Grants are of great importance for local farmers, therefore their interest in this topic doesn’t stop. Thus, numerous visitors on the second day of the Agricultural Fair came to the EU Pavilion for the panel “Steps to IPARD III incentives”.
Primary activity of the panel included presentation of the concrete steps of applying for and realising IPARD III incentive, and experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Directorate for Agrarian Payments – Rastko Cenić, Radoslava Ćirić, Dejan Cerovina and Aleksandra Milić – spoke about the topic.
“IPARD is actually an instrument for pre-accession assistance to rural development, and Serbia, as a country that is in the process of EU accession, is entitles to certain funds in order to reach the standards implemented in the EU. IPARD has been implemented in our country since 2017, and the new programme period will be implemented until 2027”, explained Rastko Cenić.
Compared to the previous cycle, IPARD III funds were increased; specifically, the EU has now allocated EUR 288 million, so with the contribution of Serbia, more than EUR 500 million will be available.
In addition to the current three measures (M1, M3 and M7), the accreditation of three more measures – 4, 5 and 6 – is planned. The Directorate for Agrarian Payments, which is tasked as an IPARD agency in our country, is responsible for submitting requests for all measures, Cenić reminded.
Radoslava Ćirić pointed out that it is primarily necessary for each user to be registered in the Register of Agricultural Holdings. Also, there is a number of general and specific conditions to be met. General include conditions such as settled tax obligations, while specific are focused on mandatory documentation, which depends on the type of investment and sector.
“When it comes to the business plan, we significantly simplified it compared to IPARD II. A simplified business plan is submitted for investments up to EUR 100,000, while a complex business plan is submitted for investments above that amount”, explained Ćirić.
Aleksandra Milić explained how the approval of IPARD incentives works:
“The user can submit a request for an advance payment or for a final payment. The request for advance payment is written in free form, and a bank guarantee is also submitted with it. The procedure includes the process of checking if the user has debts to the Ministry and whether the bank account is blocked.”
As for the requests for the final payment, Milić kindly asked the users to respect the deadlines.
However, in order for the money to be paid to the user, the control must first establish that all works have been carried out according to the rules, that is, the completeness of the realisation of the investment is verified. Control is very important segment of the entire process – explained Dejan Cerovina, in charge of on-site controls.
“On-site control is announced 48 hours in advance at most, so we advise users to always authorise someone, in case they are absent for some reason when we announce the control. People go on vacation – during winter or summer, that’s all part of everyone’s lives and we understand that. Authorise someone who it thoroughly familiar with what you do, so that we can be as efficient as possible,” said Cerovina.
More information about IPARD III can be found on the dedicated website of the Ministry of Agriculture – ipard.gov.rs.
Helpful information can also be found on the website of the Directorate for Agrarian Payments, an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management tasked with implementing the IPARD programme. Inquiries may also be directed via email at ipard.info@minpolj.gov.rs or +381 11 31 07 013.
The European Union Delegation to Serbia hosts the EU Pavilion in Hall 1 of the Novi Sad Fair from Saturday, May 18, to Thursday, May 23. During the Fair, visitors can attend over 40 info panels and workshops, where numerous experts will discuss quality food production, animal health, crop seed production, technology innovation, sustainable agriculture, and other current topics.
The EU Pavilion will host a special treat, EU Kitchen: We invite all visitors to taste the flavours of different European cuisines prepared by chefs – EU Member States’ diplomats. This unique gastronomic event will allow visitors to enjoy authentic dishes and learn more about the culinary heritage of the European Union.
The full programme is available on this link.
The European Union supported Serbian agriculture with more than EUR 150 million before the start of IPARD III with the allocation of EUR 175 million of EU support. The ongoing IPARD III programme will bring even more opportunities for Serbian farmers and another EUR 288 million of EU support. The main objectives of IPARD support include increasing the competitiveness of Serbian farmer, preserving the environment and biodiversity, supporting rural businesses and communities, and developing rural infrastructure.
