The Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Agricultural Markets and Rural Development has been operating since 2000 as a body within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia. It was established for the implementation of programmes related to the agricultural policy reform, for alignment to the EU common agricultural policy and execution of SAPARD pre-accession assistance payments.
Nowadays the Agency has a role of the only accredited paying agency in Slovenia for the allocation of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funds in the field of agriculture, food-processing industry and rural development.
Basic areas of AAMRD:
Implementation of agricultural structural policy and rural development policy
establish and implement an integrated administration and control system in agriculture (IACS)
implementation of agricultural market price policy, data collection and the establishment and implementation of market information system (MIS)
implementation of internal controls and internal audit.
AAMRD is fully accredited to carry out the most complex procedures in the allocation of funds in the field of agriculture, food industry and rural development. Implement measures of direct payments, rural development measures and measures of agricultural markets. Thoroughly review the administrative and substantive adequacy of applications and claims. In considering applications implements a series of checks to ensure the payments are in accordance with national and European legislation. It provides accurate and timely payment of approved funds to beneficiaries. Reports are given to governmental and European institutions.
AGRICULTURAL POLICY MEASURES
With Slovenia joining the EU (May 2004) an independent agricultural policy was replaced by Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union. Funds for implementation of the common agricultural policy shall be paid from the EU financial funds and national resources.
From the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) are co-funded:
direct payments: basic payment scheme (payment entitlements), greening, payment for young farmers, small farmers scheme, coupled payments: support for grain, support for milk in mountainous areas, support for rearing cattle, support for vegetables,
measures of agricultural markets: measures of foreign trade, intervention and promotion measures,
measures in apiculture.
From European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) are co-funded measures included under the Slovenian RDP 2014-2020:
Measure 1 – Knowledge transfer and information actions
Measure 2 – Advisory services, farm management and farm relief services
Measure 3 – Quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
Measure 4 - Investments in physical assets
Measure 6 – Farm and business development
Measure 7 – Basic services and village renewal in rural areas
Measure 8 – Investments in forest area development and improvement of the viability of forests
Measure 9 – Setting-up of producer groups and organisations
Measure 10 – Agri-environment-climate payments
Measure 11 – Organic farming
Measure 13 – Payments to areas facing natural or other specific constraints
Measure 14 – Animal welfare
Measure 16 – Cooperation
Measure 19 – Support for LEADER local development (CLLD – community-led local development)
From the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) are co-funded:
Sea fishing
Aquaculture
Implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy
Community-led local development
Processing and marketing of fisheries,
Integrated maritime policy
In case of a contingency events in the agriculture the Member State is allowed to pay special financial support (ie. de minimis) from national resources (budget) to affected farmers. The support for the implementation of land consolidation, expert events and interest associations meetings, or prevention (co-financing of insurance premiums) against natural disasters is paid from national resources exclusively.
