Belgrade, April 9, 2025 – The Open4Business: Empowering MSMEs in the Western Balkans – Pathways to the EU conference brought together key economic stakeholders from across the Western Balkans and the European Union for a day of dialogue, connection, and future-focused collaboration. The event was supported by the European Union through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and organized in partnership with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN).
With a strong emphasis on empowering micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the region, the forum featured high-level speakers, including H.E. Emanuele Giaufret, EU Ambassador to Serbia; Adrijana Mesarović, Serbia’s Minister of Economy; Christophe Galand from the European Commission; and senior representatives from the EIB, EBRD, ProCredit Bank, and Eurochambres.
Among the diverse voices at the forum were Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) Marija Miličević and Uroš Šestović, who represented the youth perspective in economic discourse. Their participation highlighted the importance of engaging young people in shaping economic policies and development strategies that impact their future.
As part of the conference, YEAs engaged directly with policymakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs to promote the YEA network and the WeBalkans platform – an EU-supported space dedicated to empowering youth in the region. Through active networking, they raised awareness about opportunities for youth-led projects, entrepreneurship, and cross-border cooperation, while advocating for greater inclusion of young professionals in decision-making processes.
“Young people are not only the future – we are the present, and our participation in spaces like this is key to building an inclusive and forward-looking regional economy,” said Marija Miličević, reflecting on her experience at the event. “Being part of Open4Business was an opportunity to connect with economic actors and bring attention to the potential of youth-driven initiatives.”
The forum served as a reminder that resilient and sustainable growth in the Western Balkans depends not only on capital and policy, but also on the inclusion of new generations ready to lead. By fostering dialogue between youth and institutional actors, the conference created space for fresh perspectives and strengthened the region’s path toward EU integration-
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