The ISMAFRD project is preparing for a National Workshop to be held on 15 January 2009. Its key focus will be on institution building in MAFRD in support of harmonization in the pre-accession period in the area of agriculture, agro-environment and rural development.

The ISMAFRD project is producing a series of 20 Papers that will be an input to the Workshop. The Papers (which are presented on the left hand side of this website) include:

1. Update of Agriculture and Rural Development Plan (ARDP) to 2009-13

2. Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) health check: current debate and outcome

3. Agro-environment: policy schemes and success stories

4. Organic farming: a growing trend

5. Farm Accounting Data Network (FADN)

6. Food safety and quality, including border controls for goods of plant/animal origin

7. Land privatization, land consolidation and land market

8. Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS): role and best practice

9. National Paying Agency

10. Acquis communautaire: what is its role in the accession process?

11. Organisational structure, staffing and method of operation of Ministries of Agriculture and related agencies in New Member States

12. Instrument for Pre- Accession (IPA) 2007-13

13. Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA): a precursor to the single market

14. Use of migrant remittances for investment in rural areas

15. Preparing for the Stabilisation and Association Process in agriculture

16. Gender and Ethnicity: ensuring policy is inclusive

17. Renewal energy policy in rural areas

18. Programming and budgeting for 2009-13

19. Cross-border cooperation possibilities

20. Special Preparatory Programme (SPP) pilot project: learning how to disburse funds according to EC procedures (using Measure 5, agro-environment: sub-measures, manure storage and organic agriculture)

A major purpose of the Papers is to help MAFRD officials understand better some of the key issues that Kosovo faces in agri-enviro-rural development as its moves towards EU membership.

Each Paper contains Links of direct relevance to the area under review.

In seeking to join the EU, Kosovo has become in principle a policy-taker, not a policy-maker. In other words, accession to the EU is the policy.

A purpose of the 20 Papers is, where possible, to identify best practice in Europe that Kosovo must follow. Comparing this to current practice will help to identify the road map that Kosovo should follow if it is to reach European standards.

MAFRD’s Policy Team includes the Minister, his Advisers and ministry staff, as well as ISMAFRD’s long and short term experts.

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