SAPARD: Special Accession Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development

Maryline LAPLACE

Delegation of the European Commission in Romania

General presentation

SAPARD is a large grants programme funded by the European Union, which shall support sustainable agriculture and rural development in the Candidate Countries. SAPARD shall start in year 2000 and shall last for 7 years.

SAPARD will fund investment projects aiming at:

1. Supporting Romanian agriculture in its adoption of the Community standards regarding the production, the processing and the marketing of agricultural products.

2. Solving priority and specific problems of Romanian rural areas: lack of infrastructures and financial resources, low education level and ageing of the population.

The financial allocation to Romania is worth more than 150 million of Euros per year to which the contribution of the Romanian government (25% of the total eligible public expenditure) will be added.

Institutional preparation

In order to access SAPARD funds, Romania has to submit to the European Commission a programming document, called National Plan for Rural Development. This plan shall include a quantified description of the current situation showing disparities, shortcomings and potential for development. It shall also include a description of the strategy proposed, its objectives and the priorities selected. Further to this programming document, it is essential that the implementation system of SAPARD should be in place and operational.

A team, called the SAPARD Unit, was created within the Ministry of Agriculture. It is responsible for the preparation of the National Plan for Rural Development in collaboration with the other ministries involved (Ministry of Forest, Water and Environment, Ministry of Public Works and Land Planning, Ministry ofTourism).

Eligible investments

Support shall be related to one or more of the 15 measures listed in SAPARD regulation.

For the first year, the Romanian authorities have selected four priority measures:

1. Investments in agricultural holdings;

2. Improving the processing and marketing of agricultural and fishery products;

3. Development and diversification of economic activities, providing for multiple activities and alternative income;

4. Development and improvement of rural infrastructure.

5. For each of these four measures, a technical sheet gives details about the potential beneficiaries and the eligible investments.

The beneficiaries and their contributions

Depending on the measure, beneficiaries shall be independent producers, producers groups, municipalities, Small and Middle Size Enterprises, NGOs, etc.

For revenue generating investments, public aid (European Union + Romanian Government) may amount to up to 50% of the total eligible cost.

Once the National Plan for Rural Development has been approved by the European Commission (June 2000 the earliest) publicity and information campaign presenting the available funds and the eligible actions will be organised. Application forms will be available for freein the decentralised structures at the level of the involved ministries and at the county level. The potential beneficiaries will have to fill in the form and to annex all the necessary documents. The selection of the projects will be done on the basis of the application forms by selection Committees.

Contact persons

• Ms Simona BARRA: General Director of the General Direction for Rural development, Ministry of Agriculture, Boulevard Carol I, Tel: 311-03-78.

• M. Mircea LEONTE: Director of SAPARD Unit, General Direction for Rural development, Ministry of Agriculture, Boulevard Carol I, Tel: 312-44-44, e-mail: sapard@newsys.ro .

• Ms. Maryline LAPLACE: task manager in charge of SAPARD, Delegation of the European Commission, Tel. 230-36-36, Fax : 230-24-53, e-mail : maryline.laplace@rom.eudel.com .