Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

The Head of the European Union Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi presented the IPARD II financial agreement on awarding assistance for rural development for the period 2014-2020 to the Minister for European Integration in the Government of the Republic of Serbia Jadranka Joksimović on 29 June in Belgrade.

According to the agreement signed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the European Commission, Serbia has at its disposal a total of EUR 175 million of grants from the EU. With private and state incentives, the amount may reach EUR 400 million.

The project aims to help farmers and food producers prepare for competition when Serbia accedes to the EU, noted Fabrizi and said that agriculture comprises 10 percent of the GDP of Serbia, 20 percent of those employed work in agriculture, 50 percent of agricultural products intended for exports go to the EU, and these exports have doubled during recent years to USD 1.5 billion.

This is the first time that Serbian farmers can use grants from the EU, noted Joksimović. Mainly, we are starting to slowly harmonize our agricultural and rural development policies with European policy, she said, and added that this means uniform development, primarily in rural areas, which is important to ensure that people, and most of all women and youth, stay in villages.

Taken from www.srbija.gov.rs