Supporting further alignment with the EU acquis for food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary policies

The funding opportunity titled "Supporting further alignment with the EU acquis for food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary policies" is part of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. This initiative primarily targets Serbia with a total budget of €1,800,000. It is structured as Action Grants and focuses on helping Serbia align its food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary policies with EU standards. Eligibility is specifically for public administration and government institutions, emphasizing institutional capacity building rather than private enterprises. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia is identified as the primary beneficiary.

The application process requires forming a consortium involving EU member state institutions partnering with Serbian entities, indicating a focus on institutional cooperation. The geographical eligibility encompasses EU candidate countries and enlargement countries, particularly in the Western Balkans. The targeted sectors include agriculture, food safety, veterinary medicine, and plant protection, with specific attention to implementing EU legislation, disease control, and enhancing inspection and control systems.

This opportunity is at the implementation stage, aiming to validate and operationalize existing reforms rather than engaging in preliminary research or development. The financial support aims to cover multi-year twinning arrangements, capacity development programs, infrastructure upgrades, and training. Applications are by invitation only or pre-identified beneficiaries, following a structured multi-stage process for submission, review, and approval.

Specific details about success rates and co-funding requirements are not disclosed, though co-funding by the beneficiary country is typically expected based on standard practices. The deadline for submission is March 11, 2026, with all interested parties encouraged to review the linked documents, Annex C9 Standard Twinning and Annex C1 Twinning Fiche, for comprehensive details regarding application requirements and processes.

The funding opportunity is titled "Supporting further alignment with the EU acquis for food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary policies".

The programme is the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance.

The geographical zone for this opportunity is Serbia.

The budget for this action is 1,800,000 EUR.

The type of grant is Action Grants.

The publication date is 12/01/2026.

The opportunity was updated on 09/01/2026.

The deadline for submission is 11/03/2026.

The available documents are: Annex C9 Standard Twinning (dated 12 January 2026, in English) and Annex C1 Twinning Fiche (dated 12 January 2026, in English).

In summary, this is an Action Grant opportunity under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance program, aimed at supporting Serbia in aligning its food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary policies with the EU acquis. The total budget available is 1,800,000 EUR. The deadline for submitting applications is March 11, 2026. Potential applicants should review the provided documents, Annex C9 Standard Twinning and Annex C1 Twinning Fiche, for detailed information.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity details do not explicitly list eligible applicant types. However, the mention of "Twinning" in the document names (Annex C9 Standard Twinning, Annex C1 Twinning Fiche) suggests that the opportunity may be geared towards government bodies or public sector organizations, potentially from EU member states, partnering with Serbian institutions. Further clarification would be needed from the full call documentation to confirm eligible applicant types.

Funding Type: The funding type is specified as "Action Grants."

Consortium Requirement: The mention of "Twinning" strongly suggests that a consortium is required, specifically a partnership between an EU member state institution and a Serbian institution. Twinning projects typically involve collaboration between organizations from different countries.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographical zone for this opportunity is Serbia. While not explicitly stated, the "Twinning" aspect implies that eligible applicants from EU member states are also part of the beneficiary scope, as they would be partnering with Serbian entities.

Target Sector: The target sectors are food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary policies. This indicates a focus on agriculture/food and related regulatory areas.

Mentioned Countries: Serbia is explicitly mentioned as the geographical zone. The "Twinning" aspect implies the involvement of EU member states, although no specific countries are named.

Project Stage: The opportunity aims to support "further alignment with the EU acquis." This suggests that the projects should be at a development or implementation stage, focusing on adapting Serbian policies and practices to meet EU standards. It is likely beyond the initial research phase and geared towards practical application and harmonization.

Funding Amount: The budget for this opportunity is 1,800,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an "Open For Submission" call.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money through action grants.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Further information would be needed from the call documentation.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not mentioned in the provided text.

Summary: This opportunity is an action grant under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) program, specifically targeting Serbia. The goal is to support Serbia in aligning its food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary policies with the EU's "acquis," which refers to the body of EU law. The 1.8 million EUR grant is likely intended to fund projects that facilitate this alignment, potentially through institutional capacity building, policy development, training programs, or other relevant activities. The "Twinning" aspect suggests that the projects will involve partnerships between Serbian institutions and similar organizations from EU member states, allowing for knowledge transfer and best practice sharing. The call is open for submission, meaning that interested parties can apply. Further details on the specific requirements, application process, and evaluation criteria can be found in the linked documents, particularly the Annex C1 Twinning Fiche and Annex C9 Standard Twinning documents. This opportunity is designed to help Serbia prepare for EU membership by adopting EU standards in critical sectors related to food safety and animal/plant health.