The EU Twinning project “Further Development of Chemicals and Biocides Products Management in the Republic of Serbia” held its kick off meeting at the Palace of Serbia. Welcoming notes and presentation of the project were delivered by Mrs Stana Božović, State Secretary, Ministry for Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Mr. Richard Masa, Head of Operations III, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Johannes Eigner, Ambassador of Republic of Austria, Mrs Mateja Norčić Štamcar, Head of the mission within the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Alojz Grabner, Member State Project Leader, Director of the Chemicals Office of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Georg Rebernig, Member State Junior Partner, Director of Environmental Agency Austria.
The main goal of the EU twinning project is to assist Serbia to meet the environment and health acquis through institution building and improvement. The EU wide best practices in connection with the relevant EU legislation shall be shared and introduced in order to further develop chemicals and biocidal products management in Serbia. Sound Chemicals Management strives to enable sustainable economic growth, promote innovation and ensure high level of protection for human health, animal health and environment. The Serbian Public Administration is a direct beneficiary and it is expected that professional capacities of the Ministry’s human resources will be strengthen in order to enable proper and effective implementation of the acquis after the accession to the European Union and to enable sustainability of the project results. Still, the impact of the project will reach further; outcomes of the project will enhance business environment and the capacity to cope with competitiveness in the EU market, facilitate improvement of human health and the environment and thus make the general public i.e. Serbian citizens the ultimate beneficiaries of the EU support.
Serbian Chemicals Management is built on the principles of the relevant EU acquis. Its establishment has already been supported by the European Union, through the IPA 2008 Programme Scheme. Due to successful results and cooperation with beneficiary institution, this time the project shall achieve improved legal framework for making available on the market of biocidal products, enhanced administrative practice for biocidal products management; improved professional capacities, competences and soft skills of the Ministry’s staff. In order to achieve project’s goals, the Slovenian Ministry of Health/ Chemicals Office and Environment Agency Austria shall assist the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection in terms of sharing expertise and working together with the beneficiary institution.
The project activities will be implemented in the period from September 2015 until September 2017, with a total budget of 1 000 000 EUR, 950.000EUR from the EU funds and 50.000EUR co-funded by the Republic of Serbia.