First EU-funded projects Fair took place on Tuesday, 17 March, in Belgrade, and was organised by EU Delegation Office and EU Info Centre.
The Fair featured a selection of successful EU-funded projects implemented in Serbia since 2000, and was opened by Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport and Minister without portfolio in charge with European integration Jadranka Joksimovic.
Davenport said that 11 stands represented 15 sectors with 60 projects funded by the EU. Head of the EU Delegation said that the EU and Serbian Government would soon sign an agreement on new financial assistance package from IPA 2014 funds, to the amount of EUR189 million.
The largest component of the agreement, worth EUR72 million, will be allocated for flood relief as well as flood prevention measures, Davenport said. He also said that European Commission allocated over EUR60 million out of Solidarity Fund to help the recovery after floods, which supports the fact that Serbia was already being treated as a full-fledged EU Member State.
Davenport reminded that, with this money included, EU already granted more than EUR173 million for flood relief. He also added that, together with this year’s funds, EU grants would reach EUR3 billion.
Minister Joksimović said that Fair’s goal was to increase visibility of IPA funds. EUR62 million was redirected to flood relief out of EUR179 million, plus additional 10 million applied for together with Bosnia and Herzegovina, whereas the rest was aimed at strengthening of public administration, rule of law and migration policy, energy, education and innovation, Joksimovic said.
The novelty introduced in 2015 was the sectoral approach based on several sectors – rule of law, transport infrastructure, energy, agriculture and environment, she explained.
Head of European Investment Bank Office in Serbia Andreas Beikos reminded that the Bank started its operation in Serbia in 2001, whereas the loan agreements signed with Serbia so far, amounted to EUR4,3 billion.
Beikos stressed that EIB became the biggest creditor to Serbian economy and mentioned Fiat’s plant in Kragujevac, investment worth EUR500 million, as the biggest investment in Western Balkans.
Following the opening of the Fair, Davenport told the press that European Commission would complete the screening process in all of the 35 negotiating chapters by 25 March, and hoped that the first chapter would be opened in 2015.
He said that Serbian negotiating team did a good job and expressed impressive commitment and that it was up to EU Member States to assess Serbia’s readiness to fulfil the standards and criteria on the basis of screening report.
Joksimovic said that it was important to form core negotiating team, noting that the screening process could be monitored as each of the 35 chapters had its own head and negotiating group.
I completely agree, this should be done as soon as possible, I will influence the formation as much as I can, and I believe that we would very soon form a team of competent people, professionals, who would be able to cover several chapters using the sectoral approach, as well as to monitor and actively engage in negotiation process, she said.
I believe that it would be a success to open at least one chapter by mid-2015, facilitated by good action plans for chapters 23 and 24 (continuation of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue), she said.
