The official Closure Event of the EU twinning project “Enhancing the Capacities of Serbian Authorities in Zoonoses and Food-Borne Disease Control” has been held on 21^st of February 2019, in Belgrade at Palace of Serbia, in the conference room “Beograd”.

 The project has been implemented during 27 months by a Hungarian French consortium in collaboration with the Veterinary Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry of the Republic of Serbia.

 The Member States public authorities involved in the project were the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture and National Food Chain Safety Office and the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

 The conference was opened by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry of Serbia Mr. Željko Radošević and Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Health Mr. Goran Stamenković .

 Mr. Sakellarisn Hourdas from the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia emphasized that this is among a series of projects funded by the EU in the field of animal health and food safety.

 The BC and MS Project Leaders, Ms. Emina Milakara Serbian Project Leader, Mr Lajos Bognar the Hungarian Project Leader and Mr. Yves Geffroy French Junior Project Leader, all highlighted the importance of this project in the harmonization of the Serbian legal framework to the EU rules and laws. Ms. Emina Milakara emphasized successful cooperation, both with the Ministry of Health, and with colleagues from Hungary and France during the project realization and achievement of project goals. A number of documents have been produced in the field of zoonosis, antimicrobial resistance and foodborne diseases.

Mr. Bognár expressed his satisfaction that most of the objectives of the project are met with the needs of the Beneficiary administration. The Hungarian-French Consortium could provide assistance to the relevant Serbian Authorities to strengthen their capacities in zoonoses, food borne disease and anti-microbial resistance control, in order to provide a high level public health and consumer protection with regard to food safety and public health in general.

The Representatives of the Hungarian and French Embassies underlined the already existing long lasting and sustainable relations between their countries and the Republic of Serbia in very different fields, and especially in the area of agriculture. 

 The Resident Twinning Advisor, Mr. Attila Tirián and his Serbian Counterpart, Mrs. Tamara Boskovic detailed the results achieved during the implementation of the project over more than two years with the help of Hungarian and French experts. It is of utmost importance to establish a system for integrated monitoring of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and related antimicrobial resistance, and food-borne outbreaks need to receive proper epidemiological investigation; the project could contribute to these objectives in an efficient way with the redaction of numerous legal documents. The enhancement of the sustainable collaboration between the Human and Veterinary Authorities was also an essential part in the project. During the project a Protocol of cooperation was also developed between the concerned institutions. The trainings fixed in the twinning contract were held to the satisfaction of the Competent Serbian authorities; communication materials and requested awareness raising plan have been developed.

Ms. Tamara Bošković from the Veterinary Directorate closed the meeting. She thanked the EU Delegation as an important partner of Serbia on its path to joining the EU.