Annual progress report 2015 albanian contribution – input I september 2014 – may 2015 table of contents

A new decision of Council of Minister No. 719 of 31.10.2014 “For establishment and organization of Agriculture and Rural Development Agency”, was approved. Several trainings were organised aiming to enhance institutional capacities and performance of IPARD Agency.

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  Investments in physical assets of agriculture holdings.
  
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  Investments in physical assets concerning processing and marketing of agriculture and fishery products.
  
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  Farm diversification.
  
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  Technical Assistance.
  

The consultation process has been carried out in two stages.

1. 
   Desk research;
   
2. 
   Data collection mission to Albania (personal and group interviews with representatives of relevant institutions, organizations and stakeholders);
   
3. 
   Analysis and reporting;
   
4. 
   Presentation of conclusions and recommendations and discussion of the implementation of recommendations with the MARDWA and IPARD OS.
   
5. 
   Preparation of ex-ante evaluation report.
   

Based on the requirements of the Sectorial Agreement and also referring to the Evaluation Reports issued for Agricultural and Rural Development Agency, there has been an intensive work in order to design and built up a Referent Price database in order to be used as a tool for future IPARD. All the datas have been taken from the existing offers from the first, second and third call. This process is still undergoing and also a research market has to be done.

In regard to the staff retention and motivation policy, the IPARD Agency, sent official Letter to respective national authorities - NIPAC office/copy NAO and MARDWA  adopting a retention policy for the staff  of the Agency (this could include performance-related bonuses or  top-up payments, opportunities for training and education, transparent promotion policies, individual goal-setting and other).

The staff of the IPARD Agency participated in the following trainings

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  Study visit on strengthening IPARD agency's capacity on risk management and irregularity, financed from TAIEX;
  
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  Study visit on the International training event "Performance audit in utilization of EU funds" organized by TIA Macedonia;
  
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  Work-Shop on Lessons learned, for all IPARD structures;
  
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  Training on National Minimum Standards (NMS) on animal health and welfare;
  
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  Training regarding the reference price data base delivered to relevant IPARD Agency staff.
  
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  Training regarding Human Resource Management and Work Load Analyze update, Training regarding irregularities and fraud is delivered to all ARDA IPARD staff.
  
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  On job training of the Memorandum of Understanding MoU (MA – PA), with the IPARD Agency Reporting Officer.
  
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  Training regarding MoU’s with Technical bodies;
  
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  Continuation of on job training, for processing of the claims for payments under 2^nd and 3^rd call and on the spot control.
  
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  Continuation of on job training for amending and updating the Existing Written Procedures.
  

The ICT supplied by the IPA 2011 “Support to agriculture and rural development”, in terms of hardware for the functioning of the IPARD Agency were delivered with a hand-over protocol.

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  Albanian farmers and agro-processors submitted in total 255 applications;
  
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  Total applied investment amount of 45.832.722 EURO
  
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  Total applied grant amount of 23.804.867 EURO
  

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  The IPARD Agency will be supported in terms of: capacity building, design of the IACS system (LPIS, Farm register, animal register etc), vehicles and equipment, by the project for the “Support of ARDA”, which started its activities launching the 1^st Steering Committee. The inception phase of the project is in process of assessment of the current situation and planning of activities.
  
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  Negotiation in process for the new project (UNIDO), to support the biomass energy from the processing of the olive groves. The grants will be pay to the olive processors through the IPARD Agency according to the IPARD procedures.
  
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  A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in November 2014 as Cooperation Agreement with the Italian Agency (AVEPA- Agenzia Veneta per i Pagamenti in Agricoltura). In order to promote further development of good relationship and to strengthen continuous efforts in the area of mutual interest concerning the EU pre-accession, accession and post-accession process and the preparation of the overall implementation system for the efficient absorption and use of pre-accession IPARD funds, as well as the EAFRD and EAGF funds later on.
  
