Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

Situation on Serbian labor market in 2024 – Experts Club

At the end of 2024, the Serbian labor market showed stability with a gradual increase in employment. The unemployment rate decreased to 9.2%, down from 10.1% in 2023. Economic recovery from the pandemic and the inflow of investments in key sectors are contributing to job creation, but the country still faces a shortage of skilled labor.

The key characteristics of the labor market in Serbia are:

1) The employed population is about 2.9 million.

2) The main employment sectors are:

      • Industry – 25%;
      • Agriculture – 18%;
      • Services – 45% (including IT, trade and tourism).

3)Average salary level:

    • The average salary in Serbia is 770 euros and in Belgrade 950 euros.
    • The highest salaries are observed in IT (up to 1,500 euros), pharmaceuticals (1,200 euros) and financial sector (1,000 euros).

4) The most demanded professions are:

IT specialists;

Engineers;

Medical personnel;

Workers in the construction and agricultural sectors.

The role of migrants in the Serbian labor market

Migrants play an important role in the Serbian economy, especially in sectors where there is a labor shortage. In 2024, the number of registered foreign workers exceeded 120,000, including citizens of Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Russia and China.

Main migrant groups and their roles:

  1. Ukrainians:
    • Official number: about 30,000 people.
    • Areas of employment: construction, agriculture, services, technical professions.
    • Ukrainians are actively involved in infrastructure projects such as building roads, bridges and industrial facilities.
  2. Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina:
    • Number: about 25,000 people.
    • Priorities: service industries, including trade, hospitality and repair work.
    • Due to the proximity of language and culture, Bosnian citizens are easily integrated into the Serbian labor market.
  3. Citizens of Northern Macedonia:
    • Number: about 20,000 people.
    • Main sectors: industrial production, agriculture and transportation.
  4. Russian citizens:
    • Numbers vary greatly depending on the data source from 70,000 to 150,000 people.
    • Areas of employment: IT, real estate, education.
    • Russians are more likely to hold highly skilled positions, especially in Belgrade, and invest in their own businesses in the areas of catering, IT, other .
  5. Chinese:
    • Number: about 30,000 people.
    • Role: development of retail trade, management of enterprises in the service sector.

Regularities:

  • Ukrainians and Balkan migrants (Bosnia, Macedonia): more likely to work in positions requiring physical labor or technical skills, and focus on entrepreneurial activities.
  • Russians: hold positions in technology, finance and education.
  • Chinese: focus on entrepreneurship, starting small and medium-sized businesses.

Challenges of the labor market with regard to migration

  1. Shortage of skilled labor:
    • Serbia attracts foreign workers to compensate for shortages in construction, medicine and IT.
  2. Competition among migrants:
    • Citizens of neighboring countries such as Bosnia and Macedonia have an advantage due to similarity of languages and easier integration process.
  3. Migration regulation:
    • Paperwork procedures for work remain relatively simple, but require streamlining to reduce bureaucracy.

Experts predict that Serbia will maintain a high share of migrant workers in the labor market, especially in construction, agriculture, and IT. Key factors:

  • Attracting investments in infrastructure and industry.
  • Increased demand for qualified specialists due to the outflow of local staff to EU countries.
  • Simplification of labor migration procedures.

Serbia’s labor market in 2024 is developing against the backdrop of an influx of foreign workers, including a significant share of Ukrainians. This allows the country to address the problem of staff shortages in key sectors. However, Serbia’s further growth will require not only attracting migrants, but also improving working conditions and incentivizing local workers.

 

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Ukraine doubled coke imports in 2024

In 2024, Ukraine increased imports of coke and semi-coke in physical terms by 2.01 times compared to 2023, up to 661.487 thousand tons.

According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), coke imports in monetary terms increased by 81.9% to $235.475 million during this period.

Imports were mainly from Poland (84.76% of supplies in monetary terms), Colombia (7.74%) and Hungary (2.69%).

Last year, the country exported 1,601 thousand tons of 84.76% coke for $368 thousand to Moldova (99.18%) and Latvia (0.82%), while in January, March, October and November 2024, there were no exports, while in 2023, exports amounted to 3,383 thousand tons for $787 thousand.

As reported, in 2023, Ukraine reduced imports of coke and semi-coke in physical terms by 8.5% compared to 2022 – to 328.697 thousand tons, while imports in monetary terms decreased by 25.8% to $129.472 million.

