Serbia’s €4.552 billion ICT export sector could gain new business opportunities as Western Balkan countries advance cooperation with the European Union on mobile roaming, digital identity, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
The eighth Western Balkans Digital Summit, held in Herceg Novi, Montenegro, concluded on October 14 with priorities including mutual recognition of digital identities, interoperable Digital Identity Wallets and closer integration with the EU Digital Single Market. Participants also welcomed an Artificial Intelligence Roadmap developed by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), which is expected to receive formal endorsement at the forthcoming Berlin Process Leaders’ Summit.
Serbia’s ICT services exports reached a record €4.552 billion in 2025, increasing 10% year-on-year and generating a trade surplus of approximately €3.529 billion. The sector includes software development, engineering services, technology outsourcing and other digital activities. The regional commitments do not automatically grant Serbian companies unrestricted access to EU markets. Their commercial impact will depend on regulatory alignment, technical interoperability and implementation.
Roaming negotiations affect telecommunications operators
The EU is advancing negotiations to extend its Roam Like at Home framework to the Western Balkans. The EU Council authorised the opening of negotiations, creating a pathway towards eliminating additional roaming charges between participating economies and EU member states.
Serbia’s major mobile operators—Telekom Srbija, A1 Serbia and Yettel—could be affected by the changes. No implementation date has been confirmed for Serbia, and participation will require an agreement with the EU and compliance with relevant legislation. Lower roaming charges could reduce revenue per unit of traffic while encouraging greater mobile-data consumption. Operators would need to balance those effects against wholesale network costs and customer retention.
Telekom Srbija’s international expansion strategy, including its operations in European markets and announced plans to enter the United States, adds another consideration. A1 Serbia and Yettel may benefit from their international groups’ technology platforms and wholesale relationships. The impact on profitability will depend on whether increased usage and customer retention offset lower roaming revenues.
Digital identity and payments could reduce transaction costs
The summit reaffirmed plans for mutual recognition of digital identities and interoperable Digital Identity Wallets. These systems could help businesses authenticate documents, verify representatives and complete cross-border transactions electronically. For Serbian exporters, improved interoperability could reduce duplicated verification procedures and administrative expenses. However, the summit published no quantified estimate of potential savings, and regional commitments do not mean Serbian digital identities are already universally recognised across the EU. Implementation will require alignment with European electronic-identification and trust-service standards, including the revised eIDAS framework.
Serbia’s banking sector has already advanced its European integration. On May 5, 2026, the National Bank of Serbia and 18 commercial banks began operational participation in the SEPA Credit Transfer scheme, enabling euro-denominated transfers under the common European payment framework.
The arrangement supports faster and potentially less expensive payments with participating foreign financial institutions. Further progress in digital identity could support electronic contracting and customer verification, although neither SEPA participation nor digital identity recognition removes requirements for anti-money-laundering checks, sanctions screening and customer due diligence.
AI investment connects Serbia with European computing resources
The regional Western Balkans AI Roadmap provides a framework for artificial-intelligence development and governance. In Serbia, the Serbian Artificial Intelligence Factory Antenna (SAIFA) was launched in May 2026 with a budget of approximately €3.86 million, including €1.93 million in EU funding. Coordinated by the University of Belgrade School of Electrical Engineering, SAIFA connects Serbian research and innovation organisations with the Pharos AI Factory in Greece and IT4LIA in Italy. It is designed to improve access to computing resources, datasets, development tools and specialist expertise, with applications in energy, environmental management, healthcare and language technologies.
Industrial applications could include predictive maintenance, automated quality control, logistics optimisation and energy forecasting. However, commercial returns will depend on reliable data, specialist skills, software integration and measurable productivity gains.
Cybersecurity and EU funding shape investment prospects
Greater digital integration is increasing demand for secure hosting, data-centre services, disaster recovery, network redundancy and cybersecurity consulting. Serbian banks, manufacturers, telecom operators and technology exporters increasingly rely on cloud computing and cross-border information systems. Data-centre investors must assess customer contracts, electricity and cooling requirements, network connectivity and technology replacement costs. AI development could increase demand for high-performance computing, but the summit did not announce a specific new data-centre construction programme in Serbia.
The broader EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans includes a €6 billion Reform and Growth Facility for 2024–2027, comprising €2 billion in grants and €4 billion in concessional loans. The funding supports regional reforms, infrastructure and gradual integration with parts of the EU Single Market; it is not an allocation dedicated to Serbia’s digital sector. Serbian technology companies and infrastructure developers would need to meet applicable financing conditions and demonstrate credible budgets, technical preparation and sustainable operating models. Maintaining export competitiveness will also require investment in specialist training and higher-value services. As AI changes demand for technology skills, Serbian firms may need to expand into proprietary products, specialised engineering and AI integration while meeting European requirements for cybersecurity, data protection and AI governance.
