InFocus France

France 2019

FRANCE & SERBIA

MANY MORE OPORTUNITIES ARE BEFORE US H.E. Frédéric Mondoloni

Ambassador of France to Serbia

Dragoljub Damljanović President of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Sanja Ivanić Director of French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

02 WE LOVE

MUSEUMS

The Louvre Museum in Paris was the most visited museum in the world in 2014! - with an amazing 9.3 million visitors.

01 BIENVENUE

France is the world's most popular tourist destination! - They expect around 87 million tourists per year, making it the most visited country on the planet!

06 LEF IS OUR MOTO

05 NO MORE WASTE

France was the first country in the world to ban supermarkets from throwing away or destroying unsold food! - since February 2016, shops started donating to charities.

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Liberté, Égalitié, Fraternité meaning ‘liberty, equality and fraternity’ is the nations motto!

– firstly seen around the time of the revolution.

(1789-1799)

03 BIGGER, BETTER, STRONGER

France is the Largest Country in the EU! - With an area of 551,000 sq. km, it is almost a 5th of the EU’s total area, around a quarter is covered by forest.

04 TO THE TOP

Europe’s highest mountain is in the French Alps.

Mont Blanc, at 4,810m, takes 10 to 12 hours to climb to the peak.

08 ALL ABOARD

Paris Gare du Nord is Europe’s busiest railway station- So far, around 190 million passengers pass through each year.

07 CROWN ON… CROWN OFF

Louis XIX, was the king of France for just 20 minutes! – Nominated as the shortest ever reign, in 1830 his power was shortly taken by his nephew.

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Photo: FONET / Aleksandar Barda

INTERVIEW

H.E. FrĂŠdĂŠric Mondoloni Ambassador of France to Serbia

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Since 2010, France became progressively the 7th biggest foreign investor in Serbia, which has been strongly contributing to the Serbian growth and export.

Positive economic prospects are complimenting long term friendship and strong bilateral relations

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s long as friendship among our citizens endures, I have great hopes that we can build common opportunities out of it, says H.E. Frédéric Mondoloni, Ambassador of France to Serbia. Although a commemorations of 1918 in Paris on November 11, presented a challenge for that friendship, there are many past and present events, which are fortifying ties between our two countries, says H.E. Frédéric Mondoloni, Ambassador of France to Serbia. We discussed a variety of topics such as French investments in Serbia, and current challenges in the Belgrade Pristina dialogue.

The French company Vinci will become the concessionaire of Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport. What is the significance of this investment in the context of the development of the Serbian-French economic relations?

— The French-Serbian economic relation was first boosted up in 2007, when Michelin acquired the Tigar tyres factory in Pirot, which now hires 3 300 employees and is the 4th biggest exporter in Serbia. Since 2010, trade between France and Serbia has more than doubled and represents nearly a billion euros in 2018. In this period, France also became progressively the 7th biggest foreign investor in Serbia. Today, more than 100 French companies are operating in Serbia and employ around 11 000 people. The new significant investments by Vinci in Nikola Tesla airport and Suez in Vinca landfill contribute greatly to strengthening further the growing French-Serbian economic relation.

You have recently commended the French-Serbian business community for

being the driving force behind the bilateral relations between the two countries.

To what extent this economic element has not been present in development of mutual relations?

— The French-Serbian business community has been very active and is one of the main assets of our bilateral relation Thanks to its engagement, new areas for invest-

FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, FRANCE AND THE EU HAVE CALLED ON THE ATTENTION OF THE SERBIAN AUTHORITIES ON THE ISSUE OF RULE OF LAW COVERED BY CHAPTERS 23 AND 24, WHICH ARE A KEY FACTOR FOR SERBIA’S ACCESSION ments and partnerships are being considered – like digital economy – and Serbia is getting more and more attractive to French investors.

In May and June you organized a major regional forum called France-Balkans.

What expectations do you have from the visit of the French business delegation that is supposed to come to Serbia together with President Macron?

— The business forum organized in May was a great success, with more than 400 companies from France and the Balkan region. It shows the growing vitality of

our economic relation. We do intend to organize such events in the coming year for bringing French and Serbian businesses closer, maybe on more specific topics – as the digital economy. As you know, the President had to postpone the visit scheduled in December 2018 for internal reasons. A new date will be set for this visit which will represent both a significant moment of our political relation and a major occasion to put forward the French-Serbian economic ties. Indeed, several contracts or agreements must be signed on this occasion ranging from public administration reform to defense industry.

I am also convinced that this visit will raise further the visibility of Serbia among the French investors to emphasize the numerous assets of the Serbian market.

Do you think that the current events concerning Belgrade-Pristina relations can lead to an increased instability in the region and affect economic stability in Serbia?

— France is very much supporting the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue because we are convinced that stability cannot be fully ensured in the future without a mutually acceptable compromise between both parties. In this regards, every measure that jeopardize this dialogue must be avoided as they create useless instability and do not contribute to normalization – that implies concessions on both sides. Stability is not just good in itself: it is also a key factor for economic development and – consequently – of improvement of the living conditions of the people of the region. This is why we are concerned by the lack of progress in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, as it can uselessly impact both the stability of

UNFORTUNATE MOVE

THE 100% RAISE BY KOSOVO ON TARIFF ON GOODS IMPORTED FROM BOSNIA AND SERBIA IS A VERY UNFORTUNATE MOVE WHICH SHOULD BE CANCELLED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AS IT WAS REQUESTED IN SEVERAL OCCASIONS BY THE EU FRANCE 2019

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the region and slow down its economic development. The 100% raise by Kosovo on tariff on goods imported from Bosnia and Serbia is a very unfortunate move.

This measure should be cancelled as soon as possible, as it was requested in several occasions by the EU.

What is your assessment of the overall reforms in Serbia and the efforts that are made in the European integration process?

— Serbia has already made significant efforts for implementing key economic reforms. These efforts must be commended, all the more as they were painful for the country and its population. But they were not done in vain, as the macroeconomic situation of Serbia is now positive with a growth rate around 4% of GDP for 2018, a public debt below 60% and a decreasing unemployment rate. This very positive step must now come with complementary reforms in the area of social welfare and rule of law which are another necessary component of EU accession reforms.

Serbia has undertaken such reforms on the independence of judiciary, legislation on corruption, the establishment of a new media strategy etc. I know these topics can generate some criticism but, in the end, France and the EU will assess the progress of Serbia regarding the implementation of these reforms and of the EU standards.

Do you think that the two open chapters are a good result, or could Serbia do much better?

— Serbia has dedicated real efforts to initiate the necessary reforms to join the EU. France and the EU wished to acknowledge these efforts by opening two more chapters. However, for several years now, France and the EU have called on the attention of the Serbian authorities on the issue of rule of law. This topic, covered by chapters 23 and 24, is a highly important one with regards to accession and the concrete implementation of these two chapters will be a key factor as to the pace of Serbia’s accession.

In which reforms is France most interested in here and thus has been helping with their implementation?

