The European Commission has adopted (IPARD) rural development programmes under the instrument for pre-accession assistance, offering €112 million for Albania, €97 million for North Macedonia and €288 million for Serbia. The programmes provide the basis for EU support in the field of agriculture and rural development until 2027.

Together with national public and private contributions, the IPARD programmes are expected to generate in total over €2 billion of investments in the rural areas of Western Balkans and Turkey. Through these programmes, countries pursue objectives related to the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, sustainable management of natural resources, climate action and improving rural areas’ attractiveness.

The programmes also contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans through investments to align with EU standards including through upgrading buildings, machinery, and equipment. They also help increasing rural areas’ growth potential and their attractiveness to prevent depopulation. This can be done through better infrastructure, diversifying income-generating economic activities and fostering rural employment, in particular among women and youth. IPARD is an integral part of the broader EU pre-accession strategy under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance.