Agricultural policy developments and EU approximation process in the Western Balkan countries

This report provides an analysis of agricultural policy developments and the EU approximation process in the Western Balkan area. Quantitative analysis of agricultural policy developments was performed using data on budgetary support for agriculture, systematised according to the Agricultural Policy Measures (APM) classification scheme, a uniform classification of agricultural budgetary support enabling comparison of the scope and structure of budgetary support for agriculture between WB countries/territories and the EU. The report concludes that in WB countries/territories, agriculture is an important sector for the national economies, but with a declining tendency. Significant progress has been made in recent years in aligning long-term programming documents and administrative infrastructure with EU requirements. In most WB countries/territories, the composition of direct support for producers has not changed much since 2013. Funds for structural and rural development measures are generally low and fluctuate considerably from year to year. Support for improving the environment and the countryside is insignificant. Decoupled payments represent almost 90% of direct payments to EU producers. There are no such payments in the WB countries/territories.