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  Coaching events were organized for contracted applicants under call three, in order to clarify the procedures, and the documents as part of the CfP (Claim for Payment).
  

Referring to the conditions of origin zoo and horse trade between the countries of the community, a draft regulation is prepared.

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  25 operators were certified from the certification band Alb inspects.
  
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  Five trainings were carried out with extension service staff and farmers on organic production topics.
  

The law on “Organic Agriculture” is being drafted by the working group of experts in the field and in line with the Council Regulation No 834/2007 of 28 June 2007, “On organic production and labelling of organic products”.

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  Decision of Council of Ministers on determining the marketing criteria, certification and testing of potatoes seed was drafted.
  

In January 2015, the project “Support for the implementation of inter-sectoral strategy for agriculture and rural development in Albania” was approved. The support will be an integral part of the implementation of the Intersectorial Strategy of Agriculture and Rural Development, since the CMO policy area and the Quality policy area are both central for the fulfillment of the objectives of the strategy. The project is supported by FAO and it will contribute in building capacities regarding the formulation and the implementation of a comprehensive policy for the CMO area and for the Quality Policy area.

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  Order of Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration No 565 of 19.12.2014 “On amending the order No.216, of 23.05.2008 “On approval of regulation relating to food supplements”, partially approximated with the Directive 2002/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 June 2002 on the food supplements;
  
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  Guideline of Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration No 16 of 22.12.2014 “On laying down specific purity criteria concerning colors for use in foodstuffs”, partially approximated with the Commission Directive 2008/128/EC of 22 December 2008 on laying down specific purity criteria concerning colors for use in foodstuffs.
  
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  Guideline of Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration No 17 of 22.12.2014 “On the monitoring of temperatures in the means of transport, warehousing and storage of quick-frozen foodstuffs intended for human consumption”, partially approximated with the Commission Regulation (EC) No 37/2005 of 12 January 2005 concerning to the monitoring of temperatures in the means of transport, warehousing and storage of quick-frozen foodstuffs intended for human consumption.
  
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  Guideline of Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration No 17/1 of 22.12.2014 “On animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption”, partially approximated with the Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December 2002 on animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption.
  
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  Guideline of Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration No 207, date 31.03.2015 “On determination of safety and quality indicators of pre-packed wheat, to be sold to the last consumer or production of other food products”.
  

The following activities were organized to enhance the administrative capacities:

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  A study visit on GMOs control, organized in cooperation with TAIEX from 29 September to 3 October 2014 in Roma, Italy;
  

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  An expert mission on official control on GMOs, organized in cooperation with TAIEX on 27 - 31 October 2014 in Tirana;
  
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  A workshop on official inspection of GMOs in food and feed, organized in cooperation with TAIEX on 17 November 2014 in Tirana.
  

For products that pose a higher risk during production, storage or trading, as well as for their own wide consumption, NFA carried out several measures in cooperation with its regional directorates (RD) setting up working groups, developing action and monitoring plans. The following can be reported:

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  Order No. 3692 Prot, of 03.09.2014 “For joint inspections with RD NFA, in establishments of fresh and processed fish who have the right to export to countries of the European Union”.
  
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  Action Plan No. 5232 Prot, of 24.12.2014 at National Level in the framework of holiday season with the object: “Inspection of restaurants, meat trading units, supermarkets, markets, etc.”  
  
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  Action Plan No. 114 Prot, of 12.01.2015 “For control of the food businesses who perform the process of slaughtering animals, as well as meat trading entities.”
  

During the period 1 September 2014 - 31 March 2015, 33 FBOs have applied for licensing at the Sector of Food and Feed of Non-Animal Origin Inspection and FBOs, 13 of these applications were approved and 20 were refused.

During the period 1 September 2014 - 31March 2015, 150 FBOs have applied for licensing at the Sector of Food and Feed of Animal Origin Inspection and FBOs, 82 of these applications were approved and 68 were refused.