Jasmina Roskic, representative of the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, informed the Committee members that the Agreement was signed on 7 November 2011 in Doha and its ratification would create the legislative framework and grounds to attract additional investments in the signatory countries, thus significantly enhancing the investment cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the State of Qatar. Roskic said that the Agreement guarantees national and preferential treatment to the investors, as well as full investment security. At the same time it ensures just and non-discriminatory treatment, as well as compensation of damages caused by war, armed conflict, protest and similar.

Roskic said that the Agreement guarantees the investors that their investment is not liable to expropriation or similar except in cases set out by law, which would be accompanied by appropriate compensation comprising, in addition to the market value of the investment, the inherent interest. She added that the Agreement guarantees the investor’s right to, in case of dispute with the host country, legal protection before an international court of arbitration in line with the fundamental principles of international law in the field. Finally, Roskic informed the Committee members that the ratification of the Agreement by the State of Qatar has been completed, and it only awaits adoption by the National Assembly to begin its implementation.

The Committee members accepted the Bill on the Confirmation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Government of the State of Qatar on Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments, by majority vote.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairperson Snezana B. Petrovic, and attended by the following Committee members and deputy members: Dr Aleksandra Tomic, Stanislava Janosevic, Studenka Kovacevic, Milimir Vujadinovic, Zoran Bojanic, Ivan Manojlovic, Snezana Paunovic, Branislav Mihajlovic, Veroljub Stevanovic and MA Ivan Kostic.