CONFERENCE GREEN ENERGY TRANSITION

In cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, the Hellenic Business Association of Serbia, the Belgian-Serbian Business Association, the Swiss- Serbian Chamber of Commerce, and the Croatian Business Club organized the second conference titled “Green Energy Transition.” The event, held on June 3 at the premises of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, continued last year’s successful initiative and brought together over 100 representatives of member companies.

The conference was officially opened by Mihailo Vesović, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia for International Cooperation and Development. Opening remarks on the topic of the green transition were delivered by Vuk Dapčević (HBA), Bojan Pavlović (SSCC), Marija Radulović (HPK), and Hugo Van Veghel (BSBA), who emphasized the importance of joint action and international cooperation in advancing energy sustainability.

Two key topics were presented at the event, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of the green transition at both European and national levels. Ana Raičević, from the Association for the Metal and Electrical Industry at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, spoke about the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which is becoming a key regulatory framework in trade relations with the EU. CBAM was recognized not only as a challenge for exporters but also as an incentive for improving competitiveness through the adoption of sustainable and energy-efficient practices. Vera Ražnatović, from the Association for Energy and Mining, presented amendments to the Energy Law, which allow companies to produce electricity from renewable sources for their own needs—creating new opportunities for cost reduction and increased energy independence.

The panel “Available Solutions for Companies’ Environmental Sustainability” gathered representatives of companies already actively engaged in the green transition in Serbia. Panelists – Vladimir Đorđević (AXPO, SSCC), Stylianos Tsoktouridis (Alumil YU Industry, HBA), Dušan Opačić (Elicio NV, BSBA), and Nevena Đukić (MT Komex, HPK) – discussed challenges, opportunities, and concrete solutions successfully implemented in practice.

The discussion offered insight into how sustainability strategies are applied in day-to-day business operations, with a focus on regulatory barriers that can be systematically improved to facilitate a more efficient green transition. Stylianos Tsoktouridis shared Alumil’s experience, emphasizing that solutions already implemented in business practices serve as valuable guidance for other companies.

The exchange of experiences demonstrated that sustainable energy solutions are becoming an integral part of business strategies—not only for environmental but also for economic reasons. Participants agreed that successful transition depends on the synergy of innovation, regulatory support, and the readiness of businesses to adapt to change. Special emphasis was placed on the need for greater predictability and stability of the framework in which companies make long-term decisions in the fields of energy and sustainability.

Following the working part of the conference, a cocktail reception was held, offering participants an additional opportunity for networking, idea exchange, and strengthening cooperation among member companies.