A thousand villages in Serbia do not even have a shop

There are no shops in 1,000 villages in Serbia, and this trend will continue if there are no incentives, businessmen attending the Public Debate on the Draft Law on Trade in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SCC) warned.

Representatives of the Ministry of Trade are talking with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) about the possibility to secure funds from the loan for survival of small shops in Serbian villages.

The draft law stipulates that the Serbian government can determine incentive measures, and Special Adviser to the Minister of Trade Vladimir Matovic said that it is difficult to obtain credit lines for this type of incentive. Therefore, he says, talks with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are being held, related to support via incentives for small shops.

During the public debate in the SCC, representatives of the trade sector warned about the importance of introducing the obligation of having a bar code on all products.

As the new law is passed after nine years of validity of the old one, the Draft also regulates new means of electronic and long-distance commerce.

The proposed law stipulates that the product declaration must be available in Serbian language, in a „clear, easily visible and readable manner“.

Prices will still be highlighted in dinars, except for the trade in tourism sector when operating abroad, as well as in electronic trade in software and digital products, when IT technology is exported.

Electronic trade towards Serbia, as proposed, will need to have an optional currency, thus consumer will be able to choose which price he wants to see.

Izvor: Blic, Tanjug

Foto: BIZLife