Switzerland to help Serbia enter World Trade Organization

Serbia and Switzerland signed the Memorandum of Understanding yesterday (October 1st, 2009), which means that Switzerland will help Serbia to be admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) by granting it the aid of about 565,000 CHF.

The Memorandum was signed by the State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy of Serbia, Vesna Arsić, and the Swiss State Secretary of Economy, Jean Daniel Greber.

Ms. Arsić said that, in addition to technical aid, the Memorandum also implied help to Serbia once it became the member of WTO, which should make it easier for Serbian companies to adapt to the rules of that organization.

She said that it was the third phase of the project that had commenced in 2003, and she added that that phase would last prior to year 2013.

The Swiss State Secretary of Economy, Jean Daniel Greber, estimated that the cooperation between Serbia and Switzerland was excellent in all fields – economic, cultural and political ones.

As he explained, the Swiss Government is helping Serbia become a member of WTO, which is proved by today’s signing of the Memorandum.

He estimated that the good news was that the negotiations between Serbia and WTO were close to end, and that Serbia’s admission to that organization was expected the next year.