IPARD - EU SUPPORT TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Although IPARD does not belong to EU programmes, as all the programs mentioned below, it is important to emphasize the EU assistance to Serbia in its endeavour to align with agriculture as one of the most important EU polices.
Agriculture in Serbia has received more than EUR 150 million from 2007 until 2014. since 2007. For the period 2014-2020 IPARD (Pre-accession assistance program in the area of agriculture and rural development) is the flagship programme with an EU commitment of EUR 175 million complemented by another EUR 55 million of national co-financing. The recipients of this overall EUR 230 mil. are directly the farmers.
What does it support? Serbia decided to implement the following six measures under the IPARD programme:
- measure 1 – "Investments in physical assets of agricultural holdings" helps farms invest in buildings or technologies;
- measure 3 – "Investments in physical assets concerning processing and marketing of agricultural and fishery products" targets projects in food processing companies to meet EU safety and environmental standards;
- measure 4 – "Agri-environment-climate and organic farming";
- measure 5 – "Implementation of local development strategies – LEADER approach" finances local action groups implementing their local development strategies;
- measure 7 – "Farm diversification and business development" is for rural businesses and farming families seeking to develop non agricultural activities;
- measure 9 – "Technical assistance" supports training, analyses, programme monitoring, capacity building and preparation of local action groups.
IPARD III (2021-2027), a fresh cycle of funding, is under preparation and once launched, it will secure additional funding for Serbian farmers – EUR 377 million (EUR 288 mil. EU contribution).
Who can apply? Holders of a commercial family farm; and entrepreneurs, business organization, agricultural cooperatives registered in the Companies Register that have an active status where bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings have not been initiated and accounts with commercial banks have not been blocked for more than 30 days, for a period of 12 months prior to the submission of the request.
Terms of financing check here