This is one of the priorities for future facilitation and enlargement of the regional cooperation in trade with organic products defined by the participants at the Technical Discussion which was successfully realized in Herceg Novi, Montenegro last week
Relevant representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture from 7 countries from SEE, representatives from National Associations of Organic producers and appointed members from the recently established Balkan Organic Network – BON, jointly discussed the current situation in the organic agriculture in the region with specific focus to trade procedures and recognition of national organic certificates between the SEE Countries.
The Technical Discussion took part in Herceg Novi, Montenegro and was organized by the SWG (Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group of South Eastern Europe) within the SWG – GIZ/ORF project “Improving the competitiveness of companies and organizations from South-eastern Europe in the agricultural and food sector through the implementation of food quality standards and increased regional networking”.
Being introduced with the current EU legislation related to the organic production and trade as well as with the requirements for labeling and marketing of organic products in the region, the participants agreed that the regional cooperation/network between the SEE countries on their way to EU integration (potential candidates and candidate countries) is crucial. They concluded that improved regional cooperation, aiming to protect the competitive values which are in favour to the organic agricultural production and to create sustainable market for organic products is an appropriate tool to stimulate the development of the organic agriculture in the region.
The participant succeed to agree on concrete proposals and next steps which need to be undertaken for future facilitation of the regional cooperation in trade (but also in organization, research, extension, biodiversity and environmental protection) with organic products between SEE countries. The results and the possibility to institutionalize BON as coordination body will be further analyzed during the next meeting foreseen for March 2012, during the international conference on organic agriculture which will be held in Sarajevo.
