip along the Bruges canals
will undoubtedly go down well. In the
Moules frites wth evening, you will then be ready for a
rose and pastis
dazzling cultural program or for a night
out in the convivial surroundings of our
pubs.
Families with children will find
enough variety in between all these cultural activities to make a party of it for
them too. After all, there will always be
The streets of Brussels feature art and
architecture created from an unmistakably
Belgian point of view that cannot be replicated
an event somewhere, like a festival or a
colourful brass band passing by.
Brussels
Brussels
Brussels is quickly gaining a reputation as one of Europe's must-see destinations, with its small town charm,
trendy bars and restaurants, fabulous
food, great nightlife, fantastic shopping,
numerous museums, and other attractions including the diverse and interesting exhibitions and festivals organized
there every year.
Brussels is also becoming known as
a mecca of style, art, and design. While
attracting more and more big names
in international fashion to its growing
shopping districts, home-grown Belgian
designers are rapidly gaining global notoriety. The streets of Brussels feature
art and architecture created from an
unmistakably Belgian point of view that
cannot be replicated. This beautiful city
is a centre for fashion, art, and Belgian
culture.
Brussels “must sees” are: the Grand
Place, a unique mix of beautiful 17th
century architecture and modern social life; Town Hall - this Gothic-style
tower remains one of Belgium's finest civic buildings; the Royal Palace, a
stunning palace in the heart of Brussels
that is open for public visits; the infamous Manneken Pis statue serves as
an symbol of the spirit and humour of
Brussels; Coudenberg – archaeological
remains of a prestigious palace dating back to the Middle Ages; the Royal
Saint Hubert Galleries, home to lively
cafes and one-of-a-kind boutiques; Atomium - built for the 1958 World's Fair
in Brussels, now the city's most popular
attraction; Cathedral of Saints Michael
and Gudula, beautiful Cathedral at the
centre of Brussels; the Place du Grand
Sablon – Classic European architecture,
now houses high-class antiques stores,
restaurants, and chocolate shops. ■
Sources: Belgium.be, VisitBelgium.com
Antwerp
belgium | World Markets and Opportunities
company register
AGRO-MIL
STANKOVIC Dragan, Beheerder
37214 Pojate
Tel:+ 381 37 805-000
[email protected]
www.agro-mil.co.rs
ASSEMA d.o.o.
Director Goran Andric
Miloja Pavlovica 9/9b
34000 Kragujevac
Phone:+381 34 338006,
[email protected]
www.assema-machines.com
ST JUDE MEDICAL BALKAN
Damir Kofrc, Director
Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 6
11000 Beograd
Phone: +381 11 220 0311
http://www.sjm.com
AGRICON Co.
NINKOV Aleksandar, Manager
Gagarinova 22
21 000 Novi Sad
Tel:+ 381 21 443-762
[email protected]
www.agriconco.com
AIDA-TRADE
Ana Mladenović, Director
Bulevar kralja Aleksandra 43,
11000 Beograd
Tel: +381 11 3247 148
[email protected]
www.maderarestoran.com
APATINSKA PIVARA d.o.o.
Dragan Radivojević, Direktor
Trg Oslobodjenja 5
25260 Apatin
Phone : +381/25/783-111
[email protected] ,
www.jelenpivo.com
ARCHPLAN D.O.O
Hellebuyck Jan Albert Regina,
Director
Bulevar Nikole Tesle 20/13
11080 Zemun
Tel :+381 11 260-3882
[email protected]
[email protected]
AREX MARZIPAN d.o.o.
Nebojsa Misic, Director
Njegoseva 77A
11000 Beograd
Tel:+381 11 3449591, 344-9590
[email protected]; www.arex.rs
ATLAS COPCO a.d.
ILIBASIC Predrag, Deputy
General Manager
Milutina Milankovica 23
11070 Novi Beograd
Tel:+ 381 11 220 16 40
[email protected]
www.atlascopco.rs
AXIS DESIGN
MILANOVICMiodrag, General
Manager
Internacionalnih Brigada 54
11000 Beograd
tel: +381 11 30 86 897
[email protected]; www.axis.rs
BAD & EMS o.d.
