Switzerland

Official name
SWISS CONFEDERATION
Form of government
Confederation
Capital
Bern
Date of establishment of bilateral relations
1916

Political Relations

Bilateral relations between Serbia and Switzerland are good, dynamic, and diverse, characterized by well-developed economic cooperation. A special segment of bilateral relations is development cooperation with Switzerland, which has been successfully taking place for more than 30 years. The practice of holding regular political consultations between the respective ministries of foreign affairs has been established between the two countries.

A prominent figure in the history of bilateral relations is Dr. Archibald Reiss, a chemistry professor at the University of Lausanne, criminologist, forensic scientist, publicist, and friend of Serbia during and after World War I. He volunteered and served on the front lines with the Serbian Army from 1914 to 1918. He was personally engaged in caring for Serbian orphans in Switzerland and providing aid to the Serbian population remaining in the occupied homeland, making an exceptional contribution to Serbia’s international standing through his published works.

Visits from Serbia to Switzerland:

  • On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos (January 20–24, 2025), President Aleksandar Vučić held numerous meetings with world officials, including Swiss Federal Councillor Beat Jans.

  • President Aleksandar Vučić visited the Swiss Confederation on December 4–5, 2024, meeting with then-President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd in Bern and Federal Minister of Justice and Police Beat Jans. On December 4, 2024, President Vučić participated in the "Zurich Speech" panel organized by Weltwoche magazine.

  • President Aleksandar Vučić attended the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva on October 1, 2024.

  • President Aleksandar Vučić participated in the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 16–18, 2024, centered on the theme "Rebuilding Trust," as well as in the panel "Diplomatic Dialogue on the Western Balkans."

  • President Aleksandar Vučić participated in the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 17–19, 2023, on the topic "Diplomatic Dialogue on the Western Balkans."

  • President Aleksandar Vučić took part in the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos on May 22–26, 2022, on "Preparing for the Post-COVID Era," where he also participated in a panel dedicated to the Western Balkans.

  • President Aleksandar Vučić and then-Prime Minister Ana Brnabić participated in the 50th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos (January 20–24, 2020).

  • President Aleksandar Vučić participated in the "Strategic Dialogue on the Western Balkans," organized by the World Economic Forum on November 7–8, 2019, in Geneva.

  • Then-Prime Minister Ana Brnabić visited Geneva on February 7, 2022, to sign the Agreement establishing the World Economic Forum Affiliate Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia.

  • Then-Prime Minister Ana Brnabić participated in the WORLD.MINDS gathering in Zurich on December 11, 2019.

  • Then-Prime Minister Ana Brnabić paid a visit to Switzerland on September 2–3, 2019, holding a bilateral meeting with President Ueli Maurer.

  • Then-Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić visited Switzerland on December 8–9, 2015, and June 20–21, 2016, meeting with then-President and Minister of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Johann Schneider-Ammann.

  • Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Đurić paid a bilateral visit to the Swiss Confederation from June 15 to 17, 2025. He met with Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis on June 16, 2025, in Bern, as well as with President of the National Council Maja Riniker and members of the Switzerland–Serbia Parliamentary Friendship Group. Minister Marko Đurić also met with State Secretary for Economic Affairs Helene Budliger Artieda.

  • Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Đurić participated in the "Summit on Peace in Ukraine" in Bürgenstock, meeting on the sidelines with Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis (June 15–16, 2024).

  • Minister Tatjana Macura visited the Swiss Confederation on September 7–9, 2026, holding talks with Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider.

  • Former Ministers of Culture Vladan Vukosavljević and Maja Gojković participated in the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2018 and 2023 within the framework of the Conference of European Ministers of Culture.

  • Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation Jelena Begović visited Roche in December 2022.

  • Then-State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nemanja Starović paid a working visit to Bern on September 12, 2022.

  • Then-Mayor of Belgrade Zoran Radojičić visited Bern on October 9, 2020, meeting with Mayor Alec von Graffenried.

Visits from Switzerland to Serbia:

  • President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin visited the Republic of Serbia on April 28–29, 2026, holding talks with President Aleksandar Vučić, visiting the Swiss company Nestlé in Surčin, and discussing the Cooperation Programme Serbia 2026–2029.

  • Head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police Beat Jans met with President Aleksandar Vučić and Minister of Interior Ivica Dačić in Belgrade on July 3, 2024.

  • Former President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset, within the framework of his candidacy for Secretary General of the Council of Europe, met in Belgrade on June 4, 2024, with Biljana Pantić Pilja, Head of the Standing Delegation of the National Assembly of Serbia to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

  • Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis visited the Republic of Serbia on May 24, 2024, meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Siniša Mali and Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Nemanja Starović to prepare for the Peace Summit in Bürgenstock.

  • President of the National Council Isabelle Moret visited the Republic of Serbia on November 9, 2020, meeting with President Aleksandar Vučić, then-Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, then-Speaker of the National Assembly Ivica Dačić, and Minister of Finance Siniša Mali.

  • President of the Swiss Council of States Vincent Sciboz visited the Republic of Serbia on July 7, 2022, meeting with then-Prime Minister Ana Brnabić.

  • Prof. Dr. Ursula Renold, dual education expert from the Swiss Economic Institute, visited the Republic of Serbia on October 23, 2019, and November 15, 2024, meeting with President Aleksandar Vučić. Her upcoming visit to the Republic of Serbia was announced for November 13–14, 2025.

Economic Relations

Economic relations between Serbia and Switzerland can be evaluated as traditionally good and multifaceted, encompassing all aspects of business cooperation. The Free Trade Agreement with EFTA states (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) enables duty-free exports of Serbian products and attracts new investments. Switzerland is our most important trade partner within EFTA.

According to data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (RZS), total trade in goods with the Swiss Confederation in 2025 amounted to €1.02 billion, with exports from the Republic of Serbia accounting for €273.1 million and imports for €751.8 million.

There are 549 active business entities registered in Serbia majority-owned by Swiss citizens, employing approximately 12,000 workers. Among the top 20 Serbian exporters to Switzerland are companies operating within Swiss concerns, such as Mikrotec Optika Kać (Mikrop AG), Tobler-Skele (Tobler AG), Valjaonica Bakra Sevojno AD, Telsonic d.o.o. Kać (Telsonic Holding AG), Prvi Partizan AD Užice, and Serbia ZIJIN Bor Copper; while the top 20 importers from Switzerland include Roche d.o.o. Beograd (ROCHE FINANZ AG), Phoenix Pharma d.o.o. Beograd, and Zlatara Gold.

Switzerland ranks high among the largest investors in the Serbian economy. According to data from the National Bank of Serbia, the total inflow of investments from Switzerland to Serbia between 2010 and 2022 amounted to €2.16 billion, ranking Switzerland as the 6th largest foreign investor. With an inflow of €663.8 million, Switzerland was the largest foreign investor in 2021. This positive trend continued in 2022, when Switzerland ranked as the 11th largest foreign investor with an investment inflow of €130.5 million.

Switzerland is also among the largest donors of development and humanitarian assistance, with funds allocated over the past 30 years totaling nearly 440 million Swiss francs.

Bilateral agreements

There are 59 bilateral agreements currently in force.

Contacts

Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Bern: http://www.berne.mfa.gov.rs/

Embassy of Switzerland in Belgrade: http://www.eda.admin.ch/belgrade

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia: Department for Europe, Tel: +381 11 306 8326, Email: oev@mfa.rs