— France is attentive to every reform, as all of them are equally important to join the EU. We have been very much involved

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WE SUPPORT CRUCIAL ECONOMIC REFORMS LIKE STATISTICS, PUBLIC FINANCE MANAGEMENT AND TRANSPORT STRATEGY BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT A ROBUST BASIS FOR THE FRENCHSERBIAN ECONOMIC RELATIONS in crucial economic reforms like statistics, public finance management or transport strategy because they represented a robust basis on which we could boost up the French-Serbian economic relation. As I mentioned we are also attentive to the reforms related to rule of law, and especially regarding the freedom of media, independence of the judiciary, fight against criminality and corruption etc. which are important components for every democratic society. France is also focused on chapter 35 and the normalization of the relation with Pristina, even though we know

that – on this specific aspect – efforts have also to be accomplished by Kosovo.

There is a lot of talk about the tradition of the Serbian-French friendship. What would you single out as a new dimension of these mutual relations?

— There is indeed such a tradition, which is old and robust. This is why I deeply regret the impact which the incident of November 11th caused in Serbia: I know that many people felt hurt. I regret this all the more as this Embassy had been working very hard for months to prepare make the commemorations of 1918 a prominent moment of the French-Serbian friendship. I am now more determined than ever to work to improve this relation because I could see among the reactions of the French public that a significant number of French citizens do know the history of our friendship and sincerely love this country. Today, this friendship is perceptible in culture, economy and daily life. This last element is maybe the most important, as all the French people who live in Serbia or who travel to Serbia agree to commend the warm welcome they receive from the Serbian citizens. As long as this friendship among citizens endures, I have great hopes that we can build common opportunities out of it.

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INTERVIEW

Dragoljub Damljanović

President of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

A YEAR OF GOOD NEWS

Following in the footsteps of big French companies, an increasing number of small and mediumsized enterprises are also showing interest in Serbia. We believe that Serbia's image in France has finally begun to change, and that companies are noticing Serbia's potential

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lthough there may not be as many French companies as we would have liked in the Serbian market, this year was undoubtedly the year of good news - from the return of AirFrance to the Serbian market to seven small and medium-sized French companies making a decision to venture into Serbia and invest here. We are talking

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to Dragoljub Damljanović, the President of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, about the potential of the cooperation between the two economies and the Chamber's role in that.

Could you describe in short the position that French companies occupy in Serbia? — France occupies the 7th place on the

list of the biggest foreign investors in Serbia, having close to 120 companies here with over 11,000 employees working in various sectors - financial, automotive, food, digital, and public service concessions. French companies, those which are already here and those that are about to come, contribute to strengthening of the economic relations between France and

Serbia, with the value of the external trade between the two countries standing at around EUR 1 billion in 2018. French companies are also among the leading companies in their respective sectors such as Somboled and Mlekoprodukt in the food industry, Suez and Veolia in infrastructure, Tigar Tyres, Le Belier and Hutchinson in the automotive industry, and Atos and Schneider Electric in the field of new technologies. Their high standards also raise the standards in the local market and boost the competitiveness of the domestic economy. French companies also stand out as responsible businesses that always go beyond mandatory standards, and are known for being excellently integrated into the local community.

How would you assess the current business environment in Serbia?

— For quite some time now, Serbia has been working hard on improving the business environment, and implementing very important reforms in different sectors, with the results becoming increasingly visible. France has also been able to recognize and evaluate the work that Serbia has done in the EU accession process, and we can confidently say that the bilateral relations and external trade between the two countries have never been better.

The indicators of Serbia's economic recovery and accelerated economic growth are seen n the fact that 10.7% more direct foreign investments have been made relative to the same period last year, that the country's currency – the dinar – is stable and that public debt is managed successfully. After Serbia being granted the status of an European Union candidate, new French investors saw business opportuni-

ties that Serbia offered, primarily as a result of its excellent geographical position, fiscal easing and qualified workforce. In addition to infrastructure, energy and agribusiness that are of interest to French companies, certain innovative sectors such as digital and IT, which are supported by the state, offer very attractive perspective.

In addition to large companies that are interested in Serbia, small and medium-sized enterprises from France are now also showing interest in this market.

How many French SMEs are doing business in Serbia and what are your expectations?

BY IMPLEMENTING HIGH STANDARDS, FRENCH COMPANIES ALSO RAISE THE STANDARDS IN THE LOCAL MARKET AND BOOST THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY — Seven small and medium-sized French enterprises came to the Serbian market since the beginning of this year. This is an encouraging result, bearing in mind that 5 years ago, only three small French companies came to Serbia and launched their business. Large companies have an easier access to the Serbian market, as they have the necessary infrastructure to start their business wherever they might be, while French SMEs are more distrustful and cautious, and are waiting for favourable and

stable conditions to be in place to start their business. Today, Serbia has achieved a certain degree of political and economic stability that facilitates the operations of companies, and French SMEs have recognized the opportunities that this market provides. In that sense, we believe that Serbia's image in France has finally begun to change, and that companies are finally noticing Serbia's potential. The aforementioned seven SMEs that have chosen Serbia to invest in come from different sectors four are engaged in metallurgy and plastics industry, two in new technologies and one in the service sector. These sectors have a really great potential, which the French small and medium enterprises have recognized. Together with its members, the Chamber will actively participate in providing support to companies that have expressed interest in doing business here and we hope that their number will continue to grow.

After six years of absence from the Serbian market, Air France is returning to Belgrade airport in the summer of 2019. Do you see this as an indication of a more dynamic economic exchange between the two countries?

— Air France returning to Serbia is very important, since passengers from Serbia and France, including those from the French-Serbian business community, will now have more options to travel thanks to Air France's flights from Paris. With three flights a day, in a code-share partnership with the national airline, people living Serbia and business community will be able to travel to over 160 destinations in 5 continents via Paris airport by flying from Belgrade airport. Air France,

SUCCESS

FRANCE RECOGNIZES THE WORK THAT SERBIA HAS DONE IN THE EU ACCESSION PROCESS, AND WE CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT THE BILATERAL RELATIONS AND EXTERNAL TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER FRANCE 2019

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a member of our Chamber, is the leading group in international traffic in Europe, and we are very pleased that they are returning to Serbia. We are also looking forward to the arrival of the French low cost airline, ASL Airlines that will establish a direct flight between Belgrade and Paris airport Charles de Gaulle on June 24th, 2019, with two weekly flights during the summer season. Nikola Tesla Airport, which is managed by the French group Vinci Airports as a result of a concession agreement, is strategically important infrastructure for Serbia because it is the main international entrance to Serbia and the driving force behind economic growth and development. We hope that other international airlines will follow suit and include Belgrade airport in their flight grid. This is very important because it directly contributes to the development of competitiveness, as well as to the improvement of living and travel conditions for business people and citizens.

Do you think that Serbia is now more interested in foreign companies willing to cooperate with its ICT sector?

