Describes bilateral and multilateral trade agreements that this country is party to, including with the United States. Includes websites and other resources where U.S. companies can get more information on how to take advantage of these agreements.
Last Published: 2/26/2018
Serbia has been a member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) since December 2006.  CEFTA is a multilateral free-trade agreement among southeastern European countries including Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Moldova and UNMIK/Kosovo.  Croatia ceased to be a CEFTA member upon entry into the European Union in July 2013.  CEFTA’s primary objective is to facilitate and expand trade and investment among its members, which together have a total population of almost 30 million.

Goods originating from Serbia and exported to the EU customs area are subject to preferential customs regimes.  In 2000, the European Commission introduced Autonomous Trade Measures for Serbia.  These measures permitted exports to the European Union without customs duties and quantitative restrictions for almost all products originating from Serbia.

In 2008, Serbia and the EU signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) and Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-Related Issues.  The SAA and its subsequent trade agreement with the European Union opened the door for Serbia to begin systemic reforms and harmonize its legislation with EU standards.  Under this agreement, Serbia phased out and abolished tariffs on most goods imported from the EU.  Import duties on all industrial products were scrapped fully, while duties on some agriculture products will remain even after January 2014.

The United States restored Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored Nation status) with Serbia in December 2003.  This provides improved access to the U.S. market for Serbia.  In 2005, the U.S. government designated Serbia as a beneficiary of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a program that would provide duty-free access to the U.S. market in various eligible categories.

Serbia has concluded bilateral free trade agreements with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and the European Free Trade Association (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein).  Serbia is also a beneficiary of Japan’s GSP (preferential duties on importation to Japan).

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.