The EU will use EUR 1.3 million to finance a twinning project meant to improve the protection of plants and human health in Serbia by controlling the products for plant protection, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Adriano Matrins said Tuesday.

The project entails cooperation between Serbian, UK, Slovenian and Czech experts, all in an effort to provide Serbia with the best know-how when it comes to plant protection.

The project will allow for the implementation of EU regulations in plant protection and reform the existing legislation in that area, said Martins.

State Secretary for Agriculture Mirjana Milosevic stated that Serbia has to bring its regulations in line with the EU if it wants to join the union. There are 8,600 directives in agriculture alone, she added.

Proper pesticide application is very important for food safety, Milosevic remarked. Serbia is trying to strengthen its organic food production, which means it has to use more biopesticide, the secretary argued.

The presentation of the project was attended by British Ambassador to Serbia Michael Davenport and Slovenian Ambassador Franc But. The project started October 1, 2010 and will last until March 31, 2013.