— The information and communication technology sector is one of the pillars of the Serbian economy, and it enjoys a considerable state support. This sector contributed with 4.5% to the total GDP in 2017. Today, it consists of about 2,000 companies with 22,000 employees, with

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SERBIA HAS ACHIEVED A CERTAIN DEGREE OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC STABILITY THAT FACILITATES THE OPERATIONS OF COMPANIES, AND FRENCH SMES HAVE RECOGNIZED THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THIS MARKET PROVIDES close to 250 ICT companies opening every year. Foreigners, including French IT companies, are also strongly interested in the Serbian market and in cooperation with the domestic ICT sector. There has been an increase in the export of digital programmes and applications by around 30% per annum. Considering that the value of the ICT export was over EUR 900 million in 2017, this sector surpassed agriculture in terms of export, which was traditionally the biggest export sector in Serbia.

Global IT giants are already present in the Serbian market, amd we have three global ICT leaders from France operating here – Schneider Electric, which has nearly 1,400 engineers working at the DMS branch in

Novi Sad on developing software for the energy sector, Atos, which is dedicated digitization with top-notch solutions for all sectors, and Ubisoft, one of the world's leading game design companies.

The Chamber itself contributes to boosting development of the Serbian start-up community. Could you tells us about the Chamber's experiences so far?

— This year, just like previous years, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce invited all interested candidates who had a business idea or have launched their company less than a year ago to apply for a free one-year mentoring support programme called "Start-up Accelerator". The four projects were picked - PikcioChain with GDPR ready plug-n-use database for personal data and digital identity; Super Bake, a social entrepreneurship initiative where pensioners or female senior cititizes are engaged in cake baking, Rebel for starUML, a code generator for Java, Spring and Hibernate; and Between, a system for quick and easy financing of invoices of small and medium-sized enterprises. This year, Super Bake and Between won the mentoring support. The winners of the 'Start-up Accelerator“ programme receive mentoring support in all aspects of their business and the right to become the Chamber members, thus increasing their visibility, chances for acquiring partners and expanding the network of contacts.

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INTERVIEW

FRENCH COMPANIES TRUST US

Just like in the past period, in 2019 too, we are going to do everything in our power to remain an entry point and source of support to French companies interested in the Serbian market, and to create new business opportunities for all our members

Sanja Ivanić

Director of French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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he FSCCI has more than 120 members and represents over 100 companies in Serbia. Some of the largest French companies, such as Tigar Tyres, Schneider Electric, Atos, Lafarge, Societe Generale Serbia, Credit Agricole, Egis, L'Oréal Balkan, Le Bélier, Renault, Sanofi, Sladara Soufflet, and Veolia are Chamber members and its patrons. "Since the beginning of the year, seven small and medium enterprises from France came to Serbia which are, traditionally speaking, more cautious when coming to foreign markets. The reason why they came here is because they have recognized good conditions for launching a business," says Sanja Ivanić, Director of the FSCCI and adds:"French companies which choose to come to Serbia see the Chamber as their first point of contact in Serbia, where they can get their first address, technical support and work space. Every month, we receive dozens of queries from French companies from a variety of fields: metal processing, food processing, materials processing, infrastructure, textile industry and many others."

Are your members satisfied with the business conditions in Serbia?

— Our members are satisfied with the business environment in Serbia because the conditions for doing business are improving year-on-year since the state, through various programmes, is facilitating and boosting the operations of domestic and

WE ARE PLEASED THAT THE NUMBER OF INQUIRIES FROM FRENCH COMPANIES IS GROWING AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO SHOW THEM THE ADVANTAGES OF DOING BUSINESS IN SERBIA, WHILE ALSO FACILITATING THEIR ARRIVAL HERE

foreign companies in order to achieve economic growth and a better living standard.

Most commonly, the reasons why French companies come to Serbia are excellent geographical position, competitiveness and quality and availability of workforce. What keeps them in the Serbian market is the advantages of a market that is undergoing full expansion, ability to have regional presence, great industrial tradition, professional and adaptable workforce, quality infrastructure and flexible labour legislation.

The low corporate income tax rate (15%) is also one of the conditions that facilitates their business.

Apart from macroeconomic stability, which other key factors make Serbia an interesting destination for investments?

— Apart from accelerated economic growth and improved business climate, numerous free trade agreements with various countries and Serbia's central position in southeast Europe, which makes the country an ideal hub for any company wishing to cover a big territory and obtain many clients, make Serbia appealing in the eyes of investors.

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How much room does digital industry create for the cooperation between our two countries?

— The digital industry is one industry that has undoubtedly had the fastest development in recent years, and is of crucial importance to the Serbian economy. The potential of this sector lies primarily in a highly qualified, accessible and financially affordable workforce. More than 85% employees in this sector are highly educated and almost all of them speak fluent English.

This is what investors have recognized and why they have decided to invest in Serbia.

There is also the quality infrastructure and strategic support of the state. The strategic determination and business model of the companies operating in the digital sector entails working with local partners, renowned domestic companies, which implies technology transfer and innovation, as well as distribution and availability of products throughout Serbia.

How much did the growing interest of French companies affect the Chamber's operations, its internal organization and the number of inquiries you need to reply to?

— The growing interest of French companies does manifest itself in an increased number of inquiries that we have to deal with and reply to in a timely manner. Supporting companies is one of the Chamber's main activities and we are trying to provide companies from various sectors with a quality market analysis with the view of giving them the best and most precise information possible. Oftentimes, the Chamber is the first point of contact for French conpanies and we would like to maintain our good reputation in the

DIGITAL

THE FSCCI WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIGITAL ECONOMY IN SERBIA

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French-Serbian business community. We reply to all inquiries whether it is for exporting to or investing in Serbia. Also, we are active in France where, in collaboration with regional chambers, we meet with companies from various regions in France. We have also been an operational partner of the French state agency, Business France for a number of years and we hope that together we will manage to bring as many French companies as possible to Serbia.

ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO BOOST REGIONAL COOPERATION, THUS ATTRACTING MORE FRENCH COMPANIES AND OFFERING THEM THE CHANCE TO OPERATE IN A LARGER MARKET What is your advice to Serbian companies that show interest in doing business in the French market? Can they do that individually, or as a member of a business community, or with the state's help?

— We have received inquiries from Serbian companies wanting to do business in France. Although our main activity is to provide support to French companies that show interest in Serbia, and considering that we still do not have a support sector in „the opposite direction“, i.e. the local support in the French market, we nevertheless respond to inquiries of Serbian companies in a timely manner.

We provide them with general information that we have relating to accessing the French market, as well as more detailed information if available to us. The French market is one of the largest in Europe and the competition is fierce so Serbian companies rarely decide for such a move. I think this is a task for the entire business community, headed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, i.e. to work primarily on strengthening the domestic economy, and then facilitating access to foreign markets.

What are your plans for 2019?

— Our plans are to concretize the projects that we launched two years ago with the aim of bolstering regional cooperation.

We are already working directly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, and we have signed an agreement with the Association of the Macedonian Chambers of Commerce, stipulating assistance in this market, all with the goal of attracting more French companies and offering them the chance to operate in a larger market. The Chamber began its operations first as a club in 2005, and was subsequently admitted to the Union of French Chambers of Commerce Abroad in late 2009. Since then, we have reached the third level of classification of the French Chambers of Commerce Abroad, which means that we are authorized to provide all the services that French chambers could provide, not only to the members but also giving full support to all French companies. For seven years now, we have been an operational partner of the French state export and investment agency, Business France and we hope that this cooperation will be further improved in the future.

