The implementation of the “Introduction and Implementation of Common Market Organisation Measures” (CMO project) has great importance for agriculture sector in the R. North Macedonia because it contributes to increase marketing opportunities, economic development and overall productivity in the agricultural sector while improving competitiveness of the agriculture sector in line with the requirements for EU accession of the country. This project is of strategic importance for strengthening the position of all participants in the value chain, promoting contractual vertical and horizontal integrations between stakeholders in order to support transparency, stability, fairness of markets in interest in increasing the competitiveness of all participants individually the chain as a whole.

Work Together with Farmers

We provided support to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy (MAFWE) as the Beneficiary to establish policy and regulations to manage key commodity markets in line with EU requirements is determined as one of the main targeted results. Furthermore, the beneficiaries extend to the State Agriculture Inspectorate, Agency for Financial Support of Agriculture and Rural Development (AFSARD), and other public institutions, as well as farmers, processors, traders, and their organisations as indirect beneficiaries of the project.

Value Chain Analysis

We supported overall efforts for evidence-based policy making and monitoring through conducted Value Chain Analysis (VCA) for 6 sectors: fruits, vegetables, cereals, pork meat, wine and honey. A National Programme for implementation of schemes for offering the fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products in kindergartens and schools prepared.

We developed 4 new secondary legislations acts and draft Law on CMO

An analysis of the current technical specifications of the existing 20 wine GIs of North Macedonia, as well as the comments and recommendations received by EC services is conducted. The project provided detailed recommendations for amendments of technical specifications and prepared 4 Traditional Term Technical Specifications

Support for Monitoring

In the scope of the project, we supported sub-sectoral Working Groups (SSWGs) to monitor commodity markets and the implementation of CMO related policies through: recommendations on the organizational structure, representation and the mandate of the as well as development and implementation of administrative working principles; prepared 7 annual working programs, policy and market briefs; training to existing SSWGs and their secretariats for: fruit, vegetables, wine, cereals, milk and dairy, honey and wine.

Training with Local Actors

We provided assistance to implement the demanding set of national marketing standards for fresh fruits and vegetables on the internal and EU export markets mainly through capacity building of State Agriculture Inspectorate to perform the necessary controls as well as training of farmers from the regions of Skopje, Bitola and Strumica to improve knowledge and awareness of F&V producers and to grasp the need for modernisation in reaching the market and policy requirements.

Key Impacts of the Project

• Providing alignment of the legal environment to enable implementation of the selected priority policies as well as approximation in the process of harmonization with the European legislation in the area CMO policy
• Prioritization of key policy intervention areas to be applied as part of the national support to the agriculture sector
• Promoting the role of SSWG as market monitoring committees, also enabled to monitor the

implementation of CMO related policies

• Strengthening the implementation of marketing standards for fruit and vegetable markets in line with EU requirements through strengthening the capacity of State Agriculture Inspectorate
• Transfer of know-how to producers on establishing an Inter-branch Organisation/Producers organisation in the fruit sector (apples) and in respect to implementation of marketing standards.
• Exchange of “Good practice” in area of production technologies, storage facilities, collecting centres, packaging and marketing