State Secretary for Rural Development Zsolt V. Németh and Croatian Deputy Minister for Rural Development, EU and International Cooperation Luka Čuljak have met to discuss the planning of the next European Union programming period. Croatia is expected to join the European Union on July 1 2013, and so values Hungary's experiences.

At the meeting, Zsolt V. Németh stressed that last week the Hungarian Government had received the representatives of the European Commission, who collected information on the state of planning in Hungary. The ministry of Rural Development has been working on preparing the rural development programme for the period 2014-2020 for some time, and must complete the first draft of the plan by the end of January 2013.

Deputy Minister Luka Čuljak emphasises that the EU accession is a great challenge for Croatia. The realisation of goals of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development requires careful preparation, and so Croatia greatly values the experience and help of EU member states such as Hungary.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)