CORPORATE

French inspiration

AND VISION

DUBRAVKA ŽIVKOVIĆ Business Development Manager for Adriatic Region at Wiko

Our expression and tone are defined and nurtured in France, which is why our products reflect the French inspiration and vision

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iko was established in 2011 in Marseille, France, with the desire to share our experience and knowledge with our customers by offering them products that are similar to them and that make their daily life easier. Wiko has people, stories and ideas that make each phone unique, designed and created to meet individual tastes.

How much did Wiko telephones gain on popularity in the last two years of your presence in the Serbian market?

— We in Wiko are satisfied with our current position in Serbia and the region, taking into account that we are present in two operators’ portfolios as well as on the open market. Still, we are working continually on the improvement of our brand awareness and hope to be even better next year.

I can freely say that we started our sales activities on this market in the worst possible moment for the mobile industries. A lot of new brands appeared at that time, which impacted the market a great deal, both in terms of the quality of the devices and the prices. However, we have succeeded to survive in this tough environment and we plan to continue doing so!

How much did the democratization of the high technology that you have

brought with you, affect the reconfiguration of the overall supply and demand of mobile phones in the Serbian market?

— It would be doubtful to claim that Wiko or any other brand has managed to make such an impact in the market. Market is still turned towards well-known brands, and it does not change its habits easily at all. We sincerely hope that things will start

POSITION

We in Wiko are satisfied with our current position in Serbia and the region, taking into account that we are present in two operators’ portfolios as well as in the open market

changing here in the same way they do on other European markets, which are aware that they can buy a good device for less money. They are ready to give a chance to something new, while in the Balkan region consumers are more traditionally oriented toward well-known brands.

Which models would you single out as the most attractive in your offer?

— It would certainly be the model View2 Plus, which we have presented at the IFA in Berlin in September. It is a mobile phone that is attractive in every way. View 2 Plus is a model that has great characteristics, excellent price, and it also comes in different very interesting and modern colours.

Simply, this telephone has all that you may need – immersive display in 19:9 ratio, 4,000 mAh battery and 16MP camera.

What are your plans for 2019?

— Wiko will further continue to democratise new technologies. We will endeavor to provide to our final users as much as possible, at the lowest price possible, and at the same time follow the trends in mobile industry. I think we will make a pleasant surprise, as we always do, and I will use this opportunity to invite you to visit us at the forthcoming MWC in Barcelona, where we will present our new portfolio as well as a brand new Wiko!

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CORPORATE

Further Growth

EXPECTED ALMILA ACAN KAHVECIOGLU CEO Total Serbia d.o.o.

The Serbian economy recognizes the quality of our product and services as well as their affordability. Our efforts reap benefits as we have diversified our product offer to the market

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ince its establishement in 2010, Total Serbia d.o.o significantly expanded its consumer base says Almila Acan Kahvecioglu, CEO.

Who are your key clients? — Serbia is our home and a country where we set a solid foundation for improving our business in the region. Our operations

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started in 2010 and we are the only one among the biggest oil companies in the world that have a direct presence in Serbia.

This able us to provide a direct support to our clients and answer all their questions, issues, and doubts they might have regarding Total’s products.

We can proudly say that the turnover more than doubled in this period in Serbia, as did the number of our employees. This only confirms that the decision to invest into Serbia was right from the very start.

This growth has been achieved thanks to attentive listening to the needs of the end users, working constantly on the development of new and improvement of the existing product lines that meet the highest European and world standards of quality.

Our efforts reap benefits as we have diversified our product offer to the market, not only to automotive but also to agriculture, heavy duty vehicles, industrial lubricants and special fluids.

The Serbian economy and industry recognize the quality of our product and

services as well as their affordability, which enable us to cooperate with many factories, manufacturers and wholesalers in Serbia.

What is your forecast for Serbia and the region?

— Of course, our goal is to grow, to spread high quality products and to improve cooperation with the local economy to our mutual satisfaction in Serbia and also in other countries of this region. Our overall business approach is to grow together with you and to contribute to the development of this market with high standard products.

Having a skilled local team, a global expertise in product development and a local presence gives us the strength and capacity to grow together with this community and support our end users’ needs.

We are very satisfied with our operations in Serbia and in the region. The biggest advantage of this market is its geographical position, qualified and highly skilled workforce, as well as the projected economic growth in the country.

Regarding the plans for the future, Total expects that the trend of development will continue in the coming years.

What challenges have you been facing in the Serbian market?

— Total is committed to better energy that is safer, cleaner, more efficient, more innovative and accessible to as many people as possible. Our ambition within 20 coming years is to become the responsible energy major of the world. Our challenges are to meet the energy needs of raising world population and to contribute to limit the global warming, to limit the global temperature rise to 2°C. To do that, we produce and supply affordable energy for everyone, responsible energy with less carbon dioxide emission and we are near to our customers to answer their needs with quality local services.

It's important for us to offer, in addition to the products, our services as well and be ready at all times to respond to all requests of our consumers, who are always a priority for us.

Our primary challenge in Serbian market was to get close to our clients quickly once the company established and to communicate them that, by being the main importer of Total & Elf products in Serbia, we ensure the quality and the originality of

our products.

For example, if there is doubt as to whether the product bought is genuine or a counterfeit, Total checks this for its customers using the batch number on the packaging.

Today, we are happy to see that we succedded to establish a strong image of our brand in Serbia and that we are recognised by our customers as reliable partner.

Two years ago, you launched a new line of Fuel Economy products. What results did the line achieve and what novelties are you preparing for us?

A KEY TO SUCCESS

Having a skilled local team, a global expertise in product development and a local presence gives us the strength and capacity to grow together with this community and support our end users’ needs — More kilometers, more economy. More environmentally friendly, lower CO2 emissions. More protection, less wear... It is to meet the needs and requirements of business and private users wishing to improve the performance and lifespan of their vehicles while appreciably reducing fuel consumption, that TOTAL has created the Fuel

Economy range of lubricants.

Fuel Economy lubricants enable a reduction in polluting emissions per km/ mile, they optimize the efficiency of vehicle post-treatment systems and prolong engine life due to engine cleanliness and anti-wear protection.

Proved fuel savings of 4, 2% with our latest lubricant Total Quartz Ineo First 0W-30 Total is a front-ranking player in the field of Fuel Economy lubricant. In fact we have already been developing and marketing this type of lubricant for more than 15 years. Our customers, drivers using Fuel Economy lubricants, are our main partners in enironment protection and decreasing pollution. Backed by that strategy, Total Lubricant activity is now positioned as one of the wides range on the market and performance characteristics validated by manufacturers and by the TotalEco Solution Label.

Using TOTAL Fuel Economy lubricants also means making a gesture for the environment. By improving the performance of your engine, FE lubricants also appreciably reduce fuel consumption.

What would happen if all of us would use Total Fuel Economy lubricants?

