Serbia’s services trade is broadening beyond software outsourcing as engineering, professional services and corporate support functions become increasingly connected to the country’s manufacturing base. ICT remains one of Serbia’s largest export industries. ICT services exports reached a record €4.55 billion in 2025, an increase of around 10%, while the sector generated a surplus of approximately €3.53 billion.
At the same time, professional, management, technical and other business services are becoming increasingly important within Serbia’s services exports. These activities can support international customers without requiring physical goods to cross borders, including engineering design, finance, procurement, legal services, accounting, project management, technical support and industrial data management.
Shared Services Linked to Manufacturing
The expansion of these activities is closely linked to Serbia’s industrial economy. The PWO Group’s investment in Čačak illustrates the model. Alongside its automotive-component plant, the company established a Shared Service Centre supporting its European operations. Other foreign manufacturing companies operating factories in Serbia can similarly locate parts of their engineering, procurement, financial administration, supply-chain management and regional support functions in the country.
Services also have a lower dependence on raw-material imports than manufacturing and can generate domestic value added and foreign-currency revenues. The sector can additionally provide employment for engineering and business graduates.
Industrial Applications for Exported Services
The development of Serbia’s services exports extends beyond call centres and general outsourcing into industrial business services. Mining companies require services including geological modelling, environmental management and engineering support, while automotive manufacturers use design, procurement and supplier-quality services.
Energy projects require forecasting, engineering, asset management and market operations, while CBAM creates requirements for carbon-accounting and verification-related data management. Artificial intelligence and automation are adding further applications, including software integration, machine vision and industrial analytics.
Integration With Industrial Value Chains
The separation between manufacturing and services is becoming less distinct as companies combine physical production with engineering, data and technical activities. A Serbian company could, for example, design a component in Belgrade, manage procurement in Novi Sad, manufacture it in Čačak and provide software support to a European customer from Niš.
These activities form part of the same industrial value chain while contributing to Serbia’s services and goods exports. The expansion of engineering, data and technical-services companies therefore links Serbia’s services economy more closely with industrial production and European customers.
