Business community urged "to engage in talks with EU"

BELGRADE Tanja Miscevic has called on the business community and managers to engage more actively in the country's EU membership negotiations. Miscevic is Serbia's lead negotiator for the talks with the EU. Business community urged "to engage in talks with EU" She addressed a forum of managers dedicated to their role in the EU integration process to say that business people must be a corrective in the negotiation process, give suggestions and recommendations so that Serbia could very soon go deeper into the topics that would be addressed in the talks with the EU. "What lies ahead of us and you is to adjust ourselves, to find our joint way for functioning in the EU market that could be interested in our products. For that, we will need a clear strategic direction," Miscevic said. She explained that the four-year time-frame that Serbian negotiators set for completing the negotiations is not optimistic, but rather realistic, as Serbia is not starting from scratch, but it has already successfully implemented many EU standards. “By 2020, we should be just a step away from EU membership, as that is when a new budget calendar will start, and then Serbia could get access to funds for infrastructure, rural development and environmental protection,” Miscevic said. Presenting the make-up of the Serbian negotiation team and the scope of work during the talks, Miscevic stressed that the main question is not whether Serbia would become an EU member state, but rather when the last of around half a million standards would be introduced in the domestic law and practice. "That is in the direct interest of business people," the lead negotiator concluded. The gathering in Belgrade on Wednesday was organized by the Serbian Association of Managers. (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Business community urged "to engage in talks with EU"

She addressed a forum of managers dedicated to their role in the EU integration process to say that business people must be a corrective in the negotiation process, give suggestions and recommendations so that Serbia could very soon go deeper into the topics that would be addressed in the talks with the EU.

"What lies ahead of us and you is to adjust ourselves, to find our joint way for functioning in the EU market that could be interested in our products. For that, we will need a clear strategic direction," Miščević said.

She explained that the four-year time-frame that Serbian negotiators set for completing the negotiations is not optimistic, but rather realistic, as Serbia is not starting from scratch, but it has already successfully implemented many EU standards.

“By 2020, we should be just a step away from EU membership, as that is when a new budget calendar will start, and then Serbia could get access to funds for infrastructure, rural development and environmental protection,” Miščević said.

Presenting the make-up of the Serbian negotiation team and the scope of work during the talks, Miščević stressed that the main question is not whether Serbia would become an EU member state, but rather when the last of around half a million standards would be introduced in the domestic law and practice.

"That is in the direct interest of business people," the lead negotiator concluded.

The gathering in Belgrade on Wednesday was organized by the Serbian Association of Managers.