In order for American customs customs to influence small companies in Serbia – BBC News in Serbian
Some employees in Serbia could not even serve that one signature in a distant white house in Washington would enter the fun and fear of job loss.
When Donald TrampAmerican President, announced new customs to goods from more than 180 countries and territories, including Serbia, care and in Sanja Stanimirović, director of the company « Testeral » from Jagodina.
In the company, he manages for the production of aluminum windows, doors and facades has 120 full-time employees.
America is a beautiful, large and good market for them, and customs of 37 percent, which they put in Serbia alone, no means in favor of them.
« About 70 percent of our exports are placed on the US market, which is more half of our total production.
« Customs of 37 percent are extremely bad and it erases us from the American market, » says Stanimirovic for the BBC in Serbian, whose company is engaged in the production of aluminum windows, doors and facades.
After the announcement of the introduction of the customs, all alarms and red lights were automatically brought in political and business circles in Serbia.
And while all eyes are on the announced negotiations of Aleksandar Vučić, the President of Serbia with a tramp, in order to reduce customs chamber, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce has already launched an inferior service for the economy « New customs USA »Wouldn’t he soften some newly emerging damage.
« America introduced customs to the goods, but not to services.
« Serbia three times more exports in the United States services than goods, » says Bojan Stanic from the Serbian Chamber of Commerce for the BBC in Serbian.
Customs, which was to take effect on April 9, In the last hour they were delayed.
For everything, except for China.
The total trade exchange of Serbia and America in 2024. amounted to more than $ 1.4 billion.
Serbia exported fewer goods than it imported for almost $ 70 million, according to the data of the Republic Statistical Office (RZS).
Montenegro as a necessary alternative
Jagodina « Testeral » exports 90 percent of the products, and the most goods go to the United States.
« The whole of our production, investments and the work process were directed towards the American market.
« We expect most from negotiations, because everything else is bad, » says Stanimirovic.
Customs for neighboring Montenegro are 10 percent and it points out that this is a very challenging percentage, but that they continue to be reinforced in the negotiating team.
« There is a possibility that one drive switches to Montenegro or to have associates in that country if such a situation remains, but it is a problem of the entire economy, not only ours.
« There are other markets as an alternative, but this is not goods that are easily transferred, but is contracted for a longer period, » Stanimirovic added.
Each state is seeking different certificates, including the European Union, so it will not be so easy to reorientation at once, it indicates.
« With our permanent employees, we have 80 seasonal workers, which is not a small number of people working for us.
« And finally, it’s stupid to give up the market you’ve built for a long time, » he says.
‘Decisions are not made in a panic’
Nothing seems to be easier or drague in Kršanin, who is a co-owner of the company « Tehnomarket » from Pancevo, the city not far from Belgrade.
And they deal with aluminum in construction, and their market makes them more than 30 percent of total revenues.
« It can’t just come into their market.
« There were huge investments in the certificates, because in the United States, twice as rigorous rules from the EU, » says Kršanin, who has been holding this company with his brother for 35 years.
He also says that he does not only take care of himself, but also on the employees, who work for 30 years.
« If the partner cancels me for justified reasons, a third of employees I can’t just let me go unpaid, but to provide them with salary.
« I have to invent some job, » he says.
He also mentions that they have a domestic market as an alternative, but with a sigh he adds that he will not comment on much.
« There is a variant to open company in Kosovo or Montenegro, but Americans are silent.
« I’m just missing to get a permanent ban on exports. In the panic, there should not be made, » he explains a violent.
More services than goods
A significant part of the exports from Serbia in the US last year were services, primarily in the field of information technologies (IT), says Stanić.
« American companies are relocated, so, for example, programming or maintenance of sites are located in Serbia.
« For these services, they or pay companies in Serbia or found themselves here companies, where our experts work, » Stanic said.
Information technology services do not cross the border, so there is no customs, it explains.
IT companies with whom the BBC journalists did not want to comment on this decision.
Most of us referred us to the US Chamber of Commerce in Serbia (AmCham).
In a written response for the BBC, they stated that they « follow information regarding the decision of the American administration on the introduction of customs. »
« At the moment, all the details of the decision are known until sectoral analysis is made, early for an accurate assessment of impact, » Nikola Popov pointed out AmCham– And.
AmCham gathers more than 250 companies employing about 112,000 workers, said at official Site.
This figure consists of American, international and domestic companies.
According to PKS, more than 650 American companies are operating in Serbia with majority American ownership and works 15,000 people.
How much does Serbia and America trade trading?
The export of Serbia to America was in 2024. years of slightly more than $ 670 million.
In the opposite direction, the goods were worth more than 739 million dollars, the data are the data of the Republic Bureau of Statistics of Serbia.
Serbia has most exported the car tires in America (22.9 percent of total exports to the United States), then weapons and ammunition, internal combustion motors, liquid pumps and rotary electrical machines, says Stanić.
From America, the most non-electric machines, aircraft, cars, chemical products and medical instruments were imported from America in this Balkan country.
« Serbia received the highest customs in Europe and among the highest in the world.
« We are not sure what will be with aluminum and steel, because Customs was 25 percent there, » Stanic said.
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