Political relations
Bilateral relations between the Republic of Serbia and the French Republic are traditionally and historically close and friendly, recording steady progress. They are characterized by the continuous strengthening and enhancement of cooperation in all fields, as well as a regular political dialogue. On April 8, 2011, the two countries signed the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the French Republic on Strategic Partnership and Cooperation in Paris, establishing an additional framework for deepening overall bilateral relations.
Political dialogue is exceptionally intensive, as evidenced by numerous top-level meetings. Former President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić paid an official visit to France on April 9, 2025, as well as on April 7–8, 2024. Both visits and the talks held between then-President Vučić and President Macron were of exceptional importance for the further development of overall bilateral relations. Former President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić attended a dinner hosted by President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron for world leaders at the Élysée Palace, as well as the Bastille Day military parade in Paris on July 14, 2026. Former President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić visited Paris on November 13, 2025, where he held a working dinner with President Macron. Former President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić paid a working visit to France on February 1, 2021, meeting with President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron. Former President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić also visited the French Republic on July 9–10, 2020, meeting with President Emmanuel Macron.
A significant contribution to the enhancement of bilateral relations was made by the state visit of President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron to Serbia, realized on August 29–30, 2024. On that occasion, 12 bilateral documents were signed in the fields of agriculture, tourism, science, defense, environmental protection, mining and energy, health, priority projects implemented in the Republic of Serbia, critical and strategic raw materials, civil nuclear energy program, research and innovation, as well as documents regarding cooperation with the French Development Agency (AFD).
Intensive cooperation is also carried out at the level of governments and line ministries. At the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Marko Đurić, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic Jean-Noël Barrot paid an official visit to Belgrade on January 16, 2026. This marked the first official visit of a French foreign minister to the Republic of Serbia in eight years. Separate meetings were held with then-President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and then-Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, and a Memorandum of Understanding on the construction of a wastewater collector for the city of Belgrade was signed, alongside a Joint Statement on the Belgrade Metro project.
Economic Relations
Bilateral economic cooperation between Serbia and France is developing dynamically and diversifying, matching the excellent political relations between the two countries. It is characterized by growing trade in goods and services, as well as substantial, increasing French investments in the Serbian economy, which have expanded in recent years to include major infrastructure projects (via concession and Public-Private Partnership models), in line with the Agreement on Strategic Partnership and Cooperation concluded in 2011.
Economic cooperation is extending into new areas such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology, clean energy sources including nuclear energy, critical and strategic raw materials, military-technical cooperation, agriculture and the food industry, and the EXPO 2027 project.
In 2025, France ranked as Serbia's 10th largest overall foreign trade partner (ranking 13th in goods exports and 14th in goods imports). According to data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (RZS), total trade in goods with the French Republic in 2025 amounted to €2.2 billion, with exports from the Republic of Serbia accounting for €0.9 billion and imports for €1.3 billion.
France is among the top 15 largest investors in the Serbian economy, which has attracted around 80% of total French investments in the Western Balkans region. According to data from the National Bank of Serbia (NBS), cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) from France between 2010 and 2025 amounted to €1.2 billion (€1,201.4 million). In 2025, recorded FDI inflow from France stood at €87.6 million, while Serbian residents invested €11.1 million in France in the same year.
According to data from the Development Agency of Serbia (RAS), total investments by companies owned by French investors in Serbia amount to €2.59 billion, employing 10,422 workers.
The largest investment projects include:
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The concession of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport by the French company Vinci Airports,
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The construction of a municipal waste processing and energy generation facility in Vinča under a PPP model,
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The Belgrade Metro construction project, envisioned under the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the French Republic on Cooperation in the Implementation of Priority Projects in the Republic of Serbia from November 2020.
Bilateral agreements
A total of 103 bilateral agreements and other legal acts have been signed between the Republic of Serbia and the French Republic to date. Key agreements include:
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Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the French Republic on Social Security
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Convention between the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the French Republic for the Avoidance of Double Taxation with Respect to Taxes on Income
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Convention between the Government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Government of the French Republic on the Reciprocal Protection of Investments
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Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the French Republic on the Succession of Bilateral Treaties Concluded Between the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and France
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Agreement on Strategic Partnership and Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the French Republic, accompanied by Political Declarations of the Two Presidents
Contact information
The Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Paris (France): https://paris.mfa.gov.rs/.
The Embassy of the Republic of France in Belgrade (Serbia): https://rs.ambafrance.org/.
Contact in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia – Department for Europe: tel. 00 381 (0) 11 30 68 326, 00 381 (0) 11 30 68 274, e-mail: oev@mfa.rs.