Agricultural policy developments in the EU pre- accession countries - Executive Summary

The overall aim of the project is to gain more knowledge on the progress of development of the agri-food sector in the Western Balkan countries/territories (WB) and Türkiye as well as on the approximation of agriculture and rural development policies with the CAP, to be able to better design IPA rural development programmes (IPARD) in the candidate countries. [...] A special emphasis is placed on the greening aspects of the agricultural policies in the region, as well as the implications of the measures taken in the Covid-19 context. [...] Both the cross-country comparative analysis and the individual country case studies then follow a similar structure, focusing on the WB countries/territories and Türkiye’s agricultural policy framework; the measures, financing and budgetary transfers to agriculture and rural development; the Covid-19 related agricultural policy interventions and implications; the policy objectives, instruments and. [...] Agriculture is the only sector that produces food and meets the needs of the population as a function of the general development and stability of the country. [...] The ambitious Economic and Investment Plan set out by the EU, accompanied by the Western Balkans Green Agenda, will provide a framework to tackle the growing challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss and management of natural resources, and support the green and digital transition in the region in the forthcoming period.