News Europe
900 million for agriculture candidate countries EU
The European Commission is allocating more than €900 million to agriculture and rural development in Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. This is happening under the banner of the IPARD program and will be spent in the years 2021 to 2027.
The countries mentioned, which are sitting in the waiting room of the European Union, will successively receive €112 million, €97 million, €288 million and €430 million in European subsidies.
In the seven years up to and including 2020, the countries mentioned even almost €950 million support from the EU.
The Commission considers the support very important, especially in the current geopolitical context. The European support, combined with national funds from the concerned countries and private investment, could generate more than €2 billion in total investment in the Western Balkans and Turkey, the Commission believes.
Strengthen competitiveness
The grants must be spent on strengthening the competitiveness of the agri-food sector in the four countries concerned. They should also help to make more sustainable use of agriculture and natural resources, improve the climate and keep the countryside livable. More generally, they should also support the EU's Farm-to-Fork strategy.
Specific areas of attention include improving manure and waste management, modernizing production resources, modernizing and making energy production more sustainable and promoting organic farming.
Program for spending funds
The European Commission does not simply provide the aid funds mentioned, but expects the four countries to use the funds according to guidelines issued by the EU and that tangible results will be visible. Countries are also expected to present a program on how they intend to spend the funds offered. If the Commission agrees with this, then the available funds will be paid out. The committee also wants to monitor the situation afterwards, to see whether the support is producing the desired results.
Klaas van der Horst
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.