Ademovć Mustafa, Ortak
29. Novembra br.30
36320 Tutin
Phone :+ 381/20/383-944
BALGREEN d.o.o.
PAVLOVIC Anita, Manager
Nehruova 210
11070 Beograd
Mob:+381 637202644
[email protected]
www.balgreen.com
BALKANDIA
Geert Kerckhofs
Dvadesetdevetog Novembra 1A
Barajevo
Phone :+ 381/11/83.25.415
[email protected]
BergHOFF d.o.o.
NIJEMCEVIC Radivoje, General
Manager
Neznanog junaka 14
11040 Beograd
Tel:+ 381 11 36-70-524
[email protected]
www.berghoffworldwide.com
BIRO – MARKETING o.d.
Branislav Živković, vlasnik
Trogirski trg br. 5
37000 Krusevac,
Phone :+ 381/37/443342
[email protected]
www.biromarketing.com
BLOCKX doo
BENKOVA Miluska, General
Manager, Ciglanska bb
21470 Bački Petrovac
Tel:+381 21 781-507,
[email protected]
[email protected]
BOMARAN d.o.o.
Bojan Miladinović, Director
Carli Caplina 39 (Hala Pionir)
11000 Beograd
Phone :+ 381/11/329-31-81
[email protected]
BONIMEX S.A.
Leeweg 22, 9270 Laarne
Phone : +32/9/369-49-67
[email protected] ,
[email protected]
CALYPSO RM d.o.o.
Predrag Klisura, Director
Slobodana Lale Berberskog 3B
11000 Beograd
Phone :+ 381/11/3975996
[email protected]
City Magazine Roularta
d.o.o.
Hendrik Maria J De Nolf,
Predsednik UO,
Kapetan Misina 8/3
11000 Belgrade
Phone: +381/11/328-60-88
[email protected],
www.citymagazine.rs
DANUBE CONSULTING
GROUP
Stephane Stefanovic, Director
Nusiceva 20/15
11000 Beograd
Phone:+ 32/495222291
[email protected]
DARISON d.o.o.
Darko Milosavljević, Director
Vlajkoviceva 25/I
11000 Beograd
Phone :+ 381/63/447-445
[email protected]
DE VALK d.o.o. / EUROTEP
d.o.o.
VALCKE Johan, General
Manager,
Aleksandra Petrić, Director
Prvomajska 45, 26000 Pancevo
Tel:+381 13 304-977
[email protected]
www.devalk.co.rs
DELHAIZE SERBIA
Ioannis or John Kyritsis, Director, Jurija Gagarina 14
11070 Novi Beograd
Phone: +381 11 7153 400
[email protected]
http://www.delhaizegroup.com
http://www.maxi.rs
DUCO d.o.o.
Živko Cvejin, Director
Vojvođanska 15 / lokal 2
11070 Beograd
Tel: + 381 11 217 62 82
[email protected]
http://www.duco.rs/
ELECTRAWINDS- S doo
Kurt Derieuw, Director
Vladimira Popovica 8
11070 Beograd
Phone: +381 11 66 00 955
[email protected]
http://www.electrawinds.be
ENERGO ZELENA
Tamara Drecun Vasić, Director
Železnička bb 22320 Inđija
Phone: +381 22 800 450
[email protected]
www.energozelena.rs
GOVI BALKAN d.o.o.
Gavro Milinković, Director
Katarine Ivanović 6/Gavrila
Principa 5, 15000 Sabac
Phone : +381/15/34-71-29
[email protected]
http://www.govi.com
GUIDANCE a.d.
BAJIC Nebojsa, Director
Brankova 7, 11000 Beograd
Phone: + 381 11 2629 550
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.guidance.rs
IBA Molecular
Peter Leitner
Chemin du Cyclotron,
31348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Phone :+ 3210201230
[email protected] ,
[email protected]
ICTTI-International Centre for Technology and
Knowledge Transfer,
Partnership and Innovation
Dr Hugo van Veghel, Board
member, chairman
Narodnog Fronta 73a 51-52,
21000 Novi Sad
Phone: +381 21 6364980
[email protected]
http://ictti.org
World Markets and Opportunities | belgium
INOSTONE d.o.o.
