Political relations
Bilateral political relations between Serbia and Sweden are good and are characterized by a positive trend in the development of political dialogue, with an interest in their further improvement.
Visit of the Swedish MFA T. Bilstrom to Serbia on April 19, 2023, in the capacity of the president of the Council of the EU, contributed to the improvement of the overall relations between the two countries. The support for the EU integration of Serbia was confirmed, as well as the interest in further strengthening of political and economic cooperation.
The former Serbian MFA N. Selakovic participated in the OSCE Ministerial Council, in December 2021 in Stockholm, and Serbia was visited by a Swedish Riksdag President A. Norlen in August 2021. The former MFA of Sweden A. Linde visited Serbia (in the capacity of the OSCE Chairmanship) on May 24 and 25, 2021.
President of the R. of Serbia A. Vučić met with former Swedish Prime Minister M. Andersson on the sidelines of the EU-WB Summit on June 23, 2022 in Brussels.
Economic relations
Sweden has been Serbia's long-standing and most important economic partner among the Scandinavian countries, and we have a trade surplus with them. The total trade exchange in 2022 amounted to 628.8 million of euros, of which exports amounted to 362.4 million of euros, and imports to 266.4 million of euros. In 2022 record results were achieved in bilateral trade in goods and services, as well as individually in the export and import of goods and services. In 2021, trade exchange amounted to 512.67 million of euros.
In the last few years, investments from Sweden have mainly been placed in sales and distribution activities and the service sector in Serbia, where today around 100 companies with Swedish capital are successfully operating. Among them, the most prominent investments are the companies Tetra Pak (72 million euros), LK Armatur (1.5 million euros), Verisec, IKEA (the first department store was opened in 2017, it invested 70 million euros, and plans to invests euros 300 million in a total of 5 department stores in Serbia), Trelleborg/Mitas, Gorenje Tiki doo/Nibe Industrier, Rimaster AB, AQ Inductive Components, Transcom Worldwide.
Development aid of Sweden: Development aid is financed through the program of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA allocates around EUR 12 million in grants to RS annually). Sweden's total non-refundable aid so far amounts to about 293 million of euros. A Serbian-Swedish Business Council (with about 40 companies) has been established in Sweden, which aims to promote the potential of the Serbian economy.
Bilateral agreements
Currently, there are 29 bilateral agreements in force. In terms of importance, the following stand out:
Agreement between the Government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden on Mutual Protection of Investments,
Special Agreement between the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations of the Republic of Serbia,
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden on Cooperation in the Field of Law Enforcement, and
Donation agreements concluded between the Government of Sweden and the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro (set of four agreements).
Contact information
The Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Stockholm (Sweden): http://stockholm.mfa.gov.rs/index.php.
The Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in Belgrade (Serbia): https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/serbia-belgrade/.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia – Department for Europe: tel. 00 381 (0) 11 30 68 326, e-mail: oev@mfa.rs.