Agreement between Hungary and Poland
The cooperation agreement between the Hungarian and the Polish National Rural Network was signed on 24 September 2010 in Budapest. On behalf of Poland, the agreement was signed by Undersecretary of State Artur Ławniczak and on behalf of Hungary by Secretary of State V. Németh Zsolt. The agreement between the Networks provides in particular for strengthening cooperation in the following areas: organisation of joint professional events and internships, joint publications, and joint research. The parties to the agreement consider the areas listed below as priorities in the cooperation between the two Rural Networks:
- Promoting cooperation projects of Polish and Hungarian LEADER Local Action Groups;
- Developing professional cooperation between organisations of farmers and young farmers;
- Exchanging and disseminating good practice in production and sale of local produce;
- Exchanging and disseminating good practice in production and use of renewable energy;
- Exchanging and disseminating professional methods making it easier for small rural centres and rural communities to apply for financial aid, as well as to manage rural development projects efficiently;
- Exchanging and disseminating good practice in renewal and maintenance of rural public infrastructure in small centres;
- Exchanging and disseminating good practice acquired through development-related projects of small enterprises (microenterprises) in small centres.
The parties also considered it important and binding to organise international meetings in Hungary and Poland, within the framework of cooperation between National Rural Networks of both states during the Hungarian and Polish rotary Presidency.
In the centre, from the left: Undersecretary of State Artur Ławniczak and Németh Zsolt, Secretary of State in the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture
The agreement was signed in the Hungarian Agricultural Museum during the 3rd Hungarian Rural Day.
On the same day, a conference was held, devoted to significant matters, namely Hungarian agriculture and Common Agricultural Policy. The conference was opened by the Hungarian Minister of agriculture dr Fazekas Sándo.r. In his speech, Undersecretary of State Artur Ławniczak presented the assumptions of the Common Agricultural Policy Reform and of rural development.
From the left: Glatz Ferenc – President of the Hungarian Network, Lajosz Mikula, PhD – Secretary General of the Hungarian Network, Przemysław Saltarski from NRN Poland and Paweł Pacek, Deputy Director of the Department of Rural Development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
During the conference, Hungarian delegates were offered the opportunity to learn the assumptions of the Polish National Rural Network. The assumptions were presented by Deputy Director of the Rural Development Department Paweł Pacek.
The best projects completed in Poland after 2004 and co-financed from European Funds were presented by Przemysław Saltarski, Head of Central Secretariat of the National Rural Network.
The meeting was also attended by the following Polish delegates: Wanda Chmielewska-Gill (Foundation of Assistance Programmes for Agriculture – FAPA – NRN partner), Karol Dobrowolski (Deputy President of Warszawski Rolno-Spożywczy Rynek Hurtowy SA – NRN partner), Łukasz Tomczak Senior Specialist in the LEADER Division of the Rural Development Department and Andrzej Sobieszek, Chief Specialist in the Department – Central Secretariat of the National Rural Network.
in the center, from left: Wanda Chmielewska–Gill (FAPA) and Andrzej Sobieszek (NRN Poland)
The visit to Hungary was a reciprocation of the visit of representatives of the Hungarian Network to Poland on 17 August 2010.
photos by Łukasz Tomczak
