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Information on the second meeting of the SAPARD Monitoring
Committee
The SAPARD Monitoring Committee held its second meeting on December
12th, 2001 with the following agenda:
- Adoption of the Minutes of the Committee meeting held
on May 22nd, 2001.
- Adoption of the Agenda. Changes in the list of members
of the Monitoring Committee.
- Report on the progress achieved in the implementation
of the accredited measures of NARDP on the basis of the
approved monitoring indicators.
- Report on the meetings of the permanent working groups.
- Proposed amendments in NARDP related to accredited measures.
- Proposed amendments in NARDP related to measures to be
accredited.
- Report on the activities envisaged for financing under
the Technical Assistance measure (in accordance with EC
Regulation 1268/1999).
- Report on the preparatory activities for the Mid-Term
Evaluation of SAPARD implementation (in accordance with
Art. 10, Section B of MAFA).
- Information on envisaged agro-environmental pilot actions
under SAPARD (in pursuance of the results from the Seminar
on Agro-environment held on November 12-13, Brussels).
The meeting was opened by welcome speeches by Mr. Mehmet Dikme,
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr. Dimitris Kourkoulas,
Head of the EU Delegation in Bulgaria, and Mrs. Meglena Kouneva,
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief Negotiator with
the EU.
In accordance with the adopted agenda, the main tasks of the
Committee included review and analysis of the results achieved
in the implementation of SAPARD since its start on 01.06.2001.
with the accredited 3 “private” measures and detailed discussion
of the amendments in measures to be accredited by the European
Commission. With regard to the analysis of progress achieved
in Program implementation, the Committee discussed a number
of issues related to application procedures, program beneficiaries,
application documentation and the work of State Fund Agriculture
as implementing agency.
The Committee also reviewed thoroughly all amendments in 6 measures
of the National Agriculture and Rural Development Plan in view
of their forthcoming accreditation and the preparation of the
procedures for their implementation. Two of these measures are
of “public investment schemes” type and envisage up to 100 %
subsidy for projects related to improving rural infrastructure
(municipal roads, sanitation, etc.) and renovation of villages
(sewerage, heritage sites, culture development/information centres,
etc.). The other measures reviewed included forestry, investments
in forest holdings, processing and marketing of forestry products;
wholesale markets; setting up producer groups; improving
the vocational training of agricultural producers and forest
holders.
The amended measures must be approved by the European Commission
in accordance with the procedure for modification of the SAPARD
programmes and State Fund Agriculture must be accredited for
their implementation. Once these requirements are fulfilled,
potential beneficiaries will be able to apply for support under
the sectors and activities included in the measures. The next
meeting of the SAPARD Monitoring Committee will be held in May
2002.
Secretariat of the SAPARD Monitoring Committee |
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