EU Integration Expert
The purpose of the Fostering Agricultural Markets Activity (FARMA) is to provide technical assistance in Bosnia Herzegovina (BiH) subsectors of agriculture markets through demand driven assistance aimed at improved competitiveness of BiH agricultural products. FARMA is to expand environmentally sustainable production, processing and sales of value-added agricultural products. The expected result of FARMA is economic growth and contribution to poverty reduction.
The international trade rules, EU’s regulations and import procedures, private industry quality standards as well as additional performance or quality marks (that are not necessarily legally required, but become a de facto market access conditions), can be a difficult hurdle for BiH companies wishing to enter the EU, and other international, markets. In many cases, products must be tested and certified to ensure compliance with importer requirements – to prove EU requirements and private industry quality standards are being met. As a consequence, exporters from BiH not only need appropriate production, processing, handling, trading, marketing technologies and know-how but also appropriate legal and institutional frameworks, competent control and auditing.
FARMA has completed a report on EU Market Access constraints which provided a general context to issues being faced by Producer Organisations (POs) that wish to access EU markets. The set of recommendations described in the report formed part of FARMA’s strategy to address some of the key constraints. In addition, FARMA assisted Ministry of Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations (MoFTER) develop a Road Map for the creation of conditions for export of food and agricultural products to the EU, which is intended to be used by BiH institutions to prioritize their activities. This Road Map is also used by FARMA in formulating its priorities over the coming period.
The purpose of this assignment was to assist BiH institutions implement the Road Map for creation of conditions for export of agricultural and food products. The objective is to overcome key constraints that are impeding BiH producers to access EU markets and to assist BiH in the EU accession process. The purpose is also to achieve other FARMA objectives – increasing the competitiveness of the BiH agricultural sector and employing environmental best practices.