New Classification of Activities as of 2027: What Changes for Businesses?

The Government of the Republic of Serbia has recently adopted the Regulation on the Classification of Activities, introducing the Classification of Activities 2025 (“CA 2025”). CA 2025 entered into force on October 1, 2026, while its application will commence on January 1, 2027.

The new classification introduces changes to the names, codes and scope of certain activities. Of particular importance to businesses are cases in which a single activity code under the existing classification corresponds to several codes under the new classification. In such cases, businesses should verify whether the code assigned automatically corresponds to the activities covered by their previously registered business activity.

Until December 31, 2026, the existing classification of activities will continue to apply for the purposes of registration and changes to registered business activity data. This means that registration applications submitted by that date must be prepared using the existing activity codes and names.

As of January 1, 2027, CA 2025 will become applicable, and the new activity codes and names will be used for registrations and changes to registered business activity data. In the meantime, the competent registers will update the existing data ex officio, in accordance with the prescribed procedure.

Who Is Affected by the Changes?

The new classification applies to companies, entrepreneurs, institutions, cooperatives and associations, as well as other classification units.

Particular attention should be paid by businesses whose existing activity code corresponds to several different codes under the new classification. In such cases, it is important to verify whether the newly assigned code corresponds to the activity actually carried out by the business and whether a request for a change of code should be submitted in accordance with the applicable requirements and deadlines.

How Will Registered Data Be Updated?

The Serbian Business Registers Agency, together with other competent authorities maintaining separate registers, such as the National Bank of Serbia, the Securities Commission and the relevant ministries, will update the registered data ex officio and free of charge. No application is required for the automatic updating of data in the registers.

The update will be carried out within 60 days of the Regulation on the Classification of Activities entering into force, without the issuance of a separate administrative decision.

From the expiry of the deadline for updating the data until CA 2025 becomes applicable, information on the newly assigned activity codes and names will be publicly available on the websites of the relevant registers. This will enable businesses to verify how their existing activities have been classified.

Which Activities Are Subject to More Significant Changes?

The new classification introduces changes across various business sectors, with certain existing activities being divided into several more specific categories. Of particular importance to businesses is the more precise distinction between activities that were previously covered by the same code. The more significant changes concern the following areas:

• Manufacturing – The changes include, among other things, the manufacture of food products, wood processing and the manufacture of plastic products. Certain food product categories are now classified in greater detail according to the type of product, while the wood processing and manufacture of plastic construction products sectors provide for a more precise distinction between specific product types and manufacturing activities.
• Information technology and media – Activities involving data processing, hosting and the provision of computer infrastructure services are classified in greater detail, including certain cloud computing services. The changes also cover web portals, content distribution platforms and certain types of design activities.
• Construction – Certain categories of specialised construction activities are further subdivided. This allows for a more precise distinction between different types of work, including masonry and waterproofing works, as well as certain works performed on buildings and other structures.
• Healthcare, social care and personal services – The healthcare sector introduces more detailed categories for certain types of healthcare services, including diagnostics, physiotherapy, psychological and psychotherapeutic services, as well as traditional, complementary and alternative medicine. In the personal services sector, hairdressing and barbering are more clearly distinguished from beauty care and other cosmetic treatments.
• Trade and digital platforms – Significant changes have also been introduced to the classification of retail trade, which is now based on the type of goods sold rather than the method and place of sale. For digital platforms, it is also important to distinguish between those that sell goods themselves and those that act as intermediaries between sellers and buyers without taking ownership of the goods.

The above changes are examples of the more detailed classification of activities under CA 2025. Their specific impact on an individual business depends on the nature of the activities it actually carries out and how those activities are classified under the new system.

Is It Possible to Request a Change to the Newly Assigned Activity Code?

If a business considers that the newly assigned activity code is inappropriate, it may submit a request for a change of code free of charge, following the completion of the data alignment, but no later than 30 days from the commencement of the application of CA 2025, i.e. January 1, 2027.

This right may be exercised only once, and the choice of a new code is limited to cases in which the existing activity code corresponds to several codes under CA 2025. In such cases, the business may select only one of those corresponding codes.

Once the prescribed deadline has expired, a change of activity code may be requested in accordance with the regular rules governing changes to registered data, subject to payment of the applicable fee and submission of the required documentation.

What Do the Changes Mean for Existing Business Operations?

The alignment of activity codes and names does not affect the legal continuity of a business. Furthermore, it does not affect the validity of contracts, permits, licences or other instruments issued before CA 2025 becomes applicable, unless otherwise provided by specific legislation.

Timely verification of the assigned activity code is particularly useful where the existing category covers several different activities. Comparing the registered data against CA 2025 enables a business to determine whether it needs to submit a request for a free change of the newly assigned activity code within the prescribed deadline.

Authors:

Ljiljana Marković Associate at PR Legal
ljiljana.markovic@prlegal.rs 

Anja Petković Junior Associate at PR Legal
anja.petkovic@prlegal.rs