“Today, manufacturing is the second-largest employing sector in all Southeast European countries and the third-largest contributor to gross domestic product,” says Liliana de Sá Kirchknopf, head of SECO’s Private Sector Development Division.
“It is estimated that light manufacturing provides jobs for 200,000 people in Serbia alone, and over 70 per cent of this employment is generated by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). By promoting the economic integration of the Western Balkans’ manufacturing sector both within the region and with global value chains, SECO aims to contribute to the creation of more and better jobs for local workers and increased sales revenue for SMEs.”