The Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, emphasized Serbia’s status as the most economically successful country in the region, with an anticipated growth rate of around four percent. He highlighted that the EU stands as Serbia’s largest donor and trading partner.
In an interview with Politika, Giaufret addressed the “significant socioeconomic gap” between the region and the EU, explaining that the EU’s Growth Plan includes a financial component aimed at closing this gap. “While Serbia leads the region economically and is expected to achieve around four percent growth, its GDP per capita still sits at about 45 percent of the EU average.”
Giaufret detailed the EU’s six-billion-euro Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, with Serbia slated to receive approximately 1.5 billion euros. These funds, he noted, will be allocated as Serbia advances in implementing reforms. Half of this support will go to infrastructure projects, while the other half will flow into Serbia’s national budget, enabling the government to prioritize spending. “We expect the first advance payment by the end of this year,” Giaufret added.
Discussing Serbia’s EU accession, Giaufret remarked that the current geopolitical landscape calls for a nuanced stance toward Russia. “Serbia has special ties with Russia, especially in energy. It’s essential for Serbia to bolster its energy independence and diversify its energy sources. One outcome of these efforts is the gas interconnector with Bulgaria.”
Giaufret encouraged Serbia to intensify work on shared priorities that bring it closer to the EU. He acknowledged Serbia’s progress in strengthening its economy, as well as advances in environmental policies, statistics, and regional policy. However, he also highlighted areas without improvement—media freedom, judicial independence, and public administration reforms—as noted in the European Commission’s 2024 report on Serbia.
Regarding upcoming EU travel procedures, Giaufret explained that Serbian citizens will soon follow the same protocol as those from the United States, the United Kingdom, and other non-visa countries. “Travelers to the EU will need to submit an online application valid for three years, with a small fee. Biometric data will be required from all visitors. While the system was set to launch this year, it’s likely been postponed until next year.”
Giaufret cited recent research showing Serbian citizens split equally in their support for the EU and BRICS. He argued, however, that the EU and BRICS aren’t comparable. “The EU grants access to the single market before full membership, which BRICS cannot. As an EU member, Serbia would have equal rights in decision-making and support from other members. I believe the Serbian people are fundamentally European; we share a common, if sometimes challenging, history. Serbia has helped shape modern European culture and has often inspired progress in EU countries,” Giaufret concluded.
