The “Start Legally” program represents a major innovation as it exempts new businesses from taxes and contributions for one year, excluding thus also redundant bureaucracy since they have no pre-financing obligations and do not have to wait for a refund any longer. Owing to this program, as much as 780 firms and businesses have been put in place, having employed 850 employees so far.
More than 53.000 companies and entrepreneurial businesses have been established in Serbia in the last five years. In addition, there were 390.767 active business entities in Serbia at the end of last year, thus ranking Serbia the 17th country in Europe in this area. More than 10 state incentive programs and local support measures are available to new businesses, but further tax relief, reduction of red tape and shadow economy would represent even greater encouragement for entrepreneurship.
Prime Minister Ana Brnabić appealed to all those with good business ideas to get into business and take advantage of some of the programs offered. She also emphasized that the priority is to stimulate youth employment and invest in science, innovation, research and development and digital economy, towards faster economic growth and a better prospects for all citizens of Serbia.
Apart from the Prime Minister and the Director of the Public Policy Secretariat, German Ambassador Thomas Schieb, NALED Managing Board member and Gorenje Group Executive Vice President Stanka Pejanović also took part in the conference.
Local Government Competition – Entrepreneurship Champions 2020
The launch of the competition for the most entrepreneurial local self-government called “Champions of Entrepreneurship 2020”, organized by the Public Policy Secretariat and NALED, was also officially announced at the conference, sponsored by the Government and supported by German Development Cooperation.
The aim of the competition is to encourage local self-governments to become actively involved in fostering entrepreneurship in their communities through the promotion of national and local support programs, as well as to identify and highlight examples of best practice in Serbia, that is, to support the further implementation of those incentive measures that produce the best results.
The competition is one of the activities of the National Program for Countering Shadow Economy towards promotion of responsible entrepreneurship, and the ranking list of local self-governments will be posted on a monthly basis on a national portal dedicated to countering shadow economy: www.uzmiracun.rs.