b'Seed Days of Region held in Novi Sad, Serbiarepresentatives of ministry, members, regional representativesnies, producers and processing centres around Europe. This is regarded as a special accomplishment of the Association, and members have assessed such activities to be very importantThe gathering of the for the improvement of the Serbian seed sector and increase of product quality and competitiveness at the international market. regional seed sector is Moreover, the Association addresses other topics and areas within the seed sector organizing various seminars (e.g. onone of the most important breeders rights, seed treatment, GMO, mycotoxins, EU acces-sion negotiations), work meetings and debates (seed processing,achievements of the Seed quality-based wheat payment, seed treatment), and business lunches with important decision-makers. In this way, both theAssociation of Serbia.general public and the decision-makers are being directed to certain issues, consequences for the seed sector and the country, but are also presented with concrete proposals and solutions.WE SPEAK UP FOR SCIENCESEED DAYS OF REGION The SAS organizes workshops and seminars for all stakeholders Cooperation in the region and traditional Seed Days of Regionin order to raise awareness on the importance of breeding inno-were launched by the SAS, aimed at improving the seed sectorvation for agricultural efficiency. We speak up for science, and in the region, harmonization of the regulations and promotionresearchers or breeders, present their innovations and their of the seed trade. The first Seed Days of Region were held inadvantages and benefits for farmers or the entire sector. One Novi Sad in 2013 with over 100 participants. Since then, Seedof the main challenges for farmers in Serbia is how to achieve Days of Region have been held continuously every year hostedhigh and stable yield related to the negative effects of climate by Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. Such events contribute towardschange, especially diseases that were not significant in Serbia creating new approaches, solutions and techniques in the seedpreviously. Members of the SAS dealing with breeding include business, and the direct communication among producers, pro- that in their breeding programs and create tolerant varieties cessers and traders creates new business ideas. Representativesto drought or diseases. They also push farmers to accept inno-of the ministries and national seed associations sit at the samevation and adopt agricultural practices, for instance, diversi-table and discuss the challenges and potential solutions for thefication of production, cover crops and so on. In view of this, a betterment of the whole region. Greatly supported by the SAS,special effort of the SAS is the linkage of the elements of the the 7th Seed Days of Region in 2019 were held in Sarajevo, andnational seed system: breeders, seed producers, market and Bosnia and Herzegovina took part in it. The panel discussion onfarmers in order to face challenges and find solutions. This The Importance of Associations, organized by the SAS, drewyear, the 8th Seed Days of Region will focus on the importance a great deal of the participants attention. The SAS puts in a lotof breeding and innovation in agriculture. The event will take of effort to support the establishment of the Seed Association ofplace in Novi Sad, organized by SAS, only two days prior to the Bosnia and Herzegovina. It could be said that this initiative forWorld Soybean Research Conference, also to be held in Novi gathering of regional seed sector is one of the most importantSad, organized by the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops achievements of the SAS. and co-organized by SAS.54IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'