This study summarizes the key findings of the ninth study, which focuses on Serbia. It was carried out pursuant to the Government’s request to support ongoing efforts to increase the trade sector’s contribution to development and the implementation of the 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs). The study was prepared by the UNECE secretariat in close consultation with public and private-sector stakeholders, drawing on a comprehensive survey-based assessment using the UNECE evaluation methodology. The study integrates the comments and suggestions submitted in writing by the principal stakeholders in June 2020 and February 2021.

The findings emerging from this study formed the basis for the UNECE COVID-19 impact assessment, titled “The impact of COVID-19 on trade and structural transformation in Serbia: Evidence from UNECE’s survey of MSMEs”, which was carried out May-October 2020 pursuant to General Assembly’s Resolution on Global Solidarity to Fight the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (A/RES/74/270) of 2 April 2020. The impact assessment was financed through the United Nations Development Account (UNDA), Tenth Tranche project, “Strengthening the national capacities of selected ECE countries for evidence-based regulatory and procedural trade policies to achieve SDGs”, and contributed to the United Nations system wide Global Initiative Towards Post-Covid-19 Resurgence of the MSME Sector.