Government Actively Supports South-East European EU Integration

“Hungary is actively contributing to the South-East European EU integration process and is playing a major role in providing pre-accession support within the fields of agriculture and rural development”, Deputy State Secretary for Agricultural Economy Zsolt Feldman declared at the 7th ministerial session of the South-East Europe Rural Development Standing Work Group in Kopaonik, Serbia.

At the meeting organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water of the Republic of Serbia and the South-East Europe Regional Rural Development Standing Work Group (SWG), Deputy State Secretary Feldman stressed that Hungarian experts are permanently present both within the framework of European Union financed projects and through programmes realised by the Hungarian Government in cooperation with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The Ministry for Rural Development and its background institutions have facilitated the realisation of a total of 9 twin-institution development projects within the South-East European region since 2007; in Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia. The Ministry has undertaken active participation especially within the fields of joint market organisation, the introduction of agricultural and rural development policies and pest control, and with relation to the realisation of food safety and animal welfare development projects, Mr. Feldman stated.

Hungarian experts have transferred know-how and experience relating to the pre-accession process and to fisheries policy in Kosovo and Albania in accordance with the responsibilities undertaken in the partnership framework agreement concluded between the Hungarian Government and the FAO, he added.

The Deputy State Secretary stressed that as a neighbour of the South-East European region, it is important to Hungary that cooperation between our countries should include the mutually advantageous development of bilateral agricultural trade, especially with regard to trading the characteristic premium quality products of each country, and also the reinforcement of education, training, research and development and investment.

The participants of the ministerial session are expected to adopt the Kopaonik Declaration, in which they will further reinforce their determination to continue the development of regional cooperation within the fields of agriculture and rural development. The Declaration will furthermore state that the SWG will continue to be the institution responsible for coordinating regional programmes and projects and is committed to cooperating with partners from both EU member states and institutions, and regional and international organisations.

Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development

Source: http://kormany.hu/