J. Joksimović: Additional opportunities for rural tourism development through IPARD II

September 11 2020 | Belgrade

J. Joksimović: Additional opportunities for rural tourism development through IPARD II

Today, Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović has signed the amendments to the financial agreement for the IPARD II programme, which enabled the award of grants for rural tourism development, as announced by the Minister’s Cabinet.
 
Around EUR 20 million will be available to beneficiaries who apply during the first call for proposals that will be open until 1 October. The funds can be invested in diversification of agricultural holdings and business development, which will create conditions to increase revenues and raise standards of people living in rural areas.

Natural persons who are the holders of family agricultural holdings, entrepreneurs, and companies designated as micro or small legal entities in accordance with a law governing accounting, have the right to benefit from IPARD incentives within this measure. 
Within one project, a beneficiary can receive an incentive ranging from EUR 5,000 to EUR 300,000.

The Minister has said that, so far, IPARD II grants could only be awarded for investing into the physical property of agricultural holdings and processing and placement of agricultural and fishery products, adding that new measures will now be available. 

According to her, awarding grants related to rural tourism development includes a wide scope of investments, which, in addition to building and reconstruction, covers investments into equipment purchase, construction of ancillary installations, children’s playgrounds, yard landscaping etc.

In addition to allocations for rural tourism development, these amendments enabled allocations for the purpose of supporting institutions responsible for the implementation and monitoring the implementation of the IPARD II programme, communication and promotion of the IPARD II programme, as well as for the preparation of the IPARD III programme for the upcoming programming period 2021–2027.

Joksimović has recalled that the total budget of the IPARD II programme for the period 2014–2020 is EUR 393 million, of which EUR 175 million represents the EU contribution and EUR 54.9 million comes from the national co-financing.

The remaining funds (EUR 163.1 million) within the IPARD II programme are the obligation of the direct beneficiaries of support – private entities.

Source: Tanjug