GRUJIC Dejan, Director
Vojvode Bogdana 38
11120 Beograd
Tel:+381 11 2424436
[email protected]
INOUTIC / DECEUNINCK
Dragan Stevanović, Director
Kruzni Put bb, Lestane
11309 Beograd
Phone: +381/11/344-32-17
[email protected]
www.deceuninck.com
http://www.inoutic.hr
INPHARM CO. D.o.o.
Viljem Jovanovic, Director
Cara Dusana 266
11080 Zemun
Tel:+381 11 3073900
[email protected]
www.inpharm.rs
[email protected]
IZOLACIJA a.d.
Aleš Slavec, predsednik UO,
Biljana Simatović, Izvršni direktor, Kumodraska 257
11000 Beograd
Tel:+ 381 11 3986615
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.izolacija.rs
KBC BANKA a.d.
Avram MILENKOVIC, CEO
Omladinskih brigada 90v,
11070 Beograd
Tel:+381 11 30 50 300
[email protected]
www.kbcbanka.rs
Kenzai Group d.o.o.
Patrick Geeraert
Žorža Klemansoa 19 (objekat
“Carpetland”)
11000 Beograd
Tel: +381 11 785 28 28
[email protected]
www.contractworld.rs
www.carpetland.rs
LEVER Inzenjering d.o.o.
Ljubiša Popović, Director
Ustanicka 64/XVII,
11000 Beograd
Phone: + 381/11/3089-354
www.firestonebpe.com ,
www.renolit.com
www.soprema.be
METECH d.o.o.
KNABE Walter, General Director
Djura Salaja 17
11300 Smederevo
Tel:+ 381 26 644800
[email protected]
www.metech-srbija.com
www.metes.be
MINEL-SCHREDER d.o.o.
VUCKOVIC Bratislav, General
Manager
Tosin bunar 51, 11080 Zemun
Tel:+ 381 11 2614477
[email protected]
www.minel-schreder.rs
MONDI SERBIA d.o.o.
KRUNIC Goran, Director
Vrdila 211 A ,
36000 Kraljevo
Tel :+381 36 823-020
[email protected],
[email protected]
www.mondiserbia.rs
PERISKAL d.o.o.
Milorad Smiljanić, Director
Decanska 13/6, Bitoljska 14/1
11000, Beograd
+381 11 23 91 360
Fax. +381 11 23 91 360
[email protected]
http://www.periskal.rs/
PLANTA SPONTANEA d.o.o.
Daniela Curbillon-Čonić
Kralja Petra Prvog. bb
19220 Donji Milanovac
Phone : +381/30/590-247
[email protected]
POLY DEC d.o.o.
DJORDJEVIC Marina, Manager
Pere Todorevica 15
11030 Beograd
Tel:+381 11 305.94.23
[email protected]
www.polydec.rs
PROFEX D d.o.o.
STEVANOVIC Dragan, Manager
Koste Jovanovica 35
11000 Beograd
Tel:+381 11 3910-907
[email protected]
PRVI PARTIZAN
Dobrosav Andrić, Director
Miloša Obrenovića 2
31000 Uzice
Tel: +381 31 563 478
office @prvipartizan.com
www.prvipartizan.com
PURATOS d.o.o.
DJORDJEVIC Orfej, General
Manager, Autoput za Zagreb 41
11070 Novi Beograd
Tel:+381 11 3171-250
[email protected]
www.puratos.co.rs
RADIJATOR INZENJERING
d.o.o.
Milan Janjić, Director
Živojina Lazića Solunca br.6
36000 Kraljevo
Phone:+ 381036399140
[email protected]
[email protected]
http://www.radijator.rs/
RAVAGO LAMBDA SR
Nenad Đurić, Director
Cara Dušana 207a
11080 Zemun
Phone: +381 11 7151 250
[email protected]
http://www.ravago.rs/
RESINEX FAC d.o.o.