— About 160,000 tons of CO2 are saved each year with QUARTZ INEO ECS. These 160,000 tons represent the equivalent CO2 absorbed by 2,000 acres of French forests or 1,450 acres of Brazilian forest.

We need to take care of the society we're doing business in.

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ACTIVITIES OF THE FRENCH-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTRIBUTING TO OUR MEMBERS SUCCESS The 2018 calendar of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (FSCC) was brimming with activities which aim was improving the French-Serbian economic cooperation and enabling chamber members to establish numerous contacts with partners in Serbia

FSCC’S ACTIVITIES The leading French-Serbian business network, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce is an institution that brings together French companies in Serbia and Serbian companies that have trade relations with France or French companies.

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The Chamber is also a reliable partner to all companies from France which want to obtain infomation or to launch business in Serbia.

The FSCC's main role is to enable access for its members to the network of companies with which they can exchange ex-

periences and knowledge and to cooperate with other members in Serbia and the world. In order to promote the French-Serbian external trade and facilitate the communication between member companies, the FSCC organizes close to forty different events annually.

FRANCE – BALKANS BUSINESS FORUM With the help of the French Embassy and the Federation of French External Trade Advisors, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Business France organized the France-Balkans Business Forum that took place between 30th May and 1st June in Belgrade. The aim of the Forum was to promote regional cooperation and the Balkans as a business destination.

Serbian PM, Ana Brnabić, a special envoy of the French President for the Balkans, Alain Richard and assistant director of Business France, Frederic Rossi officially opened the Forum.

During the three days of the Forum, a total of 450 companies were given a choice to participate in over 1,000 B2B meetings, 2 plenary sessions, 6 sectoral roundtables, and benefit from numerous opportunities for networking, including the Gala Evening at the French Embassy where the guests were greeted by the Ambassador of France, H.E. Frederic Mondolini, President of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Dragoljub Damljanović and Senator Jean-Yves Leconte.

The success of this Forum was also reflected in a strong initiative to hold such forums over the course of the next two years (the previous forum took place 4 years ago in Bucharest).

GALA EVENING Gala Evening is one of the FSCC's most exclusive and most attractive events, which took place for the 7th time on 17th April. The event's symbolic topic was

„Superheroes“ as homage to the FSCC members and their successes. Once a year, the Chamber gathers over 200 guests, diplomats, business people and public figures, with an interesting entertainment programme and good food, to celebrate success from the previous year. On the ocassion, the Chamber also gives out its Grand Prix awards in two categories – Innovation, which this year went to the Ml-

THE FSCC'S MAIN ROLE IS TO ENABLE ACCESS FOR ITS MEMBERS TO THE NETWORK OF COMPANIES WITH WHICH THEY CAN EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE ekoprodukt Company for its project Ille de France (introducing exclusive French cheeses into the Serbian market) and Socially Responsible Company, with this year's winner being the Total Company for its „On the Safe Road“ project that is aimed at children and their traffic safety.

Special plaques were given to the first generation of participants in the Chamber's Start-up Accelerator programme – Pet Guards and CarGo.

START-UP ACCELERATOR For the second consecutive year, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has launched a competition Start-up Accelera-

tor, a free one-year mentoring support programme for start-ups and companies that are up to a year old. Two projects were selected - Super Bake, a social entrepreneurship initiative where pensioners or female senior cititizes are engaged in cake baking, and Between, a system for quick and easy financing of invoices of small and medium-sized enterprises – which are going to enjoy the support of the Chamber’s Managing Board for a whole year. The winners of the 'Start-up Accelerator“ programme will receive mentoring support in all aspects of their business – legal, marketing, financial and project – with the goal of further developing their companies. Also, the competition winners are given the right to become the Chamber members, thus increasing their visibility and expanding the network of contacts.

ACTIVITIES IN FRANCE Nearly every month, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce carries out activities in France such as participating in the B2B meetings titled Presenting Serbia, which are set up by French regional chambers. In 2018, B2B meetings were organized in Paris, Strasbourg, Nantes, Evry and Roisy.

In France, the FSCC's director participates in the work of the Consulative Board of the French Chambers of Commerce Abroad following their appointment to the Board in 2017. The Board is engaged in reforming the French dispositive of support to external trade. In the future, French companies that want to go international will have a simplified access to any market, in line with the one-stop-shop principle.

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BUSINESS CONSULTANCY FOR FRENCH COMPANIES The French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce is continuously working to provide support to French companies that want to develop business activities in Serbia.

We help companies from France in examining market potential, finding clients and partners, opening branch offices and generally, with expansion to the Serbian market. Among the French Chambers of Commerce abroad, the FSCC is ranked in the third - the highest category, because it provides a complete service to French companies interested in the Serbian market - from the initial information about the market to business launch and assistance in managing the company. For seven years now, the Chamber has been an operational partner of Business France, a state-owned French export promotion agency. During 2018, the Chamber dealt with more than 150 inquiries, and organized collective visits to over 80 companies and individual visits to 20 companies.

MONTHLY ACTIVITIES The Chamber organizes three to four events a month, of different formats, to provide an opportunity for members to get to know each other, obtain information, and, of course, enjoy each other's company.

Thus, this year, in cooperation with the Innovation Fund, the Chamber organized two meetups at which technological innovation support programmes were presented, as well as several trainings at the FSCC Training Centre. We would like to single

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out the training for modern marketing and digital marketing transformation, held by a great lecturer Lazar Džamić, as well as the training for public appearance and presentation skills held by Jovana Ružićić, who also trained some of the guests of world's largest media outlets. For the first time this year, we presented a new event format to

NEARLY EVERY MONTH, THE FRENCHSERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CARRIES OUT ACTIVITIES IN FRANCE SUCH AS PARTICIPATING IN THE B2B MEETINGS TITLED PRESENTING SERBIA

our members titled "10 questions for...", which we organized, for the first time ever, in collaboration with the Director of the SerbianTax Administration, Mrs. Dragana Marković.

Among the other activities organised last year, we wolud also highlight a GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Workshop for our members, held in cooperation with the Marić, Mališić, Dostanić Law Firm.

We also continued with our traditional speed business meetings, which we have been holding for five years now. The last one was held with the members of the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Nordic Business Alliance and the Japanese Business Alliance.

CORPORATE GIFTS FAIR On 3rd October, for the first time ever in Serbia, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce held the Corporate Gifts Fair in the beautiful ambience of the Mercure

Excelsior Hotel Belgrade, which gathered over 100 guests, members and other partners of the Chamber. At 14 stands, that showcased producers and vendors of chocolate, wine, fabrics, office supplies and gift sets, visitors, mainly general managers and marketing directors, got acquainted with new trends in corporate promotional gifts and were able to come up with an idea what gifts to buy for their business partners and associates.

