Message from Ambassador Michael Kirby

As Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Serbia, I am pleased to welcome you to the Business Tab of the Embassy Belgrade website. Whether you are an American business interested in exporting to or investing in Serbia, or a Serbian company exploring trade and business opportunities in the United States, the staff of the U.S. Embassy and I fully support your efforts and stand ready to offer you assistance. Simply put, Embassy Belgrade is "open for business."

The Embassy's Economic Section and Foreign Commercial Service Office offer a range of services to American and Serbian businesses, from expert advice about the investment climate in Serbia and the United States to assistance in promoting your company's products in the Serbian market. I encourage you to explore the resources found in the Business Tab to learn more about doing business in Serbia and the United States, and about the many services the Embassy and other U.S. government organizations can provide in support of your company.

The Embassy cooperates closely with the Serbian government to strengthen the economic and commercial relationship between the United States and Serbia. Working together with Serbian officials, the private sector, and such organizations as the American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia, we are achieving notable success. Bilateral trade between our two countries is increasing -- pursuant to President Obama's National Export Initiative, U.S. exports to Serbia increased by 15 percent to nearly $300 million in 2011. American companies doing business in Serbia are expanding their operations, and more new-to-market American companies are investing here. American investment in Serbia now totals over $2.9 billion, and is growing.

Serbia offers many advantages to American companies seeking to develop new markets or expand their presence overseas: a strategic location within a Western Balkan market of 25 million people (with $1.3 billion in total U.S. export sales for 2011); a highly skilled labor force with excellent English language skills; and free trade agreements with important markets, including the European Union, Central European Free Trade Association nations, Russia, and Turkey. Serbia is an official candidate for membership in the European Union, a major milestone on Serbia's path to full integration into European institutions and a reassuring signal to companies interested in doing business here.

Once again, the Embassy stands ready to assist American companies considering business opportunities in Serbia. We know the country. We know the market. We know the people. And we know what it takes to help make your business in Serbia a success. I invite you to explore what we -- and Serbia -- have to offer.