# Serbia (RS)

**Capital:** Belgrade  
**Currency:** Serbian dinar (RSD) (RSD)  
**Population:** 6'647'003  
**Area:** 88'361 km²

> Serbia is a key transit and logistics hub in the Western Balkans. Pan-European Corridor X (the E75 motorway and the parallel railway) links Central Europe via Belgrade and Nis to North Macedonia, Greece and Turkey, and most of the country's economic output is generated along this axis. As a landlocked country, Serbia relies on the Danube (Corridor VII) with river ports such as Belgrade, Pancevo, Smederevo and Prahovo, and uses the seaports of Bar, Rijeka/Koper and Thessaloniki as gateways. Import VAT (PDV) is 20 percent (reduced 10 percent). Customs clearance through the Customs Administration (Uprava carina) is electronic, and Serbia has been a member of the Common Transit Convention (NCTS) since February 2016. Free trade agreements are in place with the EU (SAA), CEFTA, EFTA, the EAEU, Turkey, the United Kingdom and China (since 1 July 2024).

Serbia (RS) is a landlocked country in the Western Balkans and the region's central transit hub: Pan-European Corridor X links Central Europe via Belgrade and Nis to North Macedonia, Greece and Turkey, while the Danube (Corridor VII) carries inland-waterway traffic. As an EU candidate country under a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, the Uprava carina clears goods electronically through the national ISCS system; NCTS common transit has applied since February 2016. Import VAT (PDV) is 20 percent (reduced 10 percent). The main gateways are Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG) and Nis (INI), the Danube ports of Belgrade, Pancevo, Smederevo and Prahovo, and the seaports of Bar, Koper/Rijeka and Thessaloniki as maritime access points. Key axes are the E75 Subotica–Belgrade–Nis–Presevo, the Belgrade–Novi Sad–Budapest high-speed rail line and the Belgrade–Bar railway. Trade centres on vehicles and parts, machinery, metals and agricultural products; the main partners are Germany, Italy, China and the CEFTA neighbours.

**Top Import Partners:** DE, CN, IT, RU, HU

**Top Export Partners:** DE, IT, BA, RO, ME

**Top Import Goods:** Maschinen, elektronische Geräte, Mineralöle, Fahrzeuge, Chemikalien

**Top Export Goods:** Fahrzeuge, Maschinen, Metalle, Landwirtschaftliche Produkte, Chemikalien

**Key Airports:**
- [Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/belgrade-nikola-tesla-airport-beg)
- [Batajnica Air Base (BJY)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/batajnica-air-base-airport-bjy)
- [Morava Airport (KVO)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/morava-airport-kvo)
- [Niš Constantine the Great Airport (INI)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/nis-constantine-the-great-airport-ini)
- [Ponikve Airport (UZC)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/ponikve-airport-uzc)
- [Bački Jarak Airfield](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/backi-jarak-airport-2967)
- [Bački Monoštor Airfield](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/backi-monostor-airport-31374)
- [Bela Crkva Airfield](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/bela-crkva-airport-3103)
- [Bogatić Airfield](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/bogatic-airport-3898)
- [Ečka Airfield](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/ecka-airport-37651)

## Customs & Import

**Import VAT:** PDV: Normalsatz 20 Prozent, ermässigt 10 Prozent (Poreska uprava)  
**Customs complexity:** mittel  
**Customs system:** Elektronische Abfertigung über das nationale Zollsystem ISCS; Versand über NCTS (Mitglied des Gemeinsamen Versandübereinkommens seit Februar 2016). Zollrecht an den EU-Zollkodex angeglichen.  
**Customs authority:** [Uprava carina (Zollverwaltung der Republik Serbien)](carina.rs)

## Logistics & Risk

**Logistics role:** Transitland Korridor X / Donaukorridor VII  
**Economic area:** CEFTA / EU-Beitrittskandidat (SAA)  
**Logistics risk:** mittel  
**Dangerous goods relevance:** mittel  
**Pharma/cold chain:** mittel

## Sources & Last Verified

- [https://www.carina.rs/en/about-us/ncts.html](https://www.carina.rs/en/about-us/ncts.html)
- [https://purs.gov.rs/en/Legal-entities/Vat/Thelaw/VALUEADDEDTAXLAW.html](https://purs.gov.rs/en/Legal-entities/Vat/Thelaw/VALUEADDEDTAXLAW.html)
- [https://www.stat.gov.rs/en-us/vesti/20230428-konacnirezpopisa](https://www.stat.gov.rs/en-us/vesti/20230428-konacnirezpopisa)
- [https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/serbia-trade-agreements](https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/serbia-trade-agreements)
- [https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202406/28/content_WS667e6f42c6d0868f4e8e8a86.html](https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202406/28/content_WS667e6f42c6d0868f4e8e8a86.html)
- [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-10-2025-0072_EN.html](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-10-2025-0072_EN.html)
- [https://www.vatcalc.com/serbia/serbia-april-2026-vat-changes/](https://www.vatcalc.com/serbia/serbia-april-2026-vat-changes/)
- [https://balkaninsight.com/2026/01/26/truckers-across-western-balkans-block-borders-over-new-eu-travel-rules/bi/](https://balkaninsight.com/2026/01/26/truckers-across-western-balkans-block-borders-over-new-eu-travel-rules/bi/)

*Last verified: 2026-07-21*

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*Freight Academy — Country Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/rs](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/rs)*

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