FRENCH WEEK The French Week is one of the Chamber's most important events, which aims to promote French products, expertise and culture through a series of events held at several locations in the capital city and beyond. Under the slogan "Digital Memories", the diverse and colourful activities that took place during the French Week provided guests with the opportunity to participate in the French Week's tradition-

al events, to learn some of the secrets of French cuisine at a gastronomic workshop organized in cooperation with Voulezvous Etage, to taste good wine at the reception in honour of the the young French wine Beajolais Nouveau, and to taste the famous French cheeses produced by Mlekoprodukt and Somboled and the delicious canapes prepared by the Hyatt Regency

THE FRENCH-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS CONTINUOUSLY WORKING TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO FRENCH COMPANIES THAT WANT TO DEVELOP BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IN SERBIA

Hotel and the Zlatiborac Company. At this traditional event, L'Oreal held a make-up workshop, WineArt introduced its diverse wine range, Fini presented its original French macarons, while French companies Guinot Mary Cohr and Sophie la Girafe presented their range of cosmetics for adults and children. This year's edition of the Online Job Fair, held at www.francuskanedelja.rs , had a record 8,500 visits.

The youth programme also featured a four-day education camp called SkillsLab which was held for the students of technical sciences in collaboration with Schneider Electric, and a gaming workshop organized

by Ubisoft for high school students.

Culture also had a special place during the event - the visitors were able to see the award-winning film Captain Conan, directed by Bertrand Tavernier.

LeBOOSTER – FSCC BUSINESS CENTRE As a part of its support for start-ups and facilitating easier integration of French and Serbian companies in local markets, the FSCC opened a business centre on its premises in the very heart of Belgrade that has offices, co-working spaces, virtual offices and a conference hall in the unique French touch environment. Companies can use this address as their business addres, or rent a desk for a certain amount of time while enjoying the full logistic, business and networking offer of our Chamber.

As an added benefit, while using our Business Centre, individuals and companies become a part of our business community and are given access to a network of contacts and many events that we organize.

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Žikica Milošević

ECONOMY

HI-TECH CAPITAL OF EUROPE The hub of new technologies

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verybody thinks that the French economy is based on more traditional areas but it is in fact, the hub of IC technologies, with few centres that can compare with the Sillicon Valley.

SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS One of such hubs is Sophia Antipolis. It is namely, a European technology park. Much of the park falls within the commune of Valbonne, which lies northwest of Antibes and southwest of Nice, France. Created in 1970–1984, it houses

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primarily companies in the fields of computing, electronics, pharmacology and biotechnology. Several institutions of higher learning are also located here, along with the European headquarters of W3C and

ONE OF THE MAIN CHALLENGES OF SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS WAS TO RELATE PEOPLE AND TO CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

the ETSI. In the early years, one of the main challenges of Sophia Antipolis was to relate people and to create a sense of community. The "Human Factor" is what was to distinguish the Science and Technology Park in the world as a landmark of science, invention, innovation and research. It was to focus on building an international environment, creating an international community. This means taking into account and improving tenant interaction, networking and cross fertilization of ideas. The concept was that bringing together people from different intellectual horizons and "making" them meet, would bring added

value and generate innovation. Many professional clubs were thus launched: The Sophia business angels club, the Sophia Nordic link, Art Sophia, Telecom Valley are just a few. Sophia Antipolis is named after Sophie Glikman-Toumarkine, the wife of French Senator Pierre Laffitte, founder of the park, and incidentally, Sophia, the Greek word for wisdom, and Antipolis, the ancient Greek name of Antibes. It created more than 25 thousand jobs even in 2011, and the number of companies is staggering: more than 1500!

GRENOBLE And there is something amazing in the mountains: Grenoble! The real real Silicon Valley of France is hidden in the mountains, a paradise for entrepreneurs, tech geek, geniuses and hipsters. It is one of the pioneers in the clustering – it has modelled itself and defined itself long before the Californian counterpart, and the French government decided to make it localised and demetropolised – not to make anything in Paris: the French government funded schemes to bring research, academia and industry together. Grenoble is one of the leading European cities in term of high-tech industries, especially biotechnology and nanotechnology. World-renowned enterprises have settled in Grenoble and in the surrounding area such as Schneider Electric, Hewlett Packard, Caterpillar, Xerox and STMicroelectronics. Other corporations such as France Telecom, CapGemini and Freescale all employ significant numbers of Grenoble residents. The latter is a particularly long-time supporter of the city. Since 2011, the presence of Grenoblix, first green data center, allows connected members to

GRENOBLE IS THE CENTRE OD HIGH TECH INDUSTRIES IN FRANCE – IT HAS MODELLED ITSELF AND DEFINED ITSELF LONG BEFORE THE CALIFORNIAN COUNTERPART exchange traffic in order to avoid passing by faraway infrastructures. Since 1993 Grenoble can be considered as an international city thanks to the World Trade Center of Grenoble. Mashable says “the reason for the prevalence of these technologies is partly due to Inria, a government-funded public science and technology institution established in France in 1967. It has eight research centers located across France, a €264 million budget and the Grenoble and Lyon research Centre, established in 1992.

The Inria Grenoble–Rhône-Alpes centre has 34 research teams and 250 PhD students, 45% of whom come from overseas.” Now it is the main rival of Paris in everything and it is much nicer place to live, since the city is not polluted, it is beautiful and organised – the sceientiests and engineers do not spand hours in traffic – they are ready to work and innovate.

AÉROCENTRE And of course, what is Boeing for America, Airbus is for Europe. The French engineers in aerotechologies are the best on our continent so it is not strangde to have such thing here. Aérocentre is a French cluster of aerospace engineering companies and research centres created in 2009. It is in the region of Centre-Val de Loire in the middle of France. Here are over 321 companies. About 20,000 people work there in the aviation and space flight industries. Fly, France, fly. They know how to make it safer and faster!

AEROTECHOLOGIES

WHAT IS BOEING FOR AMERICA, AIRBUS IS FOR EUROPE. THE FRENCH ENGINEERS IN AEROTECHOLOGIES ARE THE BEST ON OUR CONTINENT FRANCE 2019

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Žikica Milošević

ECONOMIC COOPERATION

INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDERS Connections will make us better and richer!

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rance and Serbia have a very significant economic cooperation, while French firms are increasingly investing in Serbia and its companies. France ranks seventh among the countries with the largest net investments made by foreign citizens and companies in Serbia. The last year was no exception, and the cooperation has been growing for several consecutive years now.

WHAT DO THE FRENCH OFFER? France, a G-7 member, has a great potential for investments in Serbia. Additionally, French investors could be motivated by the fact, if the goods were produced in Serbia, they would occupy a great position, given that Serbia has special trade relations

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with the Russian Federation, namely the Free Trade Agreement with The Eurasian Economic Community of Russia, Belarus,

THE MOST IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST YEAR IS THE TAKEOVER OF NIKOLA TESLA AIRPORT BY THE CONCESSIONAIRE, THE FRENCH COMPANY VINCI AIRPORTS

Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan (there are expecations that this community could expand which will result in an increase in the market size). This means that foreign investors have the initial price competitiveness in comparison with other exporters, and is something that French companies could make a significant use of.

