Political relations
Bilateral relations between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of France are traditionally and historically close and friendly and have made steady progress. They are characterised by strengthening and constant improvement of cooperation in all fields, as well as regular political dialogue. As strategic partners (Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, signed on 8 April 2011), the two countries have further deepened cooperation in a number of areas in the past period.
Political dialogue is very intense. The President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić paid a working visit to France on 1 February 2021, and on that occasion he met the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron. The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, visited the Republic of France on 9 and 10 July 2020 and met with the President of the Republic of France, Emmanuel Macron. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković, paid an official visit to the Republic of France on December 16 and 17, 2021. A state visit of the President of the Republic of France, Emmanuel Macron to Serbia, paid in July 2019, eighteen years since the last visit of a French president to Serbia, was historically significant and greatly contributed to intensifying and improving of all segments of bilateral cooperation. A total of 25 agreements were signed in the fields of culture, education, public administration, energy, sports, security and special-purpose industry, and a Joint Statement by the two presidents was adopted. Prime Minister Ana Brnabić visited Paris from 18 to 20 June 2019.
In 2019, numerous events in Serbia and France marked the 180th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with France.
Economic relations
Economic cooperation with the Republic of France is considered to be good, and, at the same time, it is considered to be below real possibilities. It is mainly based on trade in goods, characterised by constant growth of exports and imports and, at the same time, deficit on the Serbian side.
The value of total trade in 2021 amounted to 1.35 billion euros, of which exports were 607.04 million euros, and imports 747.51 milion euros. The deficit recorded on side of the Republic of Serbia amounted to 140.47 milion euros. In 2020, the total trade amounted to 1.1 billion euros, of which exports amounted to 468.4 million euros and imports to 638.8 million euros.
There are more than 100 French companies operating in Serbia and employing over 12,000 workers, of which more than half is in the industrial sector, such as: Michelin, Lafarge, Hutchinson, Lactalis, Le Belier, Tarkett, and about 45% in the tertiary services sector, such as: Agricole Group, Axa, Veolia Transport, and Atos.
French company Vinci Aéroports won the tender for the concession of Nikola Tesla Airport – maintenance and management of the airport infrastructure and performance of airport operator activities for 25 years.
On 6 November 2014, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of France and the City of Belgrade signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Construction of the Metro.
Bilateral agreements
So far, 83 contracts were signed between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of France. The most important are as follows:
General Convention on Social Insurance between the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of France;
Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation with respect to Taxed on Income between the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of France;
Convention between the Government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Government of the Republic of France on Investment Protection;
Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of France on the Succession of Bilateral Agreements concluded between the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of France;
Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of France with Political Declarations by the two Presidents.
Contact information
The Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Paris (France): http://paris.mfa.gov.rs/lat/.
The Embassy of the Republic of France in Belgrade (Serbia): https://rs.ambafrance.org/.
Contact in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia – Department for Europe: tel. 00 381 (0) 11 30 68 326, 00 381 (0) 11 30 68 274, e-mail: oev@mfa.rs.