The ÖSW celebrates its kick-off in Graz: new presiding board, new website, Austria-wide roadshow

At a formal event in Graz on 11 June 2026, the relaunch of the Austrian Serbian Economic Forum (ÖSW) was presented. Numerous representatives of the business community from Austria and Serbia, representatives of the Serbian Embassy, political leaders and entrepreneurs from a range of sectors took part in the event and thus underlined the great importance of the bilateral economic relations between the two countries.

The focus of the event was the presentation of the association’s new presiding committee and board. The Forum will in future be headed by Martin Kurschel as its new President. At the same time the Forum’s new website was presented, which will serve as a modern platform for information, networking and economic exchange.

The Austrian Serbian Economic Forum was founded in 2010 and sees itself as an independent, non-partisan and non-profit association for the promotion of economic, social and institutional cooperation between Austria and Serbia. The aim of the Forum is to support companies, investment, innovation and cross-border cooperation, and to build a lasting network between business, politics and institutions in both countries.

“With the relaunch of the Forum we are opening a new chapter. Our aim is to promote economic relations between Austria and Serbia even more intensively, to create new partnerships and to support companies from both countries actively in their international development. The Forum is to be the first point of contact for entrepreneurs who wish to make use of the opportunities in both markets.”

— Martin Kurschel, President

The Forum brings together companies and experts from numerous sectors: from industry, energy, construction and infrastructure, through IT, digitalisation, tourism, trade and logistics, to agriculture, the health economy, education and innovation. It is precisely this diversity that is to be used even more strongly in future in order to create synergies and to initiate joint projects.

“Austria and Serbia have been linked by a close economic partnership for decades. Our aim is to develop these relations further, to promote investment and to offer companies a platform for concrete business opportunities. In future the Forum will act even more strongly as a builder of bridges between business, institutions and politics.”

— Mag. Mladen Filipović, Vice-President

Roadshow across Austria

A further focus of the realignment is a roadshow across Austria which will travel through several federal provinces in the coming months. It is intended to bring together companies, investors, chambers of commerce and regional institutions in order to make the potential of Austrian-Serbian cooperation visible on the ground and to win new members for the network.

The participants in the event agreed that economic relations between Austria and Serbia continue to offer great potential for growth. Austria is one of the most important investors in Serbia and one of the country’s most significant trading partners. The Austrian Serbian Economic Forum intends to accompany and actively shape this dynamic even more strongly in future.

With a new board, a modern digital platform and a clear strategic direction, the Forum is entering a new phase of its development — with the aim of lastingly strengthening the economic bridges between Austria and Serbia and creating new opportunities for companies on both sides.