First meeting of Moldova-EU Association Committee held in Chisinau

Chisinau, 19 October /MOLDPRES/- The first meeting of the Moldova-EU Association Committee took place in Chisinau today. The event was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and European Integration Minister Natalia Gherman and Executive Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service Gunnar Wiegand, the Foreign and European Integration Ministry’s communication and media relations service has reported.

The meeting aimed at assessing the achievements recorded in the first year of implementation of the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA).

The European officials expressed support for Moldovan government, which remained committed to carry out the European agenda, implicitly the reform process. The European partners said that they would continue supporting Moldova both via high-level programmes on behalf of experts of member states and programmes on technical assistance and twinning in the fields set by the agreement.

In their speeches, Gherman along with the representatives of national institutions presented the latest developments on a wide range of problems, such as political dialogue and reforms, justice, freedom and security, economic and sectoral cooperation, including issues on communication. Also, the officials noted that visible results had been achieved, including in the EU legislation’s transposition, as well as development of dialogue in the foreign and security policy, as well as sectoral dialogue and the one in the trade sector, appreciated by EU. 

The officials decided on priorities for the immediately next period, with the justice reform being foremost. In response to an initiative by the Moldovan side to have a comprehensive assessment of implementation of the National Strategy on Justice Reform 2011-2015, the EU confirmed organization of a visit to Chisinau by a mission of European experts till late next November.

Talks on DCFTA component will continue within a visit by European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom and a meeting of the Association Committee on Trade, due on 22-23 October.

(Editor M. Jantovan)