Mission & values
What we stand for
Our work follows a simple idea: economic closeness between two regions grows out of people who know and trust one another. Everything else follows from that.
Austria and Serbia are connected by economic ties that have grown historically. Tens of thousands of people are at home in both countries, and many companies have worked across the border for decades. Even so, much remains unused — because the access is missing.
Our mission
The ÖSW provides that access. We bring companies, investors and business leaders from Austria, Serbia and Republika Srpska together in a setting where acquaintances can turn into business relationships.
That sounds simple, but it is not. It takes the right formats, the right group of participants and, above all, continuity. A one-off meeting produces politeness; meeting again and again produces trust.
A network is not measured by the number of its members, but by whether those members actually help one another.
Our objectives
Four tasks
Connecting business
We bring companies, investors and business leaders from both economic areas to the same table — in a setting that makes conversations beyond protocol possible.
Opening markets
We support companies entering the other market and shorten the route to the right contacts, authorities and partners.
Strengthening relations
We strengthen bilateral economic relations for the long term — across economic cycles and political terms of office.
Creating visibility
We take our members’ concerns to where they are heard: to business, public administration and politics in both countries.
Values
The principles we follow
These six principles shape how we design our events, whom we bring together and how we deal with our members' concerns.
Independence
We are non-partisan and not bound to any single business interest. That makes us a place where competitors can sit at the same table.
Reliability
A contact that leads nowhere is not a network. We support new business relationships until they are solid — or until it is clear that they will not be.
Confidentiality
Many of our formats depend on people being able to speak openly. What is discussed in confidence stays there.
Reciprocity
We think about market entry in both directions. Austrian companies in Serbia matter to us just as much as Serbian companies in Austria.
A long-term view
Economic relations outlast business cycles and parliamentary terms. Our work is designed to hold even when the general conditions change.
Objectivity
We assess markets soberly — with their opportunities and their difficulties. Glossing over problems harms our members more than an uncomfortable assessment.
Become part of the network
Whether you are entering a market, looking for partners or strengthening your position in both economies — it starts with a conversation.
