Statement of the Office for European Affairs and Austrian Development Agency at the press conference

Novi Sad, 17 September – Pursuant to the Agreement on Cooperation worth 5 million Euros, which was signed at the beginning of last year between the Austrian partner and the Executive Council of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the implementation of institutional building projects, specifically administration capacity building, has started. In compliance with the strategic approach of the highest governmental bodies to EU accession, the Province of Vojvodina has pooled its resources to take full advantage of the opportunities Europeisation offers. Within the training framework, a seminar on European legislation on trade and free movement of goods – what an entrepreneur should know to be successful in the EU market is being held at the Executive Council of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina today and tomorrow, which has been organized in coordination with the Office for European Affairs. ”It is especially important that companies from our country are most acquainted with the complex legislation on EU trade. The knowledge should contribute to the launch of new export initiatives and increase in the quantity and quality of our country’s export, which is vital not only to maintain overall macroeconomic stability, but also to stimulate faster economic growth in the country. I would like to emphasize that this training also comes as a result of regional initiatives and partnerships that Vojvodina has established across the continent. In other words, regional cooperation opens new doors and we in Vojvodina wish to seize all the opportunities offered to us”, said Predrag Novikov, Director of the Office for European Affairs.

Klaus Kapper, Head of Coordination Office for Technical Cooperation, Austrian Embassy, demonstrated the importance of strategic partnership with the Office for European Affairs, being the partner of the Austrian Development Agency in Vojvodina, and informed the journalists about the six measures forming the basis of socio-economic development of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. “At the moment, European legislation is the most important step that the administration of your country should take in order to be well prepared to apply for European funds, and that is the purpose of this seminar. Let me remind you that the measures we support in this program are the following: Business Standardization and Certification Scheme, Integrated Qualification Scheme (introduction of international standards into training and prequalification), Agriculture Export Fund Promotion, Joint Fund for Building Business Incubators in Vojvodina, Centre for Strategic Economic Studies and Vojvodina Investment Promotion Fund. Mr. Wolfgang Lentsch, Legal Advisor, Austrian Ministry of Economy and Labour, provided the details of two-day training.