Why SouthEastern Europe — and why we operate from Serbia
Solidum operates from Belgrade, Serbia — conveniently located at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula — and from Belgium, home to Brussels, the de facto capital of Europe.
SouthEast Europe
Close to 55 million people live in the SEE region.
Southeast Europe (SEE) is a geographical region of Europe consisting primarily of the Balkan Peninsula. Definitions of exactly where it begins and ends vary, but the states most frequently included are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Greece
- Kosovo
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovenia
One of Europe’s most attractive IT hot spots
Over the last two decades Serbia has become an outsourcing destination. Many key global players — Microsoft, SKF Group, Adobe, Oracle, Google, Hewlett Packard, SAP, IBM, Siemens, Intel, Cisco, NCR Corporation, Ericsson and others — entered the country, either by establishing development centres or by outsourcing services to local IT companies.
As the world market for ICT evolves towards outsourced software engineering and offshore systems design and integration, Serbia is well placed, geographically and structurally, to provide a cost-effective, reliable alternative to more established markets. An outstanding pool of intellectual capital, attractive labour costs, excellent skills, good communications networks and high fluency in English are among its key advantages.
IT companies from Serbia are mainly engaged in outsourced software development, software testing and web design, as well as embedded solutions.
Thanks to EU Directive 2011/98/EU, implemented by most member states, a single application procedure now provides a single permit for third-country nationals to reside and work in a member state, with a common set of rights. This allows Western European companies to source talent from Serbia and SouthEastern Europe for long-term employment within the EU — and allows SEE citizens to target local employment in EU member states.
Resourcing from and outsourcing to Serbia
Favourable time zone
Belgrade is in the same time zone as Brussels — no time difference as with the US or Asia. Support services run night shifts for around-the-clock service.
Quality human resources
Decades of relationships with Western economies and an educational system producing fast-learning, multilingual, IT-literate people. University graduates have grown by over 15% a year, averaging more than 16,000 per year.
Local partnerships
Solidum nurtures relationships with over 30 peers in the region — outsourcing and BPO companies and a pool of recruiters. We find the right resources within days or weeks, not months.
High English proficiency
English is taught from the first grade. English, French, Russian and German are mandatory subjects through primary and secondary education — nearly all university-educated people speak English to a high level.
Excellent work ethic
Serbia is a modern European country with a culture similar to other continental cultures. Hard, ethical work is the common professional attitude.
Low cost
Outsourcing should cut operational costs without compromising quality — and here the Serbian IT sector excels, and in a ranking of 46 European and transcontinental countries by average monthly wage, Serbia still ranks last among SEE countries.
Close to the EU
Belgrade is within about two and a half hours of most major European cities — Berlin 1h45, Brussels 2h15, Amsterdam 2h45.
Culturally aligned
Serbians have a strong affinity with Western culture, personally and professionally. Many have travelled or studied abroad, and communication in English is generally good to very good.
More reasons to choose Serbia
- The local IT market is advanced in areas such as banking, electronic transactions and communications.
- The government aims to add 5,000 skilled IT workers per year.
- Serbia is a strong candidate to join the European Union over time.
- Foreign direct investment in Serbia reached €3 billion in 2018.
- A tax regime highly conducive to doing business — competitive VAT, salary tax and social contributions.
- Rule of law: legislation is for the most part in line with EU law.
- Data protection: data is protected by local law at a level similar to the EU.
The Potential of ICT in Serbia: An Emerging Industry in the European Context
A technical report by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Commission’s science and knowledge service, providing evidence-based support to European policymaking.
Kleibrink, A., Radovanovic, N., Kroll, H., Horvat, D., Kutlaca, D. and Zivkovic, L., EUR 29558 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2018. doi:10.2760/994464, JRC114209.
View reportWorking in the EU
Working in Belgium
You must meet a number of conditions to come and work in Belgium. More information is available on the website of the Embassy of Belgium in Belgrade.
Read more Netherlands and YouWorking in the Netherlands
You must meet a number of conditions to come and work in the Netherlands. More information is available on the Dutch government’s website.
Read moreLet’s find the right solution for your team
Tell us about your resourcing, outsourcing or BPO needs. We are just a call or an email away.