The new Coordination Office will mediate the disputes between state and investors

The newly established Government Coordination Office for Agreements on Mutual Encouragement and Protection of Investments unites and directs the work of several different state administration entities and will not only deal with the process of negotiating and sealing bilateral investment agreements, but also with implementation of already signed agreements, the Ministry of the Interior and Foreign Trade stated in its response to the magazine Nova Ekonomija.

Additionally, the Coordination Office will also mediate in the peaceful settlements of disputes between investors and the state, prior to an international arbitration.

- Bearing in mind such a wide range of different activities, it was necessary to form a joint entity that would ensure their coordinated negotiation and monitoring of implementation - the Ministry states.

As announced in the Official Gazette, the Government of Serbia established the aforementioned Coordination Office last week.

Investors from numerous countries, before deciding to invest in a country, request that a bilateral agreement on mutual encouragement and protection of investments be signed, as a legal framework and basis for their investment.

The work of the Coordination Office will also refer to the monitoring of the implementation of all bilateral investment agreements that are in force with different countries.

- Agreements on mutual encouragement and protection of investments guarantee fair and equal treatment to foreign investors, as well as full protection and security for their investments. At the same time, foreign investors are guaranteed the right to international legal protection, i.e. to initiate disputes before international arbitration - the Ministry has stated.

According to the Law on Ministries, state administration tasks related to "negotiations for the purpose of concluding bilateral agreements on the promotion and protection of investments and the preparation of laws on their confirmation" are performed by the Ministry of Economy.

Vlada Republike Srbije

Ministarstvo unutrašnje i spoljne trgovine Republike Srbije

Ministarstvo privrede Republike Srbije

Government Coordination Office for Agreements on Mutual Encouragement and Protection of Investments

disputes between the state and investors

mediation in disputes