Adoption and Implementation of the Acquis vis a vis the CAP, Specifically CMO Establishment

Brief Description of Main Deliverables/Outputs:
Global objective The overall objective of the project was to contribute to the development of the agricultural sector in the country. The purpose of this contract, within the overall project was to provide technical assistance to MAFWE and AFSARD in order to strengthen the national and regional capabilities that are required to tackle the priorities for EU alignment and market-orientated reforms and development in the sector, focusing on adoption and implementation of the acquis vis-à-vis the CAP, related to CMO, and especially the implementation of the adopted legislation Specific objective The activities of the project can be summarized as assisting the skills and knowledge development of MAFWE and AFSARD staff involved in the adoption and implementation of the Acquis vis a vis the CAP, specifically in relation to CMO establishment. National legislation approximated to the EU Acquis in the area of CMO’s: Provide technical support to MAFWE (EU Department, Department of Legal Affairs and all related technical departments) to ensure a high quality of assessment of legislation related to CMO’s, as well as necessary harmonization to the relevant EU Acquis. Agriculture and associated Departments within MAFWE reorganized: Review the existing organizational structure of the Agriculture Department of MAFWE with respect to CMO management, and the Agriculture Policy Analyses Department of MAFWE with respect to CMO reporting; make recommendations for any re-organization considered necessary; and then identify and provide training appropriate to the introduction of the re-organized structure with a particular emphasis on staff training and strengthening Sector economic analysis completed and serving as a basis for policy development: Provide support to MAFWE in Elaboration of agricultural economic analysis and reporting for: policy decisions and regular agricultural report requirements on cereals, rice, milk, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, vegetables, fruits, wine, potatoes and farm development. A competent administrative structure to deal with the tasks emerging from EU integration in the sector established: Review of overall MAFWE functions and activities to identify needs, and then provide the required support to MAFWE. IPARD Agency capable to manage/control agricultural funds dedicated to direct payments to Rural Development measures, and producer groups and producer organizations in the context of market measures and direct payments (Pillar 1): Provide training needs assessment, followed by training plan development and implementation with specific reference to the IPARD Agency for the management and control of agricultural funds dedicated to direct payments and CMO measures; implementation of new public measures as proposed in the IPARD Programme.

Role on the Assignment

In support of the activities identified and described in 4.1.1, the Consultant conducted the following specific activities:

1. Provided support to MAFWE to ensure high quality and alignment of the enacted/amended acts to the relevant EU Acquis, as well as ensured consultation with all relevant stakeholders in the process. This support was focus especially on the following:

Further harmonization of already adopted legal acts related to CMOs and their amendments in accordance with the newly introduced Laws,

Identification, preparation, and enactment of additional legal acts related to CMOs, including supporting documents, and

Identification of new commodities and their introduction within the national legal frame on CMOs

2. Carried out an analysis of the existing operational structure and institutional set up for CMO within the Agriculture Department of MAFWE with respect to CMO management, the Agriculture Policy Analyses Department of MAFWE with respect to CMO reporting, and the State Agriculture Inspectorate with respect to control, and made recommendations for re-organization. The Consultant delivered further support in strengthening of CMO operational structures within those departments.

3. Provided support to MAFWE in improving its capacity to undertake sectoral economic analyses and use them as a basis for policy development. This assistance included the following interventions:

Elaboration of an agricultural economic analysis and associated reports;

Review of the reliability of the economic analysis of the respective CMO’s within MAFWE; and

Elaboration of recommendations for, and subsequent support to, adaptation of the sectoral strategies with respect to the requirements of the competitive markets and the EU Acquis related to CMO.

4. In the first four months of implementation, the Consultant completed the analysis of the existing organizational structure of the MAFWE with respect to CMO management and reporting, and prepared a justified, budgeted, and time bound Action Plan for realizing and introducing any re-organization considered necessary. The Action Plan was presented to MAFWE for review and later adopted.

5 Carried out a training needs assessment, followed by appropriate training plan development and implementation with specific reference to the IPARD.