Romania absorbed EUR 1.55 billion worth of European funds this year through the National Program of Rural Development 2014-2020, compared to the scheduled amount of EUR 1.4 billion, said the minister of Agriculture Petre Daea, according to a release of the Ministry. Daea attended last Sunday, together with state secretary Alexandru Potor and general secretary Constantin Aprodu, a work meeting with the heads of the Agency for Rural Investments Financing at central, regional and county level.

During this meeting, official analyzed the last quarter balance sheet of the year regarding the European funds absorption, as well as the forecasts for the next year regarding the attraction of European funds allocated to Romania through the National Program of Rural Development 2014-2020 (PNDR 2020).

„Also, today we established together the absorption program for the next year. Through the daily activity, through the common effort, we can make what we aim,” said Daea.

Also Potor said that “at the beginning of 2018 we’ll launch a very consistent package of measures through which we can attract the available amounts via the National Program of Rural Development.”

„Currently our priority is to ensure the proper implementation of contracted projects. We have to transfer the know-how to our colleagues from the Agency for Rural Investments Financing to the beneficiaries. Therefore, we have to double the institutional effort and we have to ensure a careful check of every project,” said the general director of the Agency for Rural Investments Financing, Adrian Chesnoiu.

Source: Business Review December 2017