Chisinau hosts meeting of Moldova-EU Mobility Partnership's Local Cooperation Platform

Chisinau, 8 July /MOLDPRES/ – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MAEIE)  on 7 July organised an expanded meeting of Moldova-EU Mobility Partnership's Local Cooperation Platform, the MAEIE information and media communication service has reported. 

The meeting was opened by Deputy Foreign and European Integration Minister Daniela Morari and Head of the EU Delegation in Moldova, Ambassador Pirkka Tapiola. The officials emphasized the positive role of this cooperation mechanism to strengthen national mechanism of managing migration and  post – liberalisation of visa regime, as well as to implement the commitments taken under the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. 

The meeting was organized for the first time ever with the participation representatives of the Eastern Partnership, as observers, additionally to EU Member States – signatories to the Joint Declaration, the European institutions, national authorities of Moldova, international organizations and development partners. 

In this context, the participants in the event praised Moldova's openness to share the experience gained in the implementation of the Mobility Partnership with EU and the sheer number of initiatives and projects in the fields of legal migration and social protection, combating irregular migration, integration of migration in development policies and minimizing migration costs, strengthening the dialogue with the Diaspora, actions to facilitate the integration and reintegration of returnees etc. 

The deputy minister also referred to the pro-active participation in the Global Forum on Migration and Development, as well as in regional cooperation initiatives. 

The first session focused on managing labour migration, circular migration, including academic mobility schemes. In this regard, the participants in the meeting highlighted the cooperation with Italy and initiatives in entrepreneurship and social economy, biological certification, renewable energy and developing projects. 

The second session was devoted to the impact of migration on development programs and projects, such as those implemented by NEXUS, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) or to projects on attracting remittances. Also, the latest results were presented in the context of the PARE 1 + 1 programme. 

The third session of the event focused on fighting irregular migration, border management, papers' security and international protection and asylum. 

In the end, the participants in the meeting presented Moldova’s priorities in the Mobility Partnership for the next period. 

The 13th issue of the Bulletin of the Moldova-EU Mobility Partnership was also unveiled at the meeting.  

It is worth mentioning that the meeting was preceded by a regional workshop, Mobility Partnership as a catalyst for cooperation: The experience of the Eastern neighborhood, organized jointly with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and supported by EU through the Mobility Partnership Facility. 

(Editor L. Alcaza)