Masarikova 1
21000 Novi Sad
Phone : +381 21 472 18 36
[email protected]
http://resinex-fac.rs
RESINEX SRBIJA
Vladan Šotra, Director
Cara Dušana 205a
11080 Zemun
Phone : +381 11 30 72 528, 589
[email protected] ,
[email protected]
http://www.resinex.rs
REYNAERS ALUMINIUM
Sretenovic Sasa, General Manager, Milutina Milankovica 27
11070 Novi Beograd
Tel:+ 381 11 713 2177
[email protected]
www.reynaers.com
SOCIETE MINIERE DE BELOGRADCHIK
Bulgarie : Quartier Zdravets
35 – etage 2
3900 Belogradchik
Phone : +359 888 969 196
Serbia- Resavica
[email protected] ,
[email protected]
www.chasseautresorfrancophone-sofia.org
STYLOS d.o.o.
Natalija Pavić, Director
Futoski put 67
21000 Novi Sad
Tel:+ 381 21 489-16-00
[email protected]
www.stylos.rs
SUNCE MARINKOVIC d.o.o.
Ljubiša Marinković, Director
Lepenicki bulevar 39
34000 Kragujevac
Phone:+ 381/34/301-485
[email protected]
www.suncemarinkovic.com
SUPER CANDY d.o.o.
RISTIC Sandra, Director
Bul. Zorana Djindjica 75
11070 Novi Beograd
Tel:+381 11 2120554
[email protected]
www.lachocolate.rs
[email protected]
TARA INTERNATIONAL
CONSULTING d.o.o
Hugo A.M. van Veghel, Director
Narodnog Fronta 73A/51-52
21000 Novi Sad
Mob:+ 381 60 525 00 20
Tel:+ 381 21 63 666 12
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.taraic.eu
TAVROS d.o.o.
CANAK Jovan, General Manager, Milutina Milankovica 76
11070 Novi Beograd
Tel:+ 381 11 318.06.40
Fax :+381 11 318.82.79
[email protected]
www.tavros.com
TERMOVENT KOMERC
PEROVIC Dusan, Director
Suboticka 23, 11000 Beograd
Tel: +381 11 3087 966
[email protected]
www.termovent.rs
TRIVAX VV d.o.o.
Gordana Filipović, Director
Trice Kaclerovica 24a
11000 Beograd
Phone :+ 381/11/246-3149
[email protected]
ULTRAPOLYMERS d.o.o.
Milan Janković, Director
Antifašističke borbe 25
11070 Novi Beograd
Phone :+ 381112122 035
[email protected]
http://www.ultrapolymersgroup.com/
URADI SAM d.o.o.
Niko Matthijas, Director
Djordja Stanojevica 35
11070 Novi Beograd
Tel:+ 381 11 22 84 686
[email protected]
www.uradi-sam.rs
VIRMAX d.o.o
Vladimir Brkić, Director
Miloša Ćosića 18
32000 Čačak
Phone: +381 32 222 601
[email protected]
[email protected]
http://www.virmax.rs/
VIZZION EUROPE SA
Georges Chebib,
JOVICIC Rasko
Diplomatska kolonija 22
11000 Beograd
Tel:+ 381 11 3676.502
[email protected]
www.vizzion-europe.com
PREDSTAVNIŠTVO VIZZION
EUROPE
Sefik Birkiye, Director
Šekspirova 15
11000 Beograd
Phone:+ 381/11/3941062
[email protected]
www.vizzion-europe.com
WILHELM & Co.
Ul.Koste Glavinica 9/5
11000 Belgrade
Phone :+ 381 649427791
www.wilhelmandco.be
WINDVISION OPERATIONS
doo
Johan Wilfried Theo Vos,
Danilo Drndarski
Obilićev venac 18-20
11000 Beograd
Phone:+ 381/11/328.35.27
[email protected]
http://www.windvision.com
X POINT
Miodrag Milanović, Director
Internacionalnih brigada 54
11000 Beograd
Phone :+ 381/11/30 86 897
[email protected]
[email protected]
YUBE d.o.o.
Bjorn Bart Schuermans,
Jadranka Stojanović
Brace Micica 66
31210 Pozega
Tel :+381 31 823-043
Fax :381 31 812-825
[email protected]
www.dirafrost.be
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World Markets and Opportunities | belgium