The project “Technical assistance in the Field of Animal by-products and Animal Waste Management in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, financed by the European Union from Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA 2012) was presented today in Sarajevo in a press conference. This is the first in the line of conferences that will be arranged during the project implementation for creating a wide platform of different stakeholders. Besides the Delegation of the European Union and the Project team, representatives of different institutions, representing project beneficiaries and stakeholders, attended the conference.

This project worth 1.6 million EUR which focuses on veterinary issues is part of an extensive EU support. The support allocated into agriculture/food/veterinary/phytosanitary under the IPA 2007 – 2013 programmes amounts up to 25 million EUR.

“The project aims to contribute to reducing the risks to human and animal health and environment, as well as in increasing the economic potentials of BiH. It will also support a harmonized approach to the management of animal by-products across Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Andrea Vera, Head of Operations Section for Economic Development, Infrastructure and Natural Resources in the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “In order to propose the best solutions we expect active involvement of BiH relevant institutions in close cooperation with wider group of stakeholders, including local community, through awareness rising and in consultation process,” Vera added.

“Animal waste, that originates out of agricultural and food production, needs to be managed in a safe and financially justifiable manner, and practical solutions that are in line with EU Regulations need to be considered” was underlined by Sanja Čelebićanin, Project’s Team Leader.

Conference was designed as a consultancy platform for a wider group of stakeholders and provided for constructive dialogues of experts on conducted analysis and preliminary findings, thus contributing to the preparation of upcoming steps to be undertaken.

The project started in June 2016 and will last for 24 months. Periodic results will be presented to the public through conferences and statements in the coming period.

European Union is funding this project from Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA 2012) in the amount of 1,673,000 EUR. EPRD (Office for Economic Policy and Regional Development Ltd.) from Poland is the leading partner in consortium also including Energozelena, FORNAL and Veterinary Faculty of the Sarajevo University.