In 2023, Ukraine exported 3,383 thousand tons of coke, down 12.3% compared to 2022. In monetary terms, it decreased by 22.2% to $787 thousand.

Exports were carried out to Moldova (100% of supplies in monetary terms), while imports were mainly from Poland (88.47%), Colombia (7.72%) and the Czech Republic (3.15%).

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Tin imports up 17% in 2024

In 2024, imports of tin and tin products increased by 16.9% to $3.188 million (in December – $338 thousand). Exports of tin amounted to $389 thousand, compared to $159 thousand in 2023, with no exports in December.

Tin is used mainly as a safe, non-toxic, corrosion-resistant coating in its pure form or in alloys with other metals. The main industrial applications of tin are in white tinplate (tinned iron) for food containers, in solders for electronics, in house pipelines, in bearing alloys, and in coatings made of tin and its alloys. The most important tin alloy is bronze (with copper).

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Ukraine reduced pig iron exports by 3.4% in 2024

In 2024, Ukraine reduced exports of processed pig iron in physical terms by 3.4% compared to 2023, to 1 million 290.622 thousand tons.

According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), pig iron exports in monetary terms decreased by 6.1% to $500.341 million during the period under review.

At the same time, exports were carried out mainly to the United States (72.64% of supplies in monetary terms), Turkey (8.03%) and Italy (7.30%).

For the whole of 2024, the country imported 38 tons of pig iron worth $90 thousand from Germany (in January, March, May, June, July, August, October and November, there were no imports), while in the same period in 2023, it imported 154 tons of pig iron worth $156 thousand.

As reported, in 2023, Ukraine decreased exports of processed pig iron in physical terms by 5.8% compared to 2022 – to 1 million 248.512 thousand tons, while exports in monetary terms decreased by 26.2% to $471.467 million. Deliveries were made mainly to Poland (51.91% of supplies in monetary terms), Spain (21.41%) and the United States (13.15%).

In 2023, Ukraine imported 154 tons of pig iron worth $156 thousand from Germany (42.31%), Brazil (41.67%) and Poland (16.03%), compared to 40 tons of pig iron worth $23 thousand in 2022.

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“DTEK Renewables” launches carbon credits for businesses

“DTEK Renewables has launched the issuance of carbon credits that can be purchased by businesses to reduce their carbon footprint in the production of products.

According to the company’s website, one of DTEK Renewables’ enterprises has been certified to issue carbon credits by the International Carbon Registry (Iceland). According to the registry’s methodology, one carbon credit in Ukraine corresponds to a reduction of 1 ton of CO2 emissions due to the production of 1.56 MWh of renewable energy.

Thus, the “clean” electricity produced by the company in 2019-2023 helped to avoid CO2 emissions of 880 thousand tons.

“We recently issued the first guarantees of origin that can be purchased by Ukrainian businesses. Now, by issuing carbon credits, we are entering the international level and calling on foreign businesses to support the renewal of Ukraine’s energy sector. After all, the proceeds from the sale of carbon credits go directly to the development of renewable energy capacities,” said Oleksandr Selishchev, CEO of DTEK Renewables.

The company reminded that carbon credits can be used by international companies to obtain the right to emit greenhouse gases or compensate for previously produced emissions as a result of their activities. This tool is used to comply with environmental requirements and achieve sustainable development, including carbon neutrality.

Ukraine in 2024 imported oil products for almost $7 bln

Ukraine in 2024 imported 7 million 562,556 thousand tons of petroleum products (under HS code 2710: gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, jet fuel, etc.), which is 1.1% less than in 2023 (7 million 646,537 thousand tons).
According to the State Customs Service, petroleum products were imported for $6 billion 820.605 million, 12.9% less than in 2023 ($7 billion 831.477 million).
From Greece imported fuel for $1 billion 393.372 million (share – 20.43%), Poland – $917.31 million (13.45%), Lithuania – $681.88 million (10%), other countries – $3 billion 828.042 million (56.12%).
As reported, Ukraine imported 7 million 300.073 thousand tons of petroleum products in 2022, which is 17% less than in 2021 (8 million 790.515 thousand tons). Petroleum products in 2022 imported $8 billion 787.171 million, 56.5% more than in 2021 ($5 billion 614.787 million).

 

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