Montenegro prepares to open negotiation chapter related to food safety and agriculture

Brussels, Belgium (19 February 2013) – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Petar Ivanović met Monday with European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy Toni Borg to discuss Montenegro's competance for the opening of the negotiating chapter related to food safety and agriculture.

“The discussion was very useful, especially having in mind that Montenegro is preparing to open the negotiation chapter related to agriculture. We addressed the standards Montenegro has to meet in the fields of veterinary and sanitary administration, food safety and other issues significant for both EU and Montenegro.  Everything we do leads us to the following step – the opening of the negotiation chapter in the area of agriculture,” Minister Ivanović said following his meeting with the EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy in Brussels.

He added that the particular emphasis was put on concrete steps that need to be undertaken in terms of education, implementation of regulations, technical trainings of services at cross-boarders and in laboratories, as the only way to meet the necessary EU requirements. 

European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy Toni Borg said the European Commission is impressed by the Montenegrin delegation’s preparedness for discussing this difficult negotiation chapter, adding that Montenegro, despite many challenges to deal with, is on the right track.

Mr Borg underlined that the Commission is willing to help the governments of the candidate countries. The representatives of the Commissariat, he underlined, will assist  the Montenegrin Agruculture Ministry at this stage of the EU accession process, as it is a highly demanding chapter not only for candidate countries, but for EU member states as well.

During his official visit to Brussels, Minister Ivanović met with Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture of Flandria Chris Peters.

The meeting discussed the possibilities for cooperation in the fields of fisheries, production and processing of fruit, and organic production. The two officials especially highlighted the importance of collaboration in the area of fisheries, stressing that Montenegro has already prepared itself for the first analytical examination of the acquis communautaire.