European Commission to provide Moldova with 64 million euros to implement reforms in agriculture

Chisinau, 5 August /MOLDPRES/ - The government approved a draft law on ratification of the financing agreement signed with the European Commission (EC) in Chisinau on 26 March 2015. Under the accord, EC will provide Moldova with 64 million euros in order to implement the ENPARD Moldova Programme – Support for Agriculture and Rural Development.

The implementation of the aforementioned programme will contribute to developing capacities of export of the main Moldovan products to the European Union market. Resources are meant for promoting the sustainable and inclusive economic growth in agriculture and rural development. Among the programme's goals, there are restructuring and modernising the agro-food sector; ensuring natural resources' sustainable management; improving conditions for living and work in rural regions.

„The support by the European partners to implement reforms in the agricultural and rural sector is decisive, as adjustment to EU requirements involves high costs,” Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Ion Sula said. The need of a sectoral support has been promoted since the launch of negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement with EU.

The financial assistance will be provided during seven years after the agreement enters into force. The implementation of a stable and trustworthy macro-economic policy and making progress in implementing the Agricultural and Rural Development National Strategy for 2014-2020 are among the main conditions for earmarking the budgetary support.

In 2014, the Agency for Interventions and Payments in Agriculture capitalized about 110.7 million lei allotted via ENPARD funds. As many as 525 farms and agricultural enterprises were backed with this money, which lead to the creation of more than 1,200 new jobs.

The ENPARD Programme (European Neighbourhood Programme for Agricultural and Rural Development) was launched in March 2011.

(Reporter V. Bercu, Editor A. Raileanu)