Through the presentation of Serbian companies and Serbia’s investment potential, the Development Agency of Serbia (RAS) used the forum as an opportunity to foster new business connections and cooperation with partners from Central and Eastern Europe.

BUKOVEL, September 19, 2026 – The Development Agency of Serbia (RAS) participated in the Carpathian Economic Forum, held on September 18 and 19 in Bukovel, Ukraine, where Serbia’s investment potential, the capacities of its domestic economy, and opportunities for connecting Serbian companies with partners from Central and Eastern Europe were presented.

Photo: Courtesy of Carpathian 8 Summit Official

Serbia participated in the Forum through a joint presentation by the Development Agency of Serbia (RAS), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) and the EXPO 2027 Belgrade organization, with the participation of Serbian companies, including Mind Park and Millennium Team. The business and exhibition zone showcased Serbia’s potential and projects of domestic companies in the fields of infrastructure, energy, industry, logistics, construction and new technologies. RAS was represented at the Forum by Nikola Janković, Director of the International Cooperation Sector.

The Serbian exhibition stand was also visited by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhii Koretskyi, who spoke with representatives of Serbian institutions and companies about Serbia’s business capacities and opportunities for future economic cooperation.

Photo: Courtesy of Carpathian 8 Summit Official

For Serbian companies, the Forum provided an opportunity to connect with investors, institutions and the regional business community, particularly in the fields of energy, transport and logistics, railway infrastructure, industry, construction and digital solutions. Particular potential lies in projects related to the reconstruction and development of Ukraine, as well as opportunities for Serbian companies to become part of new regional value chains and cross-border business projects.

The Carpathian Economic Forum brought together more than 500 representatives of the business community and investors, along with government officials, international financial institutions and other participants from the region. The Forum featured an Investment Lab, a business and exhibition zone, as well as a fair where around 50 local producers and entrepreneurs presented their products and services.

The Forum was held as part of the first summit of the “Carpathian Eight” (C8), a regional format bringing together Serbia, Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary, with the participation of representatives of the European Union. The aim of the format is to strengthen regional cooperation and connect countries through joint projects in the fields of infrastructure, energy, trade, logistics and investment.

Carpathian Investment Coalition

One of the key outcomes of the Summit was the launch of the Carpathian Investment Coalition, a new voluntary platform for practical investment cooperation across the Carpathian macro-region and the wider Central and Eastern European economic space.

The Joint Declaration establishing the Coalition was announced by investment promotion institutions from Ukraine, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia, including the Development Agency of Serbia (RAS) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS).

Photo: Courtesy of Carpathian 8 Official

The Coalition aims to contribute to more systematic cooperation around investment opportunities and projects in the region by identifying regional and cross-border opportunities, connecting complementary projects, improving project preparation and investment readiness, and linking companies, investors, regions and financial partners.

Cooperation may include the joint promotion of investment opportunities and project pipelines, investor outreach, investment missions, B2B and B2G matchmaking, project preparation and structuring, as well as cooperation with European and international financial and development institutions.

According to the data presented at the Summit, the investment potential identified to date in the Carpathian regions of Ukraine is estimated at approximately EUR 8 billion, while the potential across the wider Carpathian macro-region amounts to around EUR 34.5 billion. The Coalition will provide a framework for further mapping this potential, identifying priority opportunities and developing a structured pipeline of investment-ready projects.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, who participated in the Carpathian Initiative Summit, highlighted the importance of the new format for opening new avenues of cooperation between Serbia and the countries of the region, particularly in the areas of energy and infrastructure connectivity. He also stated that Serbia’s trade with Ukraine increased by 42 percent in the first half of 2026.

Photo: TANJUG/Julija Bakić

RAS’s participation in the Carpathian Economic Forum is part of the Agency’s ongoing activities aimed at promoting Serbia as an investment and business destination, supporting the internationalization of the domestic economy, and connecting Serbian companies with international partners.