Hungary and Lithuania are jointly providing help to Serbia so that it may integrate the European Union's food safety and animal welfare requirements into the Serbian legal system as smoothly as possible. The EU is providing 2 million Euros in support until 2014 towards the professional cooperation between our countries.

The twinning programme aimed at developing food safety and animal welfare is an important EU tool that makes it possible for Serbia, a prospective member of the European Union, to develop its legal system in cooperation with partner organisations of other EU member states. The assurance of harmony with EU norms is of decisive significance, because this is required for Serbia's successful inclusion in the European Union, and at the same time legislative harmonisation with food safety and animal welfare regulations is also of commercial and economic significance for Serbia.

As a member state, Serbia will increase both its exports and imports of animal-based products. These products must fully comply with EU rules and regulations, which will serve to further increase Serbia's commerce with EU member states.
An important aspect of helping Serbia is that the risk of illnesses of animal origin will decrease to a minimum through the observance of the Community's regulations, providing increased health safety for Serbian consumers.

The Ministry of Rural Development, the National Food Chain Safety Office, and the competent directorates of the Fejér and Baranya County government agencies are participating in the recently signed agreement. The Hungarian Government is committed to providing expert aid towards the integration of prospective new members of the European Union. The National Twinning Development Action Plan serves to support this commitment.

According to the opinion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Development Agency, which is responsible for the national coordination of twinning programmes, the Ministry of Rural Development is the country's most active ministry when is comes to supporting twinning development programmes. Under the supervision of the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry and its various background organisations have been and are involved in the realisation of 8 twinning projects since 2006, in Turkey, Estonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)