Pandemic Does Not Affect Investment Plans of More Than a Half of Companies Members of Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce

According to a survey carried out by the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SSCC), more than a half of the subjects (close to 60%) say that the Covid-19 pandemic has so far not affected their investment plans in Serbia for 2021, the SSCC announced.

Also, the results show that 70.4% of their company members believe that their operations have been affected by the pandemic only slightly or moderately, whereas 29.6% stated that the pandemic has had a strong impact on them.

When it comes to the government’s measures of support to companies, 70.4% of the surveyed companies used the economic measures to more easily overcome the business challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the survey, the most useful measures for the subjects during the Covid-crisis were tax exemptions or temporary tax exemptions (63% of the subjects), employment programs, such as the program for the temporarily unemployed or exemption from social insurance (44.4%) and financial programs, such as credit lines with a low interest rate, or credit guarantees (33.3%).

Other measures (cited by less than 30% of the subjects) entail subsidies for the lease of space, cash transfers, support to the self-employed and reduction of customs fees for the input material that is imported.

As for the digitalization, 63% of those surveyed have digitalized their business (to a lesser or greater extent) due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce carried out an online survey among its members called “The Impact of Covid-19 on Business” in November 2020. The aim of this survey was to gain valuable insights into the main challenges that the Swiss-Serbian business community is facing due to the Covid-19 crisis and to better understand the needs of these companies and the issues of interest to them.

Švajcarsko-srpska trgovinska komora

survey

Covid 19 impact on business

coronavirus

economy aid

state economy aid measures