The French are offering many things, since French firms are interested in cooperation and investments in the field of energy, namely in the construction of mini-hydroelectric power plants (it remains to be seen how this will evolve given the public's attitude towards such projects lately), as well as in investments in solar power plants and other renewable energy sources, e.g. biomass, agriculture, transport, etc. As far as the latter is concerned,

VINCI AND NIKOLA TESLA

the French are known for being interested in public-private partnerships, concessions, environmental protection, and information and communication technologies. They have also shown special interest in participation in the projects of road and rail corridors 10 and 11, as well as in the construction of the subway in Belgrade. Bearing in mind that the French are the best in the railway segment in Europe, along with the Spaniards and the Germans,and that they have recently completed the first African fast track railway from Marrakech to Tangier in just a few years, this can be a great development opportunity for Serbia.

WHAT DO WE OFFER? Serbia is the largest exporter of processed raspberries, blackberries and cherries to France. The leading export commodity is raspberry, with a 13.4% share in exports. We also export pneumatics, timber products (from solid wood furniture to ecological wood houses), car parts and other products to France. Along with the agri-food industry and ICT, these sectors are crucial for boosting Serbia's export and reducing the trade deficit. The potential for economic cooperation is also in the food and textile industry (both through the export of finished products, as well as in production cooperation and outsourcing), IT industry and new technologies sector. A number of French companies have expressed interest in projects related to thermal power plants (Alcom, Mcamidi, SARL 2E), construction of mini hydropower plants, as well as for investments in solar power plants and other renewa-

BASED ON DATA FROM THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA - CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION, A TOTAL OF 4,623 SERBIAN COMPANIES COOPERATED WITH FRANCE LAST YEAR ble energy sources (like biomass).

Based on data from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia Customs Administration, a total of 4,623 Serbian companies cooperated with France last year. The biggest exporters are Tigar Tires, Grundfos Serbia, Lohr BaÄ?ka Topola, Streit Nova Stara Pazova and NIS. The biggest importers are Phoenix Pharma, Grundfos, Renault Nissan, Pharmalogist and Avtonova Cab.

The most important development that has been talked about in the past year is the takeover of Nikola Tesla Airport by the concessionaire, the French company Vinci Airports. The international tender for selection of the airport concessionaire was launched on February 10th, 2017 and it comprised of prequalification phase, submission of non-binding offers, and submission of binding offers with the final decision on the concessionaire made on January 5, 2018. Although a lot of fuss was made about the contract and the status of the airport in NiĹĄ, in the end, Vinci took over the largest airport in the region and is now expected to develop it further. The global airport operator, Vinci Airports develops, finances, builds and operates at 35 airports, on three continents, in seven countries (France 12 airports, Portugal 10 airports, Japan 2 airports, the Dominican Republic 6 airports, Chile 1 airport, Brazil 1 airport, an Cambodia 3 airports). The airports that are under Vinci's management had a total of 157 million passengers in 2017, 1.4 billion euros of revenue, and a 12.4% increase in total traffic.

As for Nikola Tesla Airport, Vinci Airports sees the opportunity in developing the airport as the hub of air traffic in the Balkans with the planned development of the air traffic to the tune of 14.74 million passengers by the year 2043 and 120,000 operations. As the concessionaire Vinci Airports will also work on improving the operating conditions at Nikola Tesla Airport in order to help the Serbian national airline, Air Serbia to introduce new flights on longer routes as a part of its main strategy, expectations are high from this investment.

FACTS

THE FRENCH ARE WELL-KNOWN AS INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDERS, AND ARE INTERESTED IN INTERESTED IN PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, CONCESSIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES FRANCE 2019

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TREDITION

THE SYMBOL OF FRANCE The irreplaceable sight of the Paris Skyline

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he symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, is one of the world’s most famous landmarks. This masterpiece consists of 8000 metallic parts, designed by Gustave Eiffel as an exhibitor of the World Fair in 1889. This creation attracts millions of visitors each year, as its monumental size and breathtaking panoramas in the Paris skyline leave no one indifferent. Not only is this monument the first thing that comes to one’s mind when France enters the discussion, but also it gained a representative role in the country’s spirit, tradition, and pride.

Although over 30 million people visit the sight each year, very few know the construction process behind this symbolic monument. The beginning of the construc-

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tion began on July 1st, 1887, with the assembly of the supports. The elements were carefully made in Eiffel’s factory located at Levallois-Perret on the outskirts of Paris.

THE LIFTS INSIDE THE TOWER TRAVEL A COMBINED DISTANCE OF 103,000 KM A YEAR, WHICH BELIEVE IT OR NOT IS TWO AND A HALF TIMES THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE EARTH!

Each of the 18,000 pieces used to make the tower were carefully designed and measured to accuracy, traced down to a tenth of a millimeter and placed together forming new pieces around 5 meters each.

It is noted that 300 workers were on site daily, assembling this gigantic rocket-like set. On December 7th, 1887, the joining of the main pieces which formed the first level was completed.

Believe it or not, it only took five months to build the foundations and less than two years to finish assembling the metal pieces of the tower. Recalling that this was taking place in the 19th century, that went at an incredibly rapid speed.

The construction work finished on March 31st, 1889, and on the narrow platform at

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the top of the construction, Eiffel received his decoration from the Legion of Honor.

Journalist Emile Goudeau was one of the first to see the finished spectacle in the late 19th century, describing it as: “A thick cloud of tar and coal smoke seized the throat, and we were deafened by the din of metal screaming beneath the hammer. Over there they were still working on the bolts: workmen with their iron bludgeons, perched on a ledge just a few centimeters wide, took turns at striking the bolts (these in fact were the rivets).

One could have taken them for blacksmiths contentedly beating out a rhythm on an anvil in some village forge, except that these smiths were not striking up and down vertically, but horizontally, and as with each blow came a shower of sparks, these black figures, appearing larger than life against the background of the open sky, looked as if they were reaping lightning bolts in the clouds."

The tower was actually the world’s tallest man-made structure for 41 years

until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930. It is exactly 324 meters tall, and weights 10,100 tonnes.

In order to climb this masterpiece, visitors need to take 1,665 steps, would you give it a try? The lifts inside the tower travel a combined distance of 103,000 km a year, which believe it or not is two and a

NOT ONLY IS THIS MONUMENT THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO ONE’S MIND WHEN FRANCE ENTERS THE DISCUSSION, BUT ALSO IT GAINED A REPRESENTATIVE ROLE IN THE COUNTRY’S SPIRIT, TRADITION, AND PRIDE

half times the circumference of the Earth!

Today, the tower welcomes almost seven million people a year, making it the most visited paid-for monument in the world!

For all the crazy romantics out there, now you know some astonishing facts to impress your soul mate once your foot steps onto the streets of Paris. Who knew that a few thousand metal bars, placed together two centuries ago would become a symbol of unconditional love and amazement for millions these days. As humans, it is important to desire as it brings us closer to loving and positively planning our next day, and visiting the Eiffel Tower with your loved ones is unarguably a wish which many crave to come true. It is a place which heals negative thoughts, and for a split second the world stops, as you are dazed into the never-ending sight of the Parisian skyline. The French knew exactly what they were doing when they created a story which is shared along their entire nation, and that is that particular magnetic spirit in the city of leisure, light, and love.

