The Montenegrin government has recently approved a new regulation to amend and update the procedures for utilizing funds from the EU pre-accession assistance instrument, known as the IPARD III Program. This program is set to provide €81.98 million in non-repayable grants to support the agricultural sector.
The revised regulation is designed to facilitate the implementation of the IPARD III Program, which aims to prepare Montenegrin farmers for EU membership. By fully utilizing the IPA III funds allocated for agriculture and rural development, the program seeks to enhance product quality, increase production volumes, boost competitiveness and meet EU food safety standards in both primary production and processing sectors.
The funding will be used for various investments, including the modernization of agricultural operations, upgrading existing and building new processing facilities and improving rural infrastructure and tourism.
The grant support comprises €81.98 million, with the EU contributing €63 million (75%) and Montenegro providing €18.97 million (25%) in national co-financing.
The updated regulation outlines how the IPARD III funds can be used, specifying eligible recipients, sectors, investments, and costs. It also defines the requirements for obtaining the grants and the procedures for both field and administrative controls. This aims to make the funding conditions and procedures more transparent and accessible, ultimately promoting more effective use of IPARD III resources.