IN NUMBERS

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Mina Vučić

CULTURE

LIBERTÉ, ÉGALITÉ, H FRATERNITÉ Art as a core ingredient in its cultural essence

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undreds and thousands of literature works and movies depict France as somewhat mystical yet romantic. It is a combination of artistry, spirituality and culture which inhabits every street of the magnificent country. Undoubtedly, there is something far more particular and unique about the French culture when compared to other nations of its kind, who’s secret lies in its outstanding diversity present in everything the country owns. From food

and music, to art and architecture, the country is deeply backed up with pages of history and story telling which is why its free spirit and special aura is something of great significance.

A nations’ culture which is constructed of numerous aspects and relative view points is easily defined by a country’s motto and how it nurtures its population. “Liberté, Égalitié, Fraternité” meaning Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity hasn’t only been the nations’ go to phrase but also a mindset. Looking back, the city of Paris has been a high culture center, dating back to the 1600s in most of Europe. By 1900s the French culture and its highly recognized society spread its popularity worldwide. The French motto in particular has a strong bond with the French Revolution, the essence of which focuses on the country’s freedom. Freedom in art, cuisine, and architecture, a free way of life.

Art defines France. Gothic, Romanesque Rococo and Neoclassic influences can be seen in many public infrastructures and churches. Many of the history’s most famous artists were based in France, including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Camille Pissarro. The country is filled with museums, historical monuments and castles, defining the aura of the nation, even the ones found in the rural areas of France. They are filled with astonishing museums, spread in all directions, the most famous one being Louvre in Paris, with every sculpture and painting having their own story to tell, and indeed, the home to the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.

A special part of this article has to be left for the indescribable French Cuisine.

Food and wine make up a bridge to French conversation. French restaurants aren’t

FREEDOM IN ART, CUISINE, AND ARCHITECTURE, A FREE WAY OF LIFE only known for their splendid food, but also the philosophical conversations. A typical cooking style of a French person includes a dish with heavy sauces and complex ingredients. Usually, the dishes require a lot of preparation, examples include boeuf bourguignon, a stew made of beef braised in red wine, beef broth, and seasoned with garlic, onions and mushrooms. Another one being coq au vin, a dish made with chicken, Burgundy wine, lardons, button mushrooms, onions and garlic. Believe it or not, the most famous cooking school in the world was founded in France called “The Cordon Bleu.” The country is also well known for inventing the crepe, and yes, they are still sold in old vendor carts, all over the chaotic, artsy streets.

Paris is known as the home to many

high-end fashion houses, such as, Dior, Channel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and many more. The term “haute couture” is associated with French fashion and means fancier garments which are usually handmade. In order for a brand to earn a right to call itself “haute couture” it must follow certain rules. Firstly, they have to have experience in designing made-to-order for their private clients. They also must have a workshop in Paris which employees at least 15 workers, and as well as this each season they need to present a collection in the Paris press, having over 35 daytime and eveningwear outfits. Not too difficult…right?

The French take immense pride in their nation and government, and more than any other country, become particularly offended by any negative comments. The French embrace style and sophistication and take pride in the fact that even their public spaces strike a regal tone. A word which I believe precisely describes this nation is passion. Their powerful love towards all aspects of life, from relationships to food and well being, the French place emotions into everything that they do.

EMOTIONS

THEIR POWERFUL LOVE TOWARDS ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE, FROM RELATIONSHIPS TO FOOD AND WELL BEING, THE FRENCH PLACE EMOTIONS INTO EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO FRANCE 2019

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TOURISM

BIENVENUE

Mina Vučić

Indulge in every area and savor the irresistible charm of France

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ne doesn’t need to think twice before reaching a conclusion that France is their perfect holiday destination. It is a nation which most frequently comes to one’s mind when vacation season hits off, as it is crowned the most visited country in the world, thanks to its 89 million visitors.

Now, you may be wondering, how does the country manage to retain its golden spot, year after year? Well, let me guide you through a few of their secrets to touristic success.

From the boulevards of Paris to the welcoming seaside resorts of Côte d’Azur, France offers some of the most magnificent scenery in the world. It is a country which attracts romantics with its fairy tale castles, including the Disneyland setting, soaring cathedrals, and picture perfect countryside locations. On the other hand side, it impresses realists with its progressive, contemporary style. From endless amounts of art masterpieces which are yet to be discovered at the Louvre Museum, to spending a day being royalty at the elegant Palace of Versailles, the French have a lot on their plate to offer.

Paris, the city of light, it almost goes without saying, but the French capital is a huge draw of foreign visitors, more than 30 million per year, yet again hitting the peaks, more than any other city in the world! Visitors are hypnotized with a special aura of the city’s romantic image, stunning architecture, and indeed the iconic Eiffel Tower.

Time stops when you find yourself sitting in a magical cafe, munching on your morning croissants, and watch the world go by.

France is an all-inclusive country. From sandy beaches, to mountain peaks and countryside’s it has the most diverse holiday destinations. The French themselves shun international destinations for their vacations and instead chose to travel within their own perimeters, strong reasoning for this might be their internal love

towards their nation, I mean, who wouldn’t be proud to be French?

One of the best decisions one could make, apart form actually picking France as their travel destination, is coming with an empty stomach. The French are famous for their cuisine excellency, one must arrive hungry and activate their taste buds to discover as many breath-taking meals as possible! Traditional French gastronomy has been inscribed on the UNESCO list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage”. Cozy chalets in the French Alps are famous for serving melting cheese fondue while quaint fishing

IT IS CROWNED THE MOST VISITED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, THANKS TO ITS 89 MILLION VISITORS

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villages of Brittany specialize in crêpes and seafood. With each region having its own distinctive cuisine and culture, you surely will return from your vacation with a different mindset when it comes to your eating preferences.

One of the most special and must see places in France is Month Saint-Michel.

Rising dramatically out of the sea on the coast of Normandy this figure is one of the most mystical and striking landmarks.

During high-tides tourists are likely to see it as an island, while during low tides, it is possible to walk across the sand and reach this spectacular creation. The main tourist attraction being the Abbaye de Saint-Michel, was founded in 708 by the Archbishop Aubert of Avranches after

he had a vision. Built in the 11th century, the Abbey Church has been an important pilgrimage destination often called “The Heavenly Jerusalem.”

THE FRENCH ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR CUISINE EXCELLENCY, ONE MUST ARRIVE HUNGRY AND ACTIVATE THEIR TASTE BUDS TO DISCOVER AS MANY BREATH-TAKING MEALS AS POSSIBLE!

Yet another particular destination which is of inspiring beauty in the country is the Loire Valley Châteaux. Many visitors would describe walking through these walls, feeling like they are turning the pages of a children’s fairytale. Surrounded by the magical countryside, filled with woodlands and river valleys, the area of Loire Valley is an enhancing one. It is also known as “The Garden of France”, and is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Now that you have flown into the unexplored bits of your imagination, whilst sitting at your office table, feel free to plan your next great trip into a country which won’t leave you indifferent. Indulge in it all, and savor the irresistible charm of France